Nature's Sunshine Products
Nature's Sunshine Products, Incorporated (NASDAQ: NATR), also known as "NSP", is a manufacturer and marketer of encapsulated natural health supplements, including herbs, vitamins, minerals, Chinese, Ayurvedic and homeopathic remedies, cookware, natural personal care & cleaning products, etc. It is based in Lehi, Utah with a manufacturing facility in Spanish Fork, Utah.
History
Nature's Sunshine was founded in 1972 by the Hughes family, who started encapsulating capsicum in their home kitchen. The company employs a multi-level marketing business model in which their products are primarily sold to the consumer by independent distributors who receive commissions based on their own sales, and management bonuses based upon the sales of any distributors they may have recruited.
The company is divided into various segments in the U.S., including a U.S. Sales division, a Spanish language division, and an International division which oversees the corporation's foreign subsidiaries.
NSP also owns Synergy Worldwide, a direct marketing company that also sells nutritional supplements. Products for both companies are manufactured in a production and research facility located in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Products and Manufacturing
Nature's Sunshine manufacturing processes are compliant with NSF/ANSI standards.
Nature's Sunshine products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
SEC charges settled
On July 31, 2009, the company agreed to pay $600,000 in fines after being charged by the SEC with having bribed Brazilian officials with more than $1,000,000 in 2000 and 2001. This was done "so it could import unregistered nutritional products into the country, and then falsified its books to hide the payments."[1][2]
References
- ↑ Grace Leong. Nature's Sunshine pays $600K to settle bribery charges. Daily Herald, August 1, 2009
- ↑ Harvey, Tom (July 31, 2009). "SEC fines Nature's Sunshine for bribing Brazilian officials". The Salt Lake Tribune.