World recognition of the importance of phytonutrients is spreading. This week the Chinese Nutrition Society (CNS) announced that it is revising its “daily reference intakes,” or DRI, to include phytonutrients.

That means the society will now recommend people get a daily dose of phytonutrients along with their vitamins and minerals to maintain optimal health.

We are proud to say that the Nutrilite Health Institute worked closely with the CNS in gathering research and scientific data to establish the DRIs.

The announcement comes as the 11th China Nutrition Science Conference and the 2013 China & Korea Joint International Phytonutrient Symposium wrap up this week where our own Dr. Keith Randolph presented.

Dr. Randolph is the nutrition technology strategist at the NHI. He called the decision by the CNS “a significant development in the effort to improve the overall health of a large portion of the world’s population.”

Read more about the announcement at the Amway Global Newsroom and see more photos from the symposium at our Nutrilite Facebook Page.

With more than 900 research and development professionals employed by Amway, discovery is job #1.

In fact, more than 1,000 patents have been secured during the company’s history and over 800 more are pending. Many of these discoveries are driven by customer demands, feedback from distributors or advances in the market.

But some of the best discoveries happen simply by accident.

Take, for example, the company’s invention of non-chlorinated automatic dishwasher detergent. In the 1980s, there was not a non-chlorinated product on the market and Amway wasn’t trying to develop one. But, while testing a potential product for soil removal, our R&D professionals noticed that the product eliminated spots. Upon further testing, it also seemed to clean plates, plastic and other flatware better than anything else.

Quickly, a new product was born.

“It was all just serendipity,” Amway Scientist Ernie Brumbaugh said. “The result of observation and the understanding that something unique was happening in front of our eyes.”

What came to be known as Crystal Bright Automatic Dishwashing Detergent is just one of many discoveries made by Brumbaugh, who’s been with Amway for nearly 43 years.  It’s also one of the reasons the company recently honored him with induction into the Amway’s new R&D Distinguished Scientific Leadership Society – the highest honor bestowed by the R&D division.

Today we spend 5 minutes with “Dr. B,” also known as Rohan Fernando. Rohan has worked in Quality Assurance for Nutrilite for 20 years.

His team tests our B vitamins for potency, making sure they meet our standards and do what we want them to do. And, if you’ve ever toured our Nutrilite Center for Optimal Health, you may have met him. He’s the one who shows the tour groups around his department.

When did you first know you wanted to be a scientist?

In high school I was strong in science and math. With math I thought I could be a CPA or something like that, which didn’t interest me as much; I wasn’t sure I wanted to deal with numbers all day. But I realized that science would be a broader field to pursue, so I studied microbiology and chemistry, which led me to my job here at Nutrilite.

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened on a tour?

Well, people see me in my lab coat and they think I’m a doctor. And people love to take pictures with me. When they go back and share their pictures, other people who come visit recognize me, and they’re excited to see me. It’s a good feeling. They call me “Dr. B” because I handle B vitamins. People feel they know me, which is nice.

What do you like most about your job?

It’s just nice to work for a company you believe in and can be proud of. I like to wear my Nutrilite logo gear out and about and have people recognize who I work for.

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the 20 years you’ve been here?

Our QA lab has really grown. It was 7,000 square feet when I started here in 1993. Now it has grown to 37,000 square feet.

What keeps you busy when you’re not at work?

I like playing basketball with my kids, and I’m into cars so I like going to auto shows. I stay in shape and jog every day. I preach staying healthy, so I need to stay fit. I enjoy exercising.

When cofounders Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos started Amway in 1959, they did not stop with their initial product offering or American footprint. They kept growing by asking themselves, “What if…?”

That same question is still asked each day by our Business Innovations team. Glenn Armstrong, head of the team, talks about it in this video, the first of several we will be posting.

“If you continue to ask yourself, ‘What if?’ it gets you thinking about the possibilities,” Armstrong said. ”What if we had this many distributors? What if Amway supplied these types of products?

“If you ask yourself, ‘What if?’ you find yourself getting used to being outside your comfort zone.”

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Did you know we are growing? We are expanding Nutrilite manufacturing facilities at sites around the globe to meet increased demand and to continue to provide the high quality products customers have come to expect.

In Buena Park, California, a new granulation plant and a research and development facility are under construction. The new buildings, along with a new visitor experience at the Nutrilite Center for Optimal Health, are scheduled to open in late 2014 or early 2015.

Work began on these projects last year when we started demolition of the older facilities. We’re far enough along to provide regular construction updates, not only from Buena Park, but also from the new facilities we’re building in Quincy, Washington, at our World Headquarters in Ada, Michigan, and other locations around the world.

Right now in Buena Park, the construction team is installing structural steel. That will continue for about six weeks. The granulation tower has been the first priority and is far enough along to allow the second floor decking to begin.

Watch us grow on our Nutrilite Facebook page, where we will be sharing regular photos from our construction sites.

