REX Awards 2025: Natural Products
Natural products have evolved. Beyond avoiding chemicals and preservatives, these days “natural” can encompass features such as plant-based, organic, sustainable and better-for-you. Consumers are looking for natural vitamins and supplements, beauty and bath products, and other items. Manufacturers are innovating to meet consumer demands.
According to SPINS, among the trends driving sales in the natural products space are planet-friendly options that have less packaging, everyday better-for-you products that appeal to millennials and Gen Z and ingredients that are promoted for specific health benefits, such as cognitive function and immune support.
Drug Store News’ REX Awards—Natural Products—recognizes manufacturers who have made a difference in their industries, with new products, promotions or merchandising.
Here are this year’s winners.
Cosset Bath and Body
Cosset Bath and Body makes Therapy Bombs that are designed to help people relax, recover and rejuvenate. “Bath bombs are exciting and fun, therapeutic baths not so much,” said co-founder David Danzig. “We figured out how to do both.”
The Salt Lake City, Utah-based Cosset uses salt from the Great Salt Lake and other clean ingredients. The company’s bestseller is Apocalypse Therapy Bomb, a muscle recovery bath bomb that contains Spanish rosemary essential oil to ease muscles, corn mint essential oil to increase circulation, and fi r needle to ease stiff joints. The second bestseller is Oasis, which has ginger powder and cornflower petals to ease stiffness and lemon essential oil to reduce inflammation.
In 2007 Danzig and his wife, co-founder Ashleigh Danzig, went on a cruise and discovered luxury bath products. David took up developing bath products as a hobby, and developed a skin solution for their son’s eczema. The couple launched Cosset in 2014, and the first product was The George Body Butter with natural butters and oils.
Today the products are grouped into four categories: Rest Therapy, Skin Therapy, Recover Therapy and Mood + Soul Therapy. New products include Shower Steamers, which release healing aromas as they dissolve.
Epion Brands
Epion Brands is the maker of Kori Pure Antarctic Krill Oil, an omega-3 supplement sustainably sourced from Antarctic krill to support heart, brain, joint, eye, skin and immune health. The krill are from the Southern Ocean in Area 48 of the Antarctic Peninsula, home to the krill fishery that earned an “A” rating by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.
Less than 1% of the Antarctic krill biomass is harvested annually, to ensure the long-term sustainability of krill populations and reduce the impact on the ecosystem.
Noting that more than 70% of Americans are defi cient in omega-3, an essential nutrient the body can’t make on its own, the company creates awareness and excitement around the category. “Our mission and continued inspiration are to enable consumers to live healthier as they live longer,” said John Bennett, head of sales.
Good Clean Love
Good Clean Love is a line of sexual wellness and vaginal hygiene products that began in 2003, when founder Wendy Strgar set out to develop a personal lubricant that did not contain parabens and petrochemicals. She began experimenting with oils she found in her kitchen, and created Good Clean Love’s line of aphrodisiac Love Oils and soon after, the organic personal lubricant Almost Naked.
Today the company portfolio includes personal lubricants, body washes and wipes, vaginal care products, fertility care products, massage oils and candles.
As a better-for-you sexual wellness brand, Good Clean Love claims it has been at the forefront of innovation for more than 20 years. The Eugene, Ore.-based company recently refreshed its brand visual identity and thought leadership. The brand said inspiration for innovation comes from Vaginal Biome Science, which was also founded by Strgar and researches novel solutions for vaginal microbiome health and pioneers clinical research and diagnostics.
Nature’s Way
With more than 700 products, Nature’s Way meets consumer needs across supplement categories that include herbal, multivitamins, enzymes, digestive health, homeopathic, oils, liquid and syrup solutions.
The brand portfolio includes Alive! multivitamins, Fortify digestive and immune, Pearls probiotic, Sambucus immunity, Umcka cold and flu and Integrative Therapeutics, which are supplements previously available only through practitioners. The formulas are rooted in nature and science, incorporating ingredients ranging from botanicals to nature-identical vitamins.
New products from the Green Bay, Wis.-based company include zero sugar versions of its gummy vitamins, made with plant-based sweeteners; Sambucus Zero Sugar Immune Gummies, Alive! and more. Additional new gummy vitamins include Quick Calm Gummy with fast-acting L-theanine and 3-in-1 Probiotic Gummy formulated with two billion CFU of clinically studied probiotic Unique IS-2.
Nordic Naturals
A company that specializes in fish oil, Nordic Naturals offers more than 200 products, including omegas, probiotics and vitamins and minerals. The company said it is still the number-one selling fi sh oil brand in the United States, based on Stackline, Nielsen and SPINS sales data.
In 2025, Nordic Naturals will showcase its fish oil and its expanded product offerings. The launches include Ultimate Omega Plant-Based soft gels in a sustainable algae-based formula; Zero Sugar Probiotic Gummies with two strains of probiotics and a prebiotic blend; Zinc Gummies that support general wellness by promoting antioxidant activity and healthy immune functions in green apple-tasting gummies; and Mood Support Omega Blend soft gels with ashwagandha extract.
Pharmavite
Founded in 1971, Pharmavite remains dedicated to helping people live healthier, more vital lives through its Nature Made, MegaFood, Bonafide, Uqora and Equelle brands.
The West Hill, Calif.-based company offers a portfolio of products that are all science-backed solutions that adhere to strict manufacturing practices. New products in 2024 included Nature Made Advanced Multivitamin Gummies, which provide 20 essential nutrients, and Nature Made Zero Sugar Gummies, a sugar-free alternative that o ers the same nutrient support as found in traditional Nature Made Gummies.
Each product earned the United States Pharmacopeia’s Verified Dietary Supplement mark through third-party verification to meet stringent purity and potency criteria.
Mason Vitamins
With more than 325 products, Mason Vitamins offers items in most subcategories and forms of vitamins and supplements. The full-service vendor also manufactures private-label supplements. Inspiration for new products comes from vast amounts of research.
In 2025, Mason Vitamins will look at launching new forms of supplements, which are all solutions for pill fatigue. Gummies are the number one form in the category and are very popular in melatonin and multivitamins, Tacl said, but are limited in other subcategories and not the preferred form.
Lifelab Health
With a focus on natural and organic products for the whole family, Lifelab Health began with NuSyllium, a USDA-certified organic, GMO-free psyllium fiber product.
New products include NuSyllium Ultra Sugar Free, with twice the fiber per teaspoon, in a 72 dose container. Also new is NuSyllium Vegan & Sugar Free Capsules, which are made with USDA-certified organic fiber and provide a gelatin-free alternative, available in a 400-count bottle.
“We offer a value priced organic fiber capsule,” said Louis M. Machin, president of Lifelab Health. “It’s a better product and better value than the leading fiber capsules.”
The Coconut Beach, Fla.-based company also makes HoneyWorks cough syrups and throat sprays, which are made with 100% U.S. sourced natural, certified organic dark honey. The products contain no artificial or synthetic substances. “We were the innovators with the spray,” Machin said. “There have been a lot of imitators that have entered the market.”
