The Eugene, OR-based company opened its doors in 1981 and over the years has built up an eclectic portfolio of over 60 natural products spanning insect repellents (Buzz Away), topical skin products, cold sore treatments, and dietary supplements. New product development and most of the new growth will be in the dietary supplements realm, CEO Jason Pellegrini told us at the Expo West event in Anaheim earlier this year.
The company is strongest in supplements in the immune health sector, and is benefitting from a consumer shift toward natural alternatives for immune support.
“Just as there is an overall movement toward organic and natural across a host of categories, it seems that people are growing tired of big pharma solutions for immune support that frequently aren’t really solutions, or come with unacceptable side effects,” explained Todd Howerter, VP of Marketing at Quantum Health.
“People have been using the power of nature for immune support for thousands of years, and thanks to a group of journalists, bloggers, and engaged influencers, the interest in and knowledge of this potential continues to grow.”
Consumers
Pellegrini said, “We’re not going to be first to market with a cutting-edge ingredient.” Instead, the company focuses on quality products and trusted brand.
“We feel like we would continue to grow our business with no marketing whatsoever just off the quality of our products coupled with what we see as a growing consumer interest in what we offer,” said Howerter. “Our marketing efforts are designed to increase awareness of our products and what makes them better, so that we can outpace industry growth.”
The company’s traditional consumer base was the hyper-engaged natural shopper, but opportunities are now expanding beyond this “dark green” consumer.
“This ‘dark green’ consumer is now someone we see as an influencer that a broader set of consumers looks to,” said Howerter. “We now target what we call the “light green” shopper, who is someone who wants to make better choices for their family, and will do so when the price is right and the choice is convenient. This is someone who buys organic, but not exclusively, and who chooses natural alternatives for immune support or cold sore control, but might still be taking prescription medication to control high blood pressure. This is someone who has organic kale in their refrigerator, but also has double stuff Oreos in their pantry.
“Interestingly, we also see an increase in interest and loyalty for our products among younger consumers. We do great with millennials, and expect a disproportionate share of growth to come from this cohort going forward.”
Howerter added that the company could communicate it’s commitment to quality by telling people about its competitor’s lack of quality, but that kind of negative advertising is inconsistent with Quantum’s values. “We think that the bigger opportunity is to continue to convince light green shoppers to choose natural over chemical, and when they do, we as a company will get more than our fair share of the benefit,” he said.
New look
The company recently unveiled a new look, and is preparing to launch a new dietary supplement to support eye health.
“Our CEO’s passion for this segment is the primary driver for this decision. Jason’s family has suffered from age related eye disease, and as a result, he is at risk for losing his vision one day,” explained Howerter. “When you think about how much each of us relies on our eyes for all of the things we do every day, it is hard to imagine a life without them. Our motivation is to do what we can to preserve the vision of as many people as possible. We are a for-profit company, and we do expect to make money on the product, but if we only break even, but play a role in preserving vision for our consumes, that is a win.
“Additionally, we see two dynamics that lead us to believe that there is growing need for the type of product we plan to offer. One is the graying of America, where a large group of baby boomers are growing old together, and are at risk for age related eye disease. The second dynamic is the growth in “screen time” for everyone, young and old, and the potential long-term damage that can be done to eyes as a result of that.”