Blackmores' brand accolade: Innovation and research 'key to maintaining consumer trust'
Fenlon was speaking to NutraIngredients-Asia shortly after Blackmores had been named Australia's Most Trusted Vitamin Brand for the 10th consecutive year by Reader's Digest, making it the only brand to have won every year since the category was first introduced in the magazine's annual survey.
The company also received the same accolade in Singapore and Malaysia.
He said, "Helping consumers to feel informed and empowered is an important way in which Blackmores builds trust with our customers, and we provide advice and education in a number of ways.
"The Blackmores Institute Advisory Service is a free professional service which consumers can access over the phone, email, or by live chat. The Advisory team has expertise in naturopathy, nutrition and breastfeeding support, and Blackmores also has a wealth of useful knowledge and advice within the online Health Hub."
CEO Richard Henfrey said in an official statement: "Consumers are increasingly placing high expectations on brands to be responsible corporate citizens and in a global climate of mistrust, we know we have to work twice as hard to maintain the confidence of consumers, especially when it comes to an individual's health and well-being."
Refining research
To this end, Blackmores says it has invested heavily in R&D in a bid to ensure strict quality control to maintain customers' trust, as well as continual innovation to meet changing needs.
The Blackmores Institute is responsible for most of the firm's 40-plus active research projects, which involve partnerships with universities, start-ups, and companies with extensive R&D capabilities to aid in developing, testing and commercialising new products and services.
Fenlon said, "Our projects include strengthening our knowledge about how current products work, as well as testing 'next generation' formulas that take into account novel ingredients and delivery systems.
"We are also investigating opportunities that address health solutions where there are known medication gaps."
Sustaining success
The firm has also pledged to commit to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, making it obligated to reduce waste and increase recycling rates, as well as to develop sustainable packaging solutions.
Fenlon said this helps the firm to save more in terms of materials, energy, transport and disposal, adding: "We look to adopt solutions that we can implement a cleaner operational footprint and long-term sustainable business.
"We recently completed our first national greenhouse gas emission assessment in Australia, which looked at our energy, water, waste, transport fuels, business travel and synthetic gases (refrigerants) activities."
He explained that this would inform the company on which areas of its operations have the greatest environmental impact, and therefore allow it to implement strategies to make it more resource-efficient and decrease its greenhouse gas emissions.
