Once again, the New York Legislature is poised to pass two bills to prevent independent retailers from doing business on a level playing field. The first is S.3650/A.4700, the Dietary Supplement Safety Committee bill.  If passed, it would create an agency that mirrors the regulatory power of the FDA.  If it sounds familiar, that's because NPA East has successfully defeated similar versions of the proposed bill at least three times in the past.  Among its most dangerous sections is the appointment of a health commissioner in New York State with the ability to arbitrarily ban any supplements recommended by the committee.

The second bill (SWB4151) would, among other restrictions, ban all sports supplements from being sold to people under 18 years old, yet it excludes supplements in liquid form and supplements that contain caffeine, like five-hour energy drinks.  Insane!

It's time to take action
Please click on the link below. It takes you to the Alliance for Natural Health's website.  Fill in the required fields, and your comments will go directly to your state senators and representatives. NPA East and ANH will continue to monitor these bills and all others in our region, but your direct communication will have the greatest impact on their final decisions. 

https://secure3.convio.net/aahf/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1424

Keeping up the fight
As successful as we were in 2012, we can never let our guard down. With 11 states and Washington, DC to cover, our volunteer-driven association can't afford to rest on past accomplishments. That's why we plan to focus even more energy in developing our advocacy program, especially through increased grass roots efforts.  This means we will be calling on you and your fellow members to join us in the daily fight against bad legislation by getting in the face of your local legislators and letting them know in no uncertain terms that you vote, and your business provides job opportunities and a significant tax base for your state.  Let them know where you stand on a bill, and I guarantee they'll listen.

We also continued to work with our partner, New Hope Natural Media, on expanding and improving the value of Expo East 2012, making it one of the most successful events for all segments of our industry.  Attendance by both retailers and exhibitors continued to set records, and the education program was both more extensive and better focused on topics of interest to retailers with all levels of experience.

Focusing on the GMO labeling debate

One of my personal priorities for 2013 is to help our members sort through the critical issue of GMO labeling.  The opposing camps have offered plenty of rhetoric by few sustainable, long-term solutions on the subject.  Short of federal government intervention, we plan to, as your association, offer some common-sense ways to help ensure that our food supply does not become more tainted simply to provide greater profits for a handful of manufacturers who appear to care more for stakeholder value than consumer safety.  We have begun to address GMO labeling with a brief statement on page two of this issue that clearly identifies where we stand.  As the year progresses, we will devote the efforts of your Association to keeping you informed and your customers safe.

Building a more member-centric website

Another one of my goals is to provide more value to you through our website.  Working with staff and our board of directors, I want to begin to offer educational opportunities that are both meaningful and designed to fit your busy schedule.  In the coming year we plan to survey you on what kinds of topics are of most interest and how you would like the subject matter to be delivered.  We are also working with manufacturers and suppliers so that we can provide more access to their products and, we hope, offer member-only discounts through our website during the year.  We'll keep you informed as to our progress as the year progresses.

Growing the Membership

Even during one of the worst economic conditions in years, membership in NPA East has remained strong. .  But we still have a long way to go to reach the numbers necessary to have an even greater impact with local legislators and regulators.   The more independent retailers that join the fight to protect our right to do business, the better the chances are for ensuring that our businesses and our customers are protected.  And the most effective way to increase our numbers is through current members contacting fellow independent retailers and explaining why they need to be part of the fight. There really is strength in numbers, which is why we work so hard to not just maintain our membership but to grow it each year. You would be amazed by the effect even a few dozen more faxes or e-mails sent to your local legislators by you and your colleagues can have in convincing them to kill a bad bill or support a good one.

I also want to encourage you to take more advantage of networking opportunities.  Have a problem or question about any phase of your business?  Let us know.  If we can't answer your questions, we'll put you in touch with a member who can.   If you can avoid a pitfall or take advantage of a colleague's success, you'll have paid for your membership in NPA East many times over.  Need help?  Contact Paul Kushner at 856-985-5446. Or send him an e-mail at info@npaeast.org.

If you need contact information for nonmember retailers in your area and membership materials, please contact your Executive Director, Paul Kushner at 856-985-5446.  Or e-mail Paul at info@npaeast.org.

NPA East Retailer Spotlight: 

Q&A Retail Spotlight: Stephen Distefano, Owner, Strictly Gluten Free, East Northport, NY

By Paul Kushner, Executive Director, NPA East

Q. What is your background and how did you get interested in natural products?

My background is in sales and marketing, and I have worked in various industries.  A little more than four and a half years ago my wife was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. At that time, we began to conduct research on the gluten free industry.  Based on our own experience, my entrepreneurial spirit, and my passion for helping other people, we began to explore how best to help my wife with her condition and serve others with Celiac Disease.  What resulted was the decision to open up a retail business devoted exclusively to those who suffer from this disease, which we named Strictly Gluten Free.