Today we spend 5 minutes with one of our “nutritional sleuths,” Samantha Izzy. Samantha is a nutrition investigator in Buena Park. She joined Nutrilite in 2008 and describes her job as a liaison between science and the rest of the world.

How did you get started in this type of work?

I started in school at Purdue University as a pharmacy student. But I realized I wanted to be involved in prevention, so I switched into the dietetics program. When I saw a job opening at Nutrilite in Southern California, I applied, got the job, and moved from Indiana to Orange County. It was a great move!

What do you work on each day?

Every day I touch a little bit of everything. In product development we do a lot of research: exploring new ingredients we can put into products, understanding the benefits of those ingredients and how they will function in the human body. We do a lot of reputational work as well, publications and presentations to different audiences, including distributors.

You just returned from a trip to India. What did you do there?

It was huge, and very exciting. They’re launching their women’s health product line, so I traveled to five different cities, five days in a row to support the launch. I gave presentations to distributors on what a woman needs to maintain good health through the different stages in life and where supplements fit in. We highlighted NUTRILITE Complex for Hair, Skin and Nails; Tri Iron Folic; Cal Mag D Plus; and Black Cohosh and Soy. The audiences were the largest I’ve ever presented to; the people were really excited.

Did you feel like a rock star?

I did, people were asking for autographs. I kept joking that I felt like Madonna when I was on stage. But it’s so cool to see people this excited about health and well-being. They’re so passionate about it. That’s what we live for working in this industry.

What does Optimal Health mean to you?

It’s the million dollar concept: Striving to live a healthy life helps enhance the quality of life. I get all the healthy food I need, and I take my basic supplements each day. I take a multivitamin and omega-3. I take Complex for Hair, Skin and Nails, and I take Cal Mag D. I notice that when I take my supplements each day and maintain an active lifestyle, something as simple as walking in the evening, I feel better and happier. And I have the faith that I’m extending my life.

The journey to blotchy, spotted skin is filled with twists and turns – and often  takes years to appear. It’s the result of over-exposure to the sun’s damaging UV rays, hormonal shifts and basic biological aging. 

Uneven skin tone is emerging as one of the top three global skincare concerns among women, and the obsession to correct it is sweeping the world. From Asia to America, sun spots, freckles and acne scars are a major focus of scientists as part of the quest to achieve, flawless radiant skin.

Fortunately, with the help of ARTISTRY Research & Development scientists around the world, a new definition of radiance has emerged.

ARTISTRY Ideal Radiance is a breakthrough 3D Brightening Skincare System featuring a curated blend of soothing and brightening botanicals and cutting-edge technologies. It helps diminish the look of dark spots and discolorations for improved translucency, luminosity and evenness of skin tone. And that adds up to unmistakable radiance.

Ideal Radiance begins its global rollout March 2013 around the world.

Nutrilite’s new All Plant Protein Powder is unique because it uses a tri-blend of soy, wheat and pea protein to help keep you healthy and energetic without animal products or dairy. But it’s not just what’s inside the package that makes this product special. The canister itself has unique characteristics.

Packaging engineers and designers created multiple prototypes using wide variety of feedback to produce an All Plant Protein canister that really stands out. You’ll notice the uniqueness when you pick it up and hold it in your hand.

It has a visual connection with the NUTRILITE™ supplement bottle shape. The handle grip makes the container easier to hold. And the translucent green cap matches the color and transparency of a DOUBLE  X™ supplement tray. It’s also made of plastic, which has a smaller carbon footprint than our previous package and is more easily recycled into common recycling streams available around the globe.

So, when you open your All Plant Protein Powder, enjoy what’s inside, but take some time to appreciate the package it came in, too!

When you hold an ARTISTRY product in your hands, personalized skincare is literally at your fingertips.

Exclusive to the ARTISTRY brand, F.A.C.E.S. (Facial Analysis Computer Evaluation System) is an innovative, high-tech way to analyze your skin and select the best ARTISTRY skin care products based on that analysis.

We have more than 25 F.A.C.E.S. units placed around the world using clinical-grade image technology to analyze an individual’s skin and send that data back to our researchers. This allows our Research and Development team to see how actual customers care for their skin and understand what they’re looking for in a product.

It also serves as a tool to help lead product development to ensure we’re at the forefront of skincare innovation.

ARTISTRY Senior Research Scientist Jesse Leverett explained the technology recently at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City.

Are you putting your best face forward?

We announced record sales this week of $11.3 billion for 2012. That very big number is representative of the many wonderful people and products behind a successful year:

• 21,000 employees.
• More than 900 scientists and technicians.
• 65 research & development labs.
• More than 1,000 patents granted, 800 pending.
• 2.7 million volunteer hours.
• 10 million children helped through the Amway One by One Campaign for Children.
• $3.5 billion in bonuses and incentives.

Watch the video to learn more. We look forward to another successful year!

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