ABC’s Mark Blumenthal Named 'Person of the Year' by Whole Foods Magazine
ABC founder called ‘pioneer who helped the natural products industry reach the next level’
AUSTIN, Texas (Nov. 29, 2023) — The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) is pleased to announce that Mark Blumenthal, ABC’s founder and executive director, has been named “Person of the Year” by Whole Foods Magazine, a leading natural products industry trade publication. Whole Foods announced the cover story in its December issue, available here.
The article and sidebars chronicle many of Blumenthal’s extensive activities in the herb and natural products community over the last 50 years, most of it as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of ABC’s journal HerbalGram and as founder and executive director of the international nonprofit American Botanical Council.
The story also mentions his being a co-founder and president of the Herb Trade Association in the late 1970s and a founding board member of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). Over the years, Blumenthal’s many activities at ABC have focused on education, research, ethnobotany, phytomedicine, quality issues, conservation and sustainability, and other aspects of the mission, publications and programs of ABC.
Blumenthal's many diverse activities also include acting as the senior editor of four science-based reference books, including the award-winning “The Complete German Commission E Monographs—Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines” (1998), plus “Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs” (2000), “The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs” (2000) and “Rational Phytotherapy” (2004). Blumenthal serves and has served on numerous editorial boards of magazines and journals in the botanical and natural medicine arena as well as on the advisory boards of many nonprofit organizations and educational programs. Blumenthal and ABC were also instrumental in producing the first herbal medicine continuing education courses for pharmacists in the 1990s, including ground-breaking CE-accredited “Pharmacy from the Rainforest” ethnobotany ecotours to the Peruvian Amazon.
"Mark Blumenthal has raised the bar in the natural products industry, and he helped us to be better and do better in the process," wrote Heather Wainer, publisher and VP of media at Whole Foods Magazine.
“ABC also has been instrumental in helping to keep this industry ethical and transparent,” Wainer said. “Most recently, ABC has taken a lead role in the fight against adulteration of herbs. BAPP [the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program] has been in the forefront and is slowly but surely helping to gain transparency in herbs and cleaning up our herbal products.
“In recognition of Mark’s efforts to deliver education for four decades through HerbalGram, as well as for his work with BAPP and his fight for clean unadulterated herbs, Mark stands out as our 2023 Person of the Year.”
A sidebar contains various comments from natural product industry leaders: Loren Israelsen, president of United Natural Products Alliance; Greg Ris of Indena USA; Elan Sudberg, CEO of Alkemist Labs; Howard Wainer, president of WFC Inc.; Ann Armbrecht, Ph.D., director of the ABC Sustainable Herbs Program; and Len Monheit of Industry Transparency Center. Another sidebar has comments from three ABC employees (Hannah Baumann, associate editor of HerbalGram; Cecelia Thompson, finance director; and Gayle Engels, special projects director) regarding their views on working at ABC.
“I am deeply grateful that Whole Foods Magazine has chosen to honor the unique and extensive nonprofit research and educational work of the American Botanical Council with this recognition,” said Blumenthal. “I also thank the amazingly dedicated, productive and dedicated staff of ABC who help ensure that ABC makes such positive contributions to the herbal community in the United States and internationally. And, I have profound gratitude to the loyal members, donors and supporters of ABC who make possible the nonprofit organization’s unique educational mission, publications and programs.”
Blumenthal acknowledged his gratitude for his long history with Whole Foods Magazine. “As Whole Foods publisher Heather Wainer notes in her column, I have known her since she started in the natural products industry in the 1990s, and I have known her father, Whole Foods President Howie Wainer, for about 45 years. My relationship with Whole Foods began shortly after he purchased the magazine in 1984, when he asked me to write a monthly article on herbs. In fact, as noted in a quote from Howie, he got me started as a writer early in my career in the herb and natural products community when he invited me to write a column for the former industry trade magazine for which he was previously working, Health Food Business, starting around 1978. I am grateful to Howie for starting me on the path of writing (and editing) — two things I continue to do in service to the natural products community.”
The timing of the release of the Whole Foods Magazine tribute to Blumenthal occurs when ABC has just completed its 35th anniversary as a leading nonprofit research and education organization and the 40th anniversary of ABC’s flagship publication, HerbalGram. ABC has set up a special page on its information-rich website for the HerbalGram 40 Project & Fund, available here.
About Whole Foods Magazine
Whole Foods Magazine is a trade publication that focuses on the natural products and dietary supplement industry. It will reach its 40th anniversary under the ownership of the Wainer family in 2024. Its monthly print circulation is over 13,000. Whole Foods Magazine is not affiliated with the Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Markets chain of natural groceries.
Media Contacts
Denise Meikel, American Botanical Council, denise@herbalgram.com, 512.926.4900 x120
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, 303.807.1042
Nootropics: An Emerging Trend in Cognitive Nutrition and Brain Performance
Photo: Pexels
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s October 2021 Industry Newsletter
By Steve Hoffman
From young students, tech professionals, writers and others looking to enhance brain performance, focus and productivity to aging individuals seeking to boost cognitive health, nootropics is emerging as a significant category in dietary supplements. While consumers may not be familiar with the term itself, they are increasingly turning to nootropic products to help with learning, concentration, remembering, recalling information, gaining new skills, alertness, focus and other activities that require cognitive and mental function, says leading natural products market research firm SPINS in its recent The State of Natural report.
Nootropics (sometimes referred to as “smart drugs”) is a catch-all term for products that are reported to enhance brain and cognitive performance, from food and nutritional ingredients to dietary supplement formulations and even some prescription drugs. Taking gingko biloba or even drinking a caffeinated beverage are examples of taking a nootropic to boost memory or enhance alertness and focus.
According to SPINS, sales of functional nootropic ingredients including bacopa, phosphatidyl serine and DMAE all grew over 100% over the 24 weeks ending June 13, 2021. Other nootropic nutritional ingredients seeing sales growth include GABA, L-Theanine, Acetyl L Carnitine, gingko biloba, DHA, medicinal mushrooms, and more.
“A lot of companies are turning to a blend of different nootropic ingredients for a synergistic effect on cognitive health,” noted Scott Dicker, Marketing Data Analyst for SPINS. SPINS also advises retailers that educating yourself and customers is essential. Shoppers may understand what cognitive health is, but educating them and helping them become aware of the wide variety of supplements, foods and beverages that support brain function and cognitive health will help determine their in-store experience, and purchasing decisions, said SPINS.
As of July 21, 2021, “mental complex” supplements experienced a 58% year-over-year growth rate on Amazon, according to ClearCut Analytics in a report in Whole Foods Magazine. Sales have been steadily increasing for these type of supplements since August 2019, and ClearCut Analytics noted that trends often emerge on Amazon before reaching Food/Drug/Mass (FDM). Formulations in capsules are leading sales of mental complex supplements – capsules hold a 71% market share on Amazon, ClearCut Analytics reports.
Today’s aging population is helping drive sales of nootropics by focusing increasingly on brain and mental health, said ClearCut Analytics. SPINS also noted the COVID-19 pandemic has increased overall consumer interest in products for cognitive health.