Nature’s Plus, stylised by the company as NaturesPlus, is an American brand of vitamins, dietary supplements, nutritional powders, herbal products, and related health items. It is produced and marketed by Natural Organics, Inc., a company established by Gerald Kessler in New York in 1972. The brand is particularly recognised for product lines such as Source of Life, SPIRU-TEIN, and Animal Parade.[1]

Natural Organics has operated under the Nature’s Plus name since the brand’s early development. Documents from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission identify Natural Organics, Inc. as a New York corporation doing business as Nature’s Plus.[2]

Founding

The origins of Nature’s Plus are linked to Gerald Kessler, who developed an interest in nutritional supplements while working as a pharmaceutical salesman during the 1960s. According to the company, Kessler became convinced that nutrition and holistic approaches could play a significant role in maintaining health. He began manufacturing and bottling vitamins himself, selling them directly to health-food stores. In 1972, he formally founded Natural Organics, Inc. in Long Island, New York.

This period coincided with growing consumer interest in natural foods, organic products, and alternative health approaches in the United States. Nature’s Plus positioned itself within this emerging movement while emphasising formulation and manufacturing quality. Contemporary U.S. court records confirm that Natural Organics had been selling vitamins, minerals, and food supplements to natural-food stores since 1972 under the NATURE’S PLUS trademark.[3]

Growth

Over subsequent decades, Natural Organics expanded the Nature’s Plus portfolio from basic vitamins and minerals into specialised nutritional formulations. The company states that its history spans more than five decades and notes that by the time of Kessler’s death in March 2015, Natural Organics had grown to nearly 400 employees and was distributing over 1,000 products in approximately 130 countries.[4] The company continues to describe itself as a family-oriented, independently operated supplement business.[5]

Gerald A. Kessler (1934–2015) was the founder and central figure behind Nature’s Plus. Beyond establishing the company, Kessler was an active participant in the American dietary supplement industry, particularly regarding regulatory policy. He played a significant role in the legislative efforts that led to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). According to company accounts, Kessler organised industry executives to campaign against proposed FDA rules that would have subjected supplements to stricter regulation. His lobbying efforts contributed to the passage of DSHEA, which was signed into law in 1994 and took effect in 1996.[6] This advocacy remains a key component of the brand’s corporate identity, portraying Kessler as a champion for the broader supplement industry.

Nature’s Plus maintains a broad product portfolio rather than focusing on a single category. Its current offerings include multiple product families:[7]

• Source of Life
• Source of Life Garden
• Source of Life GOLD
• SPIRU-TEIN
• Animal Parade
• Herbal Actives
• HEMA-PLEX
• Gummies
• Immune
• GI Natural
• KetoLiving
• KalmAssure Magnesium
• NaturesPlus PRO
• BrainCeutix
• Collagen
• Dreaminol
• HempCeutix

These products cover several major supplement categories:

Vitamins and Minerals

Traditional multivitamins, individual vitamins, minerals, and specialised nutrient formulations constitute a significant portion of the business.

Nutritional Powders

Powdered nutritional supplementation is a well-known category for the brand, particularly SPIRU-TEIN, a line of protein and nutrition shakes.

Whole-Food and Plant-Based Nutrition

The Source of Life line focuses on concentrated nutritional ingredients derived from whole foods and plants.[8]

Children’s Supplements

Animal Parade is one of the company’s most recognisable lines for children, featuring vitamins and nutritional products marketed specifically to younger demographics.[10]

Herbal Products

The brand produces botanical and herbal formulations, including the Herbal Actives line.

Specialised Nutritional Products

The portfolio has expanded to include digestive health, immune support, magnesium, collagen, sports nutrition, and other targeted categories.

Source of Life

Source of Life is a flagship product family reflecting the company’s emphasis on combining vitamins, minerals, and botanical ingredients into comprehensive formulas. Variations include Source of Life, Source of Life Garden, and Source of Life GOLD.[8]

SPIRU-TEIN

SPIRU-TEIN is a historically significant powdered nutritional and protein drink associated with the brand for decades. Court records from 1989 reference a protein supplement sold under the name Spiru-Tein, indicating its established status within the company’s business at that time.[9]

Animal Parade

Animal Parade serves as the primary children’s nutritional supplement line. Its distinctive animal-themed branding differentiates it from adult-focused products, and the company cites it alongside SPIRU-TEIN and Source of Life as a key successful sub-brand.[10]

Nature’s Plus articulates its philosophy through a combination of nature, nutritional science, formulation quality, and manufacturing standards. Its stated core values are caring, commitment, family, innovation, and credibility.[11] The underlying principle is that nutritional supplements should utilise carefully selected ingredients alongside scientific formulation and manufacturing expertise. International materials similarly describe the approach as integrating natural ingredients with nutritional science, emphasising research and raw material selection.[12]

Quality control is central to the brand’s corporate messaging. The company states it uses selected raw materials, including standardised herbal extracts and specialised ingredients, supported by dedicated manufacturing processes.[13] Nature’s Plus highlights various accreditations and recognitions, including organic standards, Ecocert certification, Health Canada site licensing, U.S. patents, the Presidential E Award, and membership in the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce.[13] It is important to note that manufacturing certifications do not equate to clinical proof of specific health benefits for individual products; dietary supplements occupy a distinct regulatory category from prescription medicines.