Q.  Tell me about your store.

Our retail store and web-based site are the premier resources for consumers who seek a gluten free lifestyle. We have personally selected and sampled more than 95% of the products we carry. Our main focus is providing products that are guaranteed to be gluten free. Many of the products we carry also are allergen friendly, including those that are dairy free, casein free, peanut-free, corn-free, egg-free, soy-free, and tree-nut free.  We also carry our own line of vitamins and supplements for consumers who may be deficient in certain areas common to those maintaining a gluten free lifestyle. 

At Strictly Gluten Free we focus on creating an environment that supports a gluten free diet, ensuring that our customers are provided with a high level of comfort, convenience, and understanding, while gaining a greater knowledge of how to maintain their gluten free lifestyle.   We also strive to make their diet more affordable by making available to them the best product selection available, which results in greater convenience and greater savings. 

Q.  Do you have a formal business plan or an informal one, and can you share the key elements that you believe will help drive your future success? 

We do have a formal business plan which we developed during the 18 months of research we performed prior to opening our store.  We constructed a blueprint that provides what we believe will be the key to our success. While we continue to fine-tune it, we know now that it must include the desire to be true to our beliefs and always strive to keep the best interests of our customers utmost in our minds. We have been in business for one year and are already profitable.   Beyond financial success, we also have measured ourselves by how well we are able to educate and support the lifestyle our customers have chosen for themselves.  That has been our goal since the first day we opened our doors. 

Q.  We've recently gone through what some economists say is the worst downturn since the Great Depression.  Why did you pick this environment to open a retail store? 

 The economy definitely has been volatile.  We ultimately decided to open a retail store simply because, based on our personal experiences and extensive market research, there was clearly a need in the marketplace for a store that focused exclusively on the whole gluten free lifestyle. We are a niche business in a niche industry, and we are thriving in this economy simply because we have done it right. We care about our customers' lives and do not just focus on providing them a resource for purchasing healthier foods. We also concern ourselves with who they are as people and what their family requirements may be when they visit our store.   It is a wonderful feeling to be able to help other human beings and truly help improve their lives in some way, while earning an honest living. 

Q.  Competition from big box stores is a concern for all independent retailers.  How do you compete with a virtual monolith that can often offer more selection and better prices? 

 We do not believe any big box store is competition in our market. In fact, we welcome their competition.   If a big box store provides products for the gluten free consumer it means that the market is expanding.  We are confident that our level of personal service and product knowledge will keep customers coming back to us. Our customers are not in a huge data base. They are people, like my wife, who have specific needs that we believe we can fill better than any big box outlet.  What they need and what we provide is an opportunity to be heard and the ability to receive guidance. A big box store cannot offer what we do: a great, exclusive selection of gluten free products at very competitive prices and a level of personal experience they can't match.  Just ask our loyal customers

Q. Do you plan to sponsor community events at your store?  If so, why did you choose them? 

We have already sponsored a local gluten free vendor fair and expo at an offsite location. We also have sponsored and are currently scheduling seminars to be held in our store led by doctors, nutritionists and health coaches.   We are providing these opportunities to our customers so that we can bring the community together and allow consumers to become better educated.  The way we decide which individuals, organizations, or professionals to sponsor is to learn who they are and what they're all about.  We have an interviewing process we use to determine if they meet the standards of Strictly Gluten Free and enhance our brand as well as serving our customers.  We also have donated to many local organizations and events that support our community and our philosophy.

Q.  What have you found to be the best media for marketing your store so far?

We rely heavily on word of mouth communication and our own networking capabilities.  We also employ both traditional and non-traditional forms of marketing.  We're so new that many of our marketing plans are still in the testing stages. 

Q. As a brand new retail store owner, what have been some of your biggest challenges to date? 

 I would say that there is not enough time in a day to be able to get everything accomplished.  We are learning that there are many different facets to our business model that go beyond having a retail presence. We are constantly learning the best ways to achieve our goals efficiently and effectively.

Q.    Now get out your crystal ball?   What will independent retailers, especially new owners like you, need to do in the next five to ten years to continue to survive and prosper?

Our experience has been to pick a business you really believe in.  In my case, the decision was a result of my wife's condition.  Then you need to really focus on the business you've chosen, do your due diligence in terms of the competition and the customers you plan to serve, and never take your eye off your goals.  You may find, as we have, that adjustments need to be made both in your short-term and long term planning.  Ultimately, you'll get as much out of your business as you are willing to put into it.  There are no shortcuts to success.  Being an owner, I've discovered, is a lot tougher than being an employee, both in time and financial exposure.    But in the end, the rewards are much greater as well.  I also believe that we have found a niche that will continue to grow and offer opportunities for those who chose to pursue it.  If anyone would like to talk to me about starting a business that focuses exclusively on gluten free products, I am happy to share what I have learned so far.