BLACKMORES defines its corporate identity through the integration of nature and science to create health and wellbeing solutions. Its current market positioning draws upon more than 90 years of naturopathic heritage, combined with scientific research, product quality standards, and a holistic approach to wellness.1

Foundation and Maurice Blackmore

The origins of BLACKMORES trace back to 1932, when Maurice Blackmore founded his business in Brisbane, Australia. As a naturopath, Blackmore championed natural health approaches during an era when naturopathy and natural medicine held a marginal position within mainstream Australian healthcare.

His philosophy extended beyond individual treatment; he believed that human wellbeing was intrinsically linked to the natural environment, a concept that later became central to the company’s identity. Throughout the 1930s and subsequent decades, Blackmore expanded his work to include health-food retail, naturopathic education, professional associations, and health publications. In 1934, he established what BLACKMORES describes as Australia’s first naturopathic training college.1 Consequently, the company developed not merely as a supplement manufacturer but as a foundational element of Australia’s early natural health movement.

Expansion under the Blackmore family

Maurice Blackmore’s son, Marcus Blackmore, gradually assumed greater responsibility within the business before taking over its leadership. Under the second generation of family management, the company adopted a more formal corporate structure and broadened its range of natural health products.

Key developments during this period included the creation of early vitamin and mineral formulations, naturopathic education programmes, health publications, and expansion into other Asia-Pacific markets. Historical records identify Malaysia and Singapore as early international markets, with expansion commencing in the 1970s.

Becoming a public company

A pivotal milestone occurred in 1985 when BLACKMORES became a publicly listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the ticker BKL. This public listing provided capital for further growth and facilitated the transformation of BLACKMORES from a family-run naturopathic business into a major consumer health company.

Expansion across Asia-Pacific

From the 1990s onwards, BLACKMORES increasingly focused on developing its Asia-Pacific business. The company established operations in markets including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and India, while retaining Australia as its core market.

This regional strategy became a defining characteristic of the business. Australia served as the brand’s heritage and manufacturing base, while the Asia-Pacific region emerged as an increasingly vital market for its consumer health products.

Acquisitions and portfolio expansion

BLACKMORES also diversified beyond its core consumer supplement business. In 2010, it acquired Pure Animal Wellbeing (PAW), a natural health business dedicated to pets. In 2012, the company acquired BioCeuticals, a practitioner-focused health brand, and established the Blackmores Institute as a centre for research and education.

These acquisitions created a comprehensive health-science portfolio encompassing consumer health, practitioner products, pet health, and research and education.

Kirin acquisition

The most significant recent development in the corporate history of BLACKMORES took place in 2023. Japan’s Kirin Holdings agreed to acquire BLACKMORES as part of its strategy to expand its Health Science business in the Asia-Pacific region. The Australian Federal Court approved the scheme of arrangement in July 2023, and the acquisition was subsequently completed, making BLACKMORES a wholly owned subsidiary of Kirin Holdings.1

While this acquisition ended the company’s status as an independently listed Australian public entity, the BLACKMORES brand continued its operations. Kirin described BLACKMORES as complementary to its existing health-science capabilities, citing the brand’s established consumer presence, Asia-Pacific distribution network, and expertise in local markets and regulations.

BLACKMORES operates primarily within the vitamins, minerals, and supplements (VMS) sector and the broader natural health market. Its product range covers numerous everyday health and nutritional categories, including:

• Multivitamins
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• B vitamins
• Minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and iron
• Fish oil and omega-3 products
• Herbal supplements
• Digestive and gut-health products
• Immune-support products
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding nutrition
• Women’s health
• Men’s health
• Children’s health
• Healthy ageing
• Energy and vitality
• Bone and joint health
• Practitioner-oriented nutritional products through related businesses

Specific products currently highlighted by BLACKMORES include Blackmores Bio C 1000, Blackmores Pregnancy & Breast-Feeding Gold, Blackmores Iron Rapi-Melt, and Blackmores Insolar.

The exact product portfolio varies by country, as supplements are subject to differing regulatory requirements and consumer health regulations across markets.

The modern identity of BLACKMORES is anchored in the concept of combining nature with science. The company traces this philosophy to Maurice Blackmore’s original naturopathic approach, describing its contemporary products as being developed using natural ingredients alongside scientific research and rigorous quality-control processes.1

Its current positioning can be understood through three key pillars:

1. Natural health

Historically, BLACKMORES has positioned itself around naturopathy, herbs, vitamins, minerals, and other naturally derived or nutrition-based approaches to health.

2. Science and evidence

Despite its naturopathic heritage, the modern company places considerable emphasis on scientific research, product formulation, testing, and evidence. The Blackmores Institute was established specifically to support research and education regarding natural medicine and health.

