Founded 1968 · Bloomingdale Illinois · Family-Owned, Third Generation · GMP A-Rated

Now Foods

Founded 1968 in Illinois. The American workhorse of clean, affordable supplements.

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The story

Now Foods was founded in 1968 by Elwood Richard, a physical chemist who started a 4,500 square foot supplement operation inside Fearn Soya in Illinois. The reason was practical: customers were leaving his health food stores for cheaper supermarket products, so Elwood started manufacturing his own to keep clean nutrition within reach. That accessibility ethos has carried through nearly six decades.

Today the company operates a 263,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution plant in Bloomingdale, Illinois (designed by Elwood's brother Louis), and is still owned and run by the Richard family, now into the third generation. Now Foods earned its NPA GMP certification with an A rating in 2000, holds UL National Brand Certification for dietary supplement manufacturing, and added ISO 22715 cosmetic and SQF natural food certifications in 2017. The combination of scale, multiple in-house labs, and family stewardship is rare in the supplement industry, and it is the reason a Now bottle of B-12 or Vitamin D costs a fraction of comparable clean brands without dropping the testing standards.
Affordable nutrition is not a contradiction. We built our own labs and our own factory so the price on the bottle reflects the contents, not a chain of middlemen.
The Richard Family, Now Foods (founded by Elwood Richard, 1968)

What makes them different

  • 01

    In-House Manufacturing

    263,000 square feet in Bloomingdale, Illinois. Now Foods runs its own labs, its own production lines, and its own warehouse. Most competitor brands outsource to contract manufacturers; Now controls the chain end to end.

  • 02

    Multi-Layer Testing

    Every batch is tested in-house for identity, potency, heavy metals, and microbial contamination. Now Foods also holds NPA GMP A-rated and UL NBCP certifications, both of which require ongoing third-party audits of the manufacturing process.

  • 03

    Family-Owned, Third Generation

    Still owned and operated by the Richard family. Elwood's sons launched the international division (HealthCo) in 1991, and the next generation now runs day-to-day operations. No private equity owners pushing margins or short-term cuts.

  • 04

    Affordable Without Compromise

    Vertical integration removes broker and contract-manufacturer markups. That is why a Now Foods Vitamin D-3, Magnesium, or B-12 typically lands at half the price of comparable third-party manufactured brands while passing the same lab tests.

The shelf favourites

The handful we reach for most. Ranked by what actually sells, with the why for each.

Shop the full Now Foods range below.

All Now Foods products ↓
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NOW Foods Inositol 500mg - 100 Veg Capsules

NOW Foods Inositol 500mg - 100 Veg Capsules

R 425.00
NOW Foods Inositol 500mg is available in a bottle of 100 veg capsules. 2. Each capsule provides 500 mg of inositol, a substance involved in cell membrane function and metabolism....
Now B-12 5000mcg 60 Lozenges

Now B-12 5000mcg 60 Lozenges

R 389.00
Delivers 5,000 mcg of active B‑12 per lozenge to support nervous system health and energy production. Vegan & Hypoallergenic : Non-GMO, vegan, gluten‑, dairy‑, and soy‑free; made with Quatrefolic® folate,...
Now Foods Daily VitsTM - 30 Veg Capsules

Now Foods Daily VitsTM - 30 Veg Capsules

R 209.00
Now Foods Daily Vits™ is a multivitamin supplement providing essential vitamins and minerals for daily health. The product comes in a bottle of 30 vegetarian capsules . It supports overall...
Now Foods Castor Oil Capsules 650mg 120 soft gels

Now Foods Castor Oil Capsules 650mg 120 soft gels

R 479.00
Now Foods Castor Oil Capsules are available in a 650mg dosage per soft gel, with 120 soft gels per bottle. 2. The capsules provide the benefits of castor oil, known...
Now Foods Boron 3mg

Now Foods Boron 3mg

R 259.00
Now Foods Boron is available in a 3mg dosage per capsule. 2. Boron is a trace mineral that supports bone health and calcium metabolism. 3. The supplement is designed to...
NOW Foods Vitamin C-1000 Complex - 90 Tablets

NOW Foods Vitamin C-1000 Complex - 90 Tablets

R 469.00
NOW Foods Vitamin C-1000 Complex is available in a bottle of 90 tablets. 2. Each tablet provides 1000 mg of vitamin C along with other complementary nutrients. 3. The supplement...
NOW Foods Vitamin B-1 - 100mg - 100 tablets

NOW Foods Vitamin B-1 - 100mg - 100 tablets

R 329.00
NOW Foods Vitamin B-1 provides 100mg of thiamine (Vitamin B-1) per tablet to support energy metabolism. The bottle contains 100 tablets for daily supplementation. Thiamine is essential for nerve function...
Now Foods Taurine 1000mg 100 Veg Capsules

Now Foods Taurine 1000mg 100 Veg Capsules

R 379.00
Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid, not used for protein synthesis. Found abundantly in tissues, especially throughout the nervous system. Functions : Stabilizes cell membranes. Aids in the transport...
NOW Foods Quercetin with Bromelain - 120 Veg Capsules

NOW Foods Quercetin with Bromelain - 120 Veg Capsules

R 829.00
NOW Foods Quercetin with Bromelain is available in a bottle of 120 veg capsules. 2. Each capsule combines quercetin, a flavonoid, with bromelain, an enzyme, to support immune function and...
Now Foods NADH 60 Capsules

