Raw Materials - NOW® Foods Greece

JMN - Join Molecular Nutrition
JMN Pharmaceutical SA is a Greek trading company, involved in marketing and distribution of pharmaceutical and nutritional supplement products hence in the health industry and lifestyle products. JMN Pharmaceutical SA was founded in 2008 in Ioannina. The rapid growth of the company resulted in its expansion into the industrial area of Ioannina, where privately owned warehouses of 1,200 square meters were located until the end of 2016, where they were moved at the area of Aspropyrgos Attica until the present day. The accountant base as well as the order department of the company remains in the center of the city of Ioannina. In 2008 the sales and marketing department was added in Athens, which is responsible for promoting products at both retail and wholesale, both in Greece and in foreign countries. In 2008, the R & D department was established, aiming at the development of innovative formulae. Today JMN Pharmaceutical is active in both Greece and the abroad.

Activities

The scope of JMN Pharmaceutical SA activities in Greece, involves the import, export, distribution and trade of pharmaceuticals, organic products and nutritional supplements. The company is the sole owner of the claims with regards the trade and distribution of NOW products in Greece, Cyprus and Croatia. According to SPINS^ΤΜ, an independent body, NOW is the biggest supplement manufacturer globally, in terms of sales. Alongside the effective demonstration of providing prime quality natural products, such as dietary supplements, natural nutriments, supplements for athletes, herb extracts, essential oils, natural sweeteners, cosmetics, etc., this American Corporation is strictly committed to issues that deal with social and environmental liability.

The last partnership between JMN Pharmaceutical SA and Lifeplan Products, an English supplement company, is an evolutionary step of great significance, since the dietary supplements in question are on sale exclusively at AB VASILOPOULOS Super Market, a member of Ahold-Delhaize, a giant multinational force, in FMCG department.

JMN Pharmaceutical SA, apart from delegating important manufacturers of the abroad, has also manufactured products under its own brand name, with innovative formulas, developed exclusively by the R & D department of the company. Natura Vita series available on domestic and foreign market; more specifically in Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania.

Some of which are:
- NATURA VITA Dietary Supplements
- NATURA VITA Nuts & Snacks
Services - Facilities

To the present, JMN Pharmaceutical SA remains committed to all the values set from the first moment of its foundation. The services provided include ensuring optimal product quality, and effectiveness to those who need them. Overhauling and scientifically validated expiration dates are an integral part of the company's activity which allows quality assurance from the first day of product storage. The facilities where the warehouse is housed exceed the guidelines for food packaging. The storage areas have units which control temperature and humidity, which operate more at night, to avoid changes that affect the quality of products. The high quality of service of JMN Pharmaceutical SA is certified by Quality Assurance Standard ISO 9001 and the reassessment is annual, according to the new standard ISO 9001.

Objectives

The purpose and aim of JMN Pharmaceutical SA is leadership and cooperation with new partners of high scientific standing, and continuous replenishment with modern innovative products that lead to a longer life of high quality. In a global economic environment, characterized by the changing attitudes of customers, who will now attach great importance to the quality and reliability of its products, the rapid increase in competition, ease of movement of goods between countries, there is a growing need for competitive products and services of assured quality. Despite the current difficult situation Greece is facing, JMN Pharmaceutical SA is continuing to produce an even larger number of formulations, with the same commitment and consistency towards its consumers and partners.

Values

One of the basic principles of JMN Pharmaceutical SA is consistency towards its customers, partners and its scientific staff characterized by sincerity, honesty and integrity.

Therefore the company commits and provides a promise to:
- Continuous scientific and technological progress.
- Maintaining high quality standards.
- Excellent personal relationships, both with customers and with partners.
- Excellent working environment for its staff.
Corporate Social Responsibility

JMN Pharmaceutical SA is characterized by remarkable long-term corporate social responsibility:

Financial transparency, alignment with national and international standards and initiatives of the sales department based on a strict code of conduct constitute a guaranteed compliance with the rules of good practice, but also transcend the predefined standards of laws, both local and on an international level.

Quality Raw Materials

Testing and high-tech instrumentation are wasted investments without quality raw materials. With more than 1,400 products, NOW’s success has hinged in part on our ability to source and secure quality raw materials. The strong, long-term relations we’ve developed with key suppliers give us unsurpassed purchasing power and the bulk quantity price breaks we enjoy are passed on to our customers in the form of affordable everyday pricing.

NOW uses many trademarked ingredients in our products and we clearly identify these ingredients on our product labels. These ingredients have undergone comprehensive clinical and analytical testing and offer a level of evaluation superior to that of standard ingredients. Finished products containing trademarked ingredients are randomly assayed by the trademark owner to ensure these products are properly manufactured and labeled and that the finished product meets the stringent requirements for the use of their ingredient.

Freshness Guarantee

NOW goes to great lengths to ensure the freshness of our products. Natural products are susceptible to damage from oxygen, light, heat and moisture, so we utilize a variety of contemporary methods to preserve freshness.

Ageless® Oxygen Absorbers

During production an Ageless® Oxygen Absorber packet is inserted into many NOW® products. These packets absorb oxygen and help to control humidity throughout the life of the product. NOW was one of the first industry manufacturers to recognize the importance of protecting natural products from the damaging oxidative effects that occur from oxygen exposure.

Gas Flushing

Another method we use to control oxygen exposure is gas flushing (typically a blend of carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases). During the package filling process the gas is rapidly injected into the package to expel oxygen prior to sealing. Gas flushing offers the additional benefit of preserving the beneficial properties of many natural products. This freshness preservation method is typically used for food products, such as nuts and seeds, that are susceptible to oxidation.

Desiccants

Desiccants are used to absorb moisture during packaging and control moisture until the package is opened by the end user. Desiccants are included in many NOW® products. For products that are highly sensitive to moisture we use a stronger desiccant called a molecular sieve, particularly for probiotic products with live organisms that require a moisture-free environment to survive.

Product-Specific Packaging

Packaging is the front-line of defense against light, heat, moisture and oxygen. Without quality packaging that’s suited to individual products all other efforts to ensure product freshness are doomed to fail. For instance, PETE plastic bottles work well for the majority of our products, but some probiotic supplements maintain their freshness and efficacy longer when packaged in dark glass bottles. NOW utilizes a wealth of technical data to help us choose the best packaging for each product we produce.

Climate-Controlled Storage

Understanding the unique storage conditions required for natural product ingredients and finished goods is an important aspect of freshness. We’ve researched the specific climate requirements for each ingredient we purchase and product we produce and store our materials appropriately to ensure freshness and efficacy through the “Best By” date.

Support & Services

Our quality processes aren’t just about product quality. They also entail quality service and support for those who sell and use NOW® products. NOW’s Customer Service department and Nutrition group provide key services such as addressing product and ingredient questions, providing nutritional advice from certified staff nutritionists, tracking in-transit shipments and more. We also offer convenient online ordering options, an online Store Finder to direct consumers to stores, one of the most comprehensive and informative websites in the industry and a variety of marketing support tools.

JMN - Join Molecular Nutrition