3. Preventative and everyday wellbeing

Rather than marketing products primarily as treatments for diagnosed diseases, BLACKMORES generally presents them as solutions intended to support nutritional needs and everyday wellbeing.

It is important to note that BLACKMORES is primarily a natural-health and supplement company, not a pharmaceutical company. The classification of any specific BLACKMORES product—as food, supplement, complementary medicine, or otherwise—depends on the market and local regulations.

BLACKMORES maintains manufacturing capabilities in Australia. Its primary tablet and soft-gel manufacturing facility is located in Braeside, Victoria, where the company states it produces approximately 3 billion tablets and capsules per year.

Quality and safety are central to the brand’s current positioning. BLACKMORES asserts that its products are formulated and developed by experts and are subject to standards designed to ensure consistency, quality, and safety. The company also emphasises the integration of traditional formulations with evidence-based approaches.

The Blackmores Institute is a key component of the wider Blackmores Group. Established in 2012, it functions as an academic and research centre associated with natural health. Its remit includes research, education, and professional engagement concerning complementary medicine and natural-health practices.

This institute provides BLACKMORES with a research and professional-education capability that extends beyond the standard consumer supplement business.

Although fundamentally an Australian brand, the commercial footprint of BLACKMORES extends throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The group reports having approximately 1,200 employees across Asia-Pacific, with products reaching consumers throughout the region.

This regional strategy is particularly significant given that Asian markets have historically represented important growth opportunities for Australian natural-health products. The Australian origin, long operating history, and reputation for quality of BLACKMORES have been integral components of its positioning in these markets.

Following the 2023 acquisition, BLACKMORES is no longer an independently listed public company. The current corporate structure is as follows:

Kirin Holdings
↓
Kirin Health Science
↓
Blackmores Group
↓
BLACKMORES / BioCeuticals / PAW / Blackmores Institute

BLACKMORES describes itself as the cornerstone brand of Kirin’s Health Science business. Kirin’s broader Health Science strategy encompasses nutrition, functional foods, biotechnology, and other health-related sectors. The acquisition of BLACKMORES was intended to strengthen Kirin’s position in the Asia-Pacific health-science market.

Environmental responsibility has been part of the BLACKMORES narrative since the founder’s era. The company links human health with planetary health and has incorporated sustainability into its modern corporate strategy.

BLACKMORES currently states that it has a pathway toward Net Zero emissions by 2030 and highlights initiatives involving renewable energy, responsible sourcing, circularity, and community wellbeing.1 Its Sydney workplace has also incorporated renewable electricity and energy-efficiency measures.

BLACKMORES holds significance for several reasons. Firstly, it is one of the longest-established major natural-health brands in Australia, with origins dating to the 1930s providing a substantially longer heritage than many contemporary supplement brands.

Secondly, the company helped connect Australian naturopathic traditions with modern consumer healthcare. Its growth illustrates the transition of natural medicine from small specialist practices and health-food stores into a large-scale consumer-products industry.

Thirdly, BLACKMORES became an important Australian export brand, particularly within Asia-Pacific markets. Finally, the 2023 acquisition by Kirin transformed BLACKMORES from an Australian-listed company into a key component of a Japanese multinational’s Health Science strategy.

It is useful to distinguish BLACKMORES from pharmaceutical manufacturers. A pharmaceutical company primarily develops and manufactures medicines intended to prevent, diagnose, or treat specific diseases and conditions, subject to pharmaceutical regulatory frameworks.

In contrast, BLACKMORES is primarily associated with vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements, herbal products, and complementary/natural-health products. Its products are generally positioned around nutritional support and wellbeing rather than replacing conventional medical treatment. Therefore, the brand is best understood as a consumer health and natural-wellness company rather than a conventional pharmaceutical company.

The historical milestones above are based primarily on corporate records and acquisition documentation.

The brand image of BLACKMORES is strongly associated with Australia, natural health, vitamins, and premium-quality supplements. In Australia, the name has become closely identified with the country’s broader natural-health industry, while in Asia it is often marketed as an established Australian health brand.

Its competitive advantage is therefore not based solely on individual products. A significant portion of its brand equity derives from the combination of Australian heritage, long history, natural-health expertise, broad product range, quality positioning, and Asia-Pacific distribution.

BLACKMORES can be described as a pioneering Australian natural-health brand that evolved into a major Asia-Pacific consumer-health business. Its history begins with Maurice Blackmore’s naturopathic philosophy in Brisbane in 1932 and progresses through family ownership, public listing, international expansion, acquisitions, and ultimately its acquisition by Kirin Holdings in 2023.

The brand’s central identity remains remarkably consistent despite these corporate changes: using knowledge of nature, nutrition, and science to support everyday health and wellbeing. Its present-day position is less that of a traditional naturopathic business and more that of a sophisticated international consumer-health brand operating within Kirin’s expanding Health Science portfolio.1

1. Our Heritage | Blackmores