Historically, Nature’s Plus has sought to differentiate itself from generic vitamin brands by emphasising formulation. This includes selecting specific nutrient forms, using standardised botanical extracts, and developing proprietary blends.[7] The brand occupies a middle ground between natural-health branding and nutritional science, a combination that has defined its identity since inception.

Although founded in New York, Nature’s Plus evolved into an international brand, with products reportedly sold in approximately 130 countries by 2015.[17] The company has developed regional distribution networks and market-specific websites. Consequently, product names, formulations, packaging, and regulatory information may vary between countries. Products available in the Philippines or other Asian markets may differ in specification or regulatory status from identically named products sold in the United States or Europe.

Nature’s Plus functions as the consumer-facing brand, while Natural Organics, Inc. is the underlying manufacturer. Regulatory and legal records support this distinction; the FTC has described Natural Organics as a corporation doing business as Nature’s Plus,[14] and trademark registrations identify Natural Organics, Inc. as the owner of the Nature’s Plus marks for dietary supplements and vitamins.[15]

As with many long-standing supplement manufacturers, it is necessary to distinguish between brand reputation, regulatory compliance, and clinical evidence. In the early 2000s, Natural Organics was subject to a U.S. Federal Trade Commission proceeding regarding advertising claims, resulting in a consent order concerning the substantiation of health-related assertions.[16] Various legal and regulatory matters involving specific products or ingredients have occurred throughout the company’s history. These instances are part of the regulatory landscape for large supplement companies and do not necessarily imply systemic safety issues across the entire portfolio. Consumers are advised to evaluate individual products based on ingredients, dosage, labelling, and personal suitability.

Nature’s Plus is not a pharmaceutical company. Its core business is dietary supplementation rather than prescription drug development. Supplements are intended to complement the diet, whereas pharmaceuticals are regulated therapeutic agents for diagnosing, treating, or preventing disease. Claims such as “supports immune health” are not equivalent to clinical treatment claims. The company’s website carries standard disclaimers stating that product statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and that products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.[17]

Several factors distinguish Nature’s Plus in the supplement market:

• Long History: Established in 1972, the company has over five decades of operational history.[18]
• Founder Influence: Gerald Kessler was a prominent figure in both the company and the wider U.S. supplement industry.
• Extensive Portfolio: The brand produces a wide range of products spanning vitamins, minerals, protein powders, children’s supplements, herbs, gummies, and specialty nutrients.[19]
• Recognisable Sub-brands: Lines such as Source of Life, SPIRU-TEIN, and Animal Parade have established significant independent recognition.[20]
• Nature and Science Integration: The brand consistently combines natural ingredient appeal with scientific formulation.
• Global Reach: The company grew from a regional American entity into an internationally distributed brand.[21]

Historical dates are based primarily on company accounts supplemented by court and regulatory records.[22]

1. Legacy | NaturesPlus
2. Welcome
3. Natural Organics, Inc. v. Proteins Plus, Inc., 724 F. Supp. 50 (E.D.N.Y. 1989) :: Justia
4. OUR VALUES
5. Natural Vitamins, Nutritional Supplements, Manufacturers, Suppliers, | Natures Plus
6. Accreditation
7. Natural Organics, Inc. Trademarks Page 1 :: Justia Trademarks
8. Our Mission – NaturesPlus
9. NATURE’S PLUS LTD overview – Find and update company information – GOV.UK
10. Nature’s Plus Nordic v. Natural Organics, Inc. | No. 09–CV–04256 (ADS)(AKT). | E.D.N.Y. | Judgment | Law | CaseMine
11. Nature’s Plus Nordic v. Natural Organics, Inc. (Nature’s Plus Nordic v. Natural Organics, Inc., 980 F.Supp.2d 400 (E.D. N.Y. 2013)) – vLex United States
12. Nature’s Plus Nordic A/S et al v. Natural Organics, Inc. et al, No. 2:2009cv04256 – Document 209 (E.D.N.Y. 2013) :: Justia
13. NATURE’S PLUS Trademark of Natural Organics, Inc. – Registration Number 2078813 – Serial Number 75073074 :: Justia Trademarks
14. Buy Nature’s Plus products at the best price | Naturitas
15. Nature’s Plus | BBB Business Profile | Better Business Bureau
16. 品牌介紹
17. Unmatched 45-year History as a Trusted Supplier of Natural Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements | Natures Plus
18. Source of Life Whole Food Multivitamin, Green Multivitamin | NaturesPlus
19. NaturesPlus
20. NP FAMILY
21. All Vitamins & Supplements | NaturesPlus
22. Nature’s Plus – Guardian Online Singapore