Now Foods NADH 60 Capsules

R 1,259.00
Supports cellular energy production (ATP) with 10 mg PANMOL® NADH and 200 mg D-Ribose per capsule. Aids mental alertness and neurotransmitter synthesis for improved mood and cognition. Non-GMO, soy-free, with...
NOW Foods L-Lysine Double Strength 1000mg

NOW Foods L-Lysine Double Strength 1000mg

R 369.00
NOW Foods L-Lysine Double Strength is available in a bottle of 100 tablets. 2. Each tablet provides 1000 mg of L-lysine, an essential amino acid. 3. The supplement is used...
Now Foods Iron 18mg 120 Veg Capsules

Now Foods Iron 18mg 120 Veg Capsules

R 369.00
Essential Mineral Support : Provides 18 mg of iron per capsule, supporting energy production, immune function, and neurological health. Gentle & Non-Constipating : Utilizes Ferrochel™ Iron Bisglycinate, known for superior...

Touring the range

Three doorways into the brand: entry, classic, specialty.

START HERE

The everyday essentials

If you are new to Now Foods, start with the daily-use staples: Vitamin D-3, B-12, and a Magnesium. These are the products where Now's manufacturing scale gives the biggest price advantage, and they are the foundation of almost any supplement stack.

NOW Foods Vitamin D-3 2000 IU 120 Softgels
NOW Foods Vitamin D-3 2000 IU 120 Softgels R199.00
BUILD OUT

Targeted formulas

Once the basics are in place, Now's targeted formulas cover immunity (Quercetin with Bromelain), liver (Castor Oil), and gut (Slippery Elm). Each is built around a single, well-studied compound rather than a 20-ingredient kitchen sink.

NOW Foods Quercetin with Bromelain - 120 Veg Capsules
NOW Foods Quercetin with Bromelain - 120 Veg Capsules R829.00
SPECIALTY

The premium singles

Royal Jelly, Liquid Chlorophyll, Methyl B-12 lozenges. These are the specialty products where Now's in-house labs really show: harder-to-source ingredients, activated forms, and clean delivery systems at a price point that respects the buyer.

NOW Foods Vitamin D-3 2000 IU 120 Softgels
NOW Foods Vitamin D-3 2000 IU 120 Softgels R199.00

What the brand stands behind

  • NPA GMP A-Rated

    Natural Products Association Good Manufacturing Practice certification with the highest A rating, audited annually since 2000.

  • UL NBCP Certified

    Underwriters Laboratories National Brand Certification Program for dietary supplement manufacturing. Now Foods was one of the first companies to earn this.

  • In-House Testing Labs

    Identity, potency, heavy metals, and microbial testing on every batch. Not outsourced to third-party labs after the fact.

  • Family-Owned Since 1968

    Still owned and operated by the Richard family, now into the third generation. No private equity owners.

  • ISO 22715 Cosmetic

    Added in 2017 for the personal care range, covering cosmetic manufacturing standards.

  • SQF Natural Food

    Safe Quality Food certification for the natural food range, recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative.

About this brand

Common questions customers ask about the brand and its products.

Why is Now Foods cheaper than other clean supplement brands?
Now manufactures in-house at a 263,000 square foot facility they own outright in Illinois. Most supplement brands are contract manufactured, which adds broker margins, manufacturer margins, and brand margins. Now removes two of those layers. The price difference reflects fewer middlemen, not lower quality. The GMP, UL, and ISO certifications confirm the standards are intact.
How does Now Foods compare to Solgar or Viridian?
All three are clean, well-tested supplement brands. Solgar and Viridian sit at a premium price tier with smaller batch sizes and tighter sourcing stories. Now Foods sits at a mid-tier price with much larger scale, comparable testing, and family ownership. For daily-driver staples (D3, B-12, Magnesium) Now Foods is hard to beat on cost-per-dose. For specialty herbal formulas, Viridian's ethical sourcing may be the better fit.
Are Now Foods supplements third-party tested?
Now Foods runs its own ISO-accredited labs in-house for identity, potency, heavy metals, and microbial testing on every batch. Beyond that, the manufacturing process itself is audited annually by the NPA (GMP A-rating) and UL (NBCP). Many products also carry USP, Non-GMO Project Verified, or Informed Sport seals on the bottle.
Are Now Foods supplements suitable for vegans?
Roughly half the range is. Look for the green 'Vegetarian/Vegan' icon on the label. Veg-capsule products (the ones labelled 'Veg Capsules') are vegan-safe. Softgel products typically use bovine or fish gelatin and are not vegan. The Methyl B-12 lozenges, Quercetin with Bromelain, and Inositol caps in this collection are all vegan-suitable.
Where are Now Foods products made?
All in Bloomingdale, Illinois, USA. The 263,000 square foot facility handles manufacturing, packaging, and distribution. Now Foods does not contract manufacture, which is unusual at their scale.
Are the products fresh by the time they reach South Africa?
Yes. Wellnesstree imports Now Foods stock at high turnover, and the standard expiry on most products is two to three years from manufacture. Check the date on the bottle base; if you have concerns about a specific lot, WhatsApp us with the batch code and we will confirm.
What is the difference between Methyl B-12 and regular B-12?
Methyl B-12 (methylcobalamin) is the activated form, ready for cellular use. Regular B-12 (cyanocobalamin) requires the body to convert it, and around 25 to 40 percent of people have MTHFR gene variants that reduce conversion efficiency. If you have ever supplemented with B-12 without feeling a difference, the methylated form is worth trying.

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