Health Practitioners Help Drive Orgain’s Success

Source: Orgain.com

You have undoubtedly read this past week about Nestlé's plans to acquire a majority stake in Orgain, a leader in plant-based protein products.

For the 13-year old Orgain, it's an acknowledgment of the incredible success the company has achieved as it slowly but surely built its business from upstart to market leader (full disclosure: we had the great pleasure to work with Orgain during its growth period).

Many articles have been written about the transaction and many more will be written about what led to Orgain's success.

Certainly, the brand's success can be attributed to a number of factors, including a high-quality product that meets the needs and preferences of a growing consumer segment and a committed founder who empowered an excellent team to spread the Orgain message. But, from our perspective, there is one factor in Orgain's rise that differentiates it from many other brands, not only in its category, but in the health & wellness space altogether.

From early on, Orgain has been committed to making health practitioners a key part of its marketing plan. Unlike many other healthy brands that pay lip service to valuing the role health practitioners play in driving consumer choice, Orgain has committed significant resources to ensuring that health practitioners are not only aware of the company and its products, but that they learn about them, experience them, and recommend them to their patients and clients.

What began with a booth at FNCE, digital engagement and some direct outreach has evolved into a robust and sustainable platform of health practitioner outreach that includes a sophisticated ambassador program, ongoing sampling and education, a podcast, and even a new healthcare app.

This commitment to health practitioners—both as a marketing target but also as a valued, trusted influencer of consumer's purchase decisions—has helped elevate Orgain, keep it top of mind, and build sustainable sales growth.

There are many lessons to be learned from Orgain's success and we are by no means suggesting that health practitioners are the driving force behind the brand. But it's hard to imagine Orgain in the position it is today without them.