Diana Morgan – What’s Up With Supps (Trade Social Occasions)

0:00 – Introductions

Ben and Mike welcome Diana Morgan to Episode 115 of the PricePlow Podcast. Diana shares her background, mentioning she comes from New Jersey and has almost 18 years of expertise within the dietary complement business. She holds a Grasp’s in vitamin and is a licensed sports activities nutritionist. Her present position is VP of Regulatory and Authorities Affairs for Nutrabolt, the proprietor of main complement manufacturers like Cellucor, C4 Vitality, and Xtend. Diana can be the founding father of “What’s up with Supps,” an business networking group that hosts occasions at main commerce exhibits and conferences.

2:15 – What’s Up With Supps Retro Toy Occasion for SupplySide West 2023

The dialog delves into Diana’s ardour for organizing events. The hosts reminisce about attending a few of her occasions and join over shared pursuits. They talk about the upcoming “What’s up with Supps” occasion at Provide Aspect West, scheduled for October 26 on the Home of Blues in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. The occasion’s theme is “retro toys come to life,” promising a novel and entertaining expertise, together with a Rubik’s Dice competitors sponsored by a cognitive well being ingredient firm.

You’ll be able to see the SSW 2023 Retro Toy Party event on EventBrite.

Diana explains the origin of “What’s up with Supps” when Expo West was canceled in 2020. She describes the frustration of lacking business connections and the way she and others determined to arrange out of doors networking occasions to keep up relationships. The primary occasion in September 2020 was successful, fostering a way of group and connection that digital conferences couldn’t change. Consequently, they continued internet hosting such occasions to convey the business collectively.

5:30 – Trade Occasions

Ben shares his expertise attending one in all these occasions in Morristown, New Jersey, and the way it was a welcome break from the isolation in 2020 – particularly in New Jersey the place the tyranny reigned supreme. He highlights the importance of business friendships, particularly these shaped at commerce exhibits like Expo West and Arnold.

Diana elaborates on her motivation to arrange these occasions, emphasizing the pure merchandise business’s give attention to well being and wellness. She recollects dealing with criticism and skepticism about internet hosting occasions throughout 2020 however believed within the significance of fostering group throughout the business, and the human bodily contact of hugging your mates. Ben reminisces concerning the Morristown occasion the place nobody wore masks, and the enjoyment of reconnecting with business mates after an extended hiatus.

The dialog transitions to the constant presence of “What’s up with Supps” occasions at numerous expos and commerce exhibits, changing into a practice. Diana explains the goal of making a non-competitive and welcoming surroundings the place business professionals can come collectively, share concepts, and revel in themselves. She additionally introduces the idea of incorporating enjoyable and playful themes, such because the upcoming “retro toys come to life” theme for the Provide Aspect West occasion, as a solution to convey out the childlike creativity and playfulness in attendees.

9:30 – Diana’s Position at Nutrabolt

Ben then delves into Diana’s position at Nutrabolt as VP of Regulatory and Authorities Affairs, inquiring about her day-to-day duties. Diana supplies insights into the multifaceted nature of her position, which entails regulatory oversight, product growth, high quality management, authorities relations, and international regulatory monitoring. She discusses the significance of staying up to date on international regulatory landscapes and the position her staff performs in reviewing labels for compliance.

16:00 – Vitamin Shoppe

Diana discusses her earlier position at Vitamin Shoppe. Diana shares insights into her time at Vitamin Shoppe, the place she labored on product growth, taste growth, label creation, and regulatory compliance. She recollects the challenges of tasting a number of iterations of merchandise in a single day, noting that it could possibly be taxing on the abdomen.

The dialog additionally touches on a latest incident involving an organization referred to as “C5” and Nutrabolt, the place C5 undoubtedly infringes on C4’s trademark, branding, and copyrights. Diana expresses her shock at C5’s audacity, contemplating Nutrabolt’s massive measurement and formidable authorized staff. Ben and Mike acknowledge the audacity of C5’s actions and briefly talk about the worldwide side of the problem.

21:30 – Advocating in DC

Picture with Rick Collins and Nutrabolt’s Diana Morgan on the 2023 NPA Fly-In Day in Washington DC (See Episode #100)

The group delves into Diana’s experiences in Washington, DC, the place she joined Ben and Mike for conferences associated to dietary complement regulation (flashback to Episode #100). Diana is requested concerning the targets of Nutrabolt and herself throughout their go to to the nation’s capital.

Diana explains that Nutrabolt goals to advocate for the dietary complement business’s finest pursuits by partaking with policymakers and legislators. They search to supply lawmakers with correct details about the business’s merchandise, security, and advantages whereas emphasizing the significance of science-based regulation.

Diana herself is devoted to selling accountable self-regulation throughout the business. She believes within the significance of compliance and schooling to make sure product security and shopper belief. Moreover, she expresses the necessity to tackle points corresponding to mislabeling and adulteration within the complement market.

26:00 – Labeling and advertising and marketing

Diana mentions that there’s a push to limit entry to sure sports activities vitamin merchandise, corresponding to weight reduction dietary supplements and power drinks, for people underneath 18 because of issues about their potential well being results. Nonetheless, she highlights that accountable labeling, clear warning statements, and correct schooling can assist guarantee protected consumption.

The dialogue additionally touches on the significance of differentiating between dietary dietary supplements and drinks, particularly in relation to ingredient ranges and regulatory necessities. The labeling and advertising and marketing of power drinks and related merchandise can have a major impression on shopper perceptions and security.

35:45 – GRAS standing

The dialogue turns to using self-affirmed GRAS (Usually Acknowledged as Protected) standing for components in dietary dietary supplements and meals merchandise. Diana emphasizes the significance of thorough substantiation and security information for components, whether or not human-based research or different types of analysis.

Diana explains that whereas human research are most well-liked for substantiation, they aren’t the one acceptable type of proof. Information from animal research or conventional natural makes use of will also be thought of, so long as there’s a clear mechanism of motion and a solution to extrapolate the findings to people.

Diana highlights the necessity for rigorous security assessments within the dietary complement business to make sure that merchandise are protected for consumption, particularly when coping with components that won’t have intensive human research however have been used historically or have related animal analysis.

43:00 – Amino acid calorie rely

Diana discusses the FDA’s place on whether or not particular person amino acids needs to be counted as energy. She mentions that the FDA’s stance is that particular person amino acids, when in isolation, shouldn’t be counted as energy. Which means they need to not contribute to the overall calorie rely of a product. Nonetheless, when amino acids are a part of an entire protein, they are often thought of within the calorie rely related to protein. This distinction is necessary for labeling and calculating the dietary content material of meals and dietary dietary supplements.

48:00 – Wrap up and SupplySide West

The episode wraps up with Diana speaking about her upcoming “What’s Up with Supps” event on October twenty sixth from 5 to 11 PM, which is ready to shut out the SupplySide West convention (October 23-27). Diana supplies details about the occasion’s particulars, its charitable features, and a few thrilling gadgets up for public sale, corresponding to a signed poster from the creator of Friday the thirteenth.