Who Owns Your Vitamins? The Hidden Corporate Parents Behind Supplement Brands

The $60 Billion Wellness Illusion

The vitamin and supplement industry generates over $60 billion in annual U.S. revenue and is projected to reach $100 billion globally by 2028. Walk down the supplement aisle and you will find brands emphasizing words like "natural," "pure," "whole food," "plant-based," and "science-backed."

The branding suggests independent, health-focused companies. The reality is that most major supplement brands are owned by pharmaceutical corporations, food conglomerates, and private equity firms. Understanding who owns your vitamins reveals a more concentrated industry than the aisle suggests.

The Major Corporate Owners

Nestle Health Science

Nestle, the Swiss food giant, has aggressively expanded into supplements through its Nestle Health Science division:

Garden of Life (certified organic, non-GMO, whole-food supplements) and Vital Proteins (collagen peptides, famously endorsed by Jennifer Aniston) both project indie wellness brand images. Both are Nestle-owned.

Haleon (Former GSK Consumer Health)

Haleon plc (NYSE: HLN), spun off from GlaxoSmithKline in 2022, is one of the world's largest consumer health companies:

Centrum alone generates approximately $1+ billion in annual revenue. Haleon's pharmaceutical heritage gives it scientific credibility, but the company's primary business model is consumer marketing, not drug development.

Bayer AG (Germany)

Bayer, the German pharmaceutical and chemical company (also parent of Monsanto/crop science), owns:

The company that makes Roundup weed killer (through Monsanto, acquired 2018 for $63 billion) also makes your children's vitamins. This is one of the more surprising ownership connections in consumer products.

Reckitt Benckiser (UK)

Reckitt (LON: RKT), the British consumer goods company behind Lysol and Finish dishwasher tablets, also owns:

The same company that disinfects your countertop (Lysol) also sells you brain health supplements (Neuriva).

Church & Dwight

Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD), best known for Arm & Hammer baking soda, owns:

Vitafusion and L'il Critters together dominate the gummy vitamin category. They share a parent with OxiClean, Trojan condoms, and Arm & Hammer.

The Nature's Bounty / Carlyle Group Connection

Nature's Bounty, one of the largest supplement companies in America, is owned by The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm:

Carlyle acquired Nature's Bounty (then called NBTY) in 2017 for approximately $5.6 billion and subsequently sold a majority stake to KKR (another PE firm). The same private equity ownership structure behind these "natural" brands is the same model that manages hedge funds and leveraged buyouts.

The Full Ownership Map

Independent and Emerging Brands

Not all supplement brands are corporate-owned:

Ritual: VC-backed, transparent ingredient sourcing, subscription model. One of the fastest-growing supplement startups.

Athletic Greens (AG1): VC-backed, all-in-one greens powder, massive podcast advertising presence. Valued at approximately $1.2 billion.

Thorne Research (NASDAQ: THRN): Publicly traded, clinically tested supplements, used by professional athletes. One of the few independent supplement companies at scale.

NOW Foods: Family-owned since 1968, one of the largest independent supplement manufacturers.

Life Extension: Nonprofit-affiliated supplement brand focused on longevity research.

Jarrow Formulas: Independent, science-focused supplement company.

These independents face increasing pressure from corporate acquirers. Nestle's acquisitions of Garden of Life, Vital Proteins, and Orgain suggest that high-growth independent supplement brands are prime acquisition targets.

Why Corporations Buy Supplement Brands

1. Growth rates. The supplement market grows at 7-9% annually, far faster than most CPG categories.

2. Premium margins. Supplements command 50-70% gross margins, significantly higher than food or household products.

3. Health and wellness trend. Consumer spending on health and wellness continues accelerating post-pandemic.

4. Subscription revenue. Many supplement brands have adopted subscription models, providing predictable recurring revenue that corporate parents value.

5. Minimal regulation. Supplements are regulated as food, not drugs, meaning lower R&D costs and faster time-to-market compared to pharmaceuticals.

The Regulation Reality

A critical fact about supplements: the FDA does not approve supplements before they are sold. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which must prove safety and efficacy through clinical trials, supplements can be marketed based on manufacturer claims without FDA pre-approval.

• Supplement companies can make structure/function claims ("supports immune health") without clinical trials
• The FDA can only act against a supplement after it is on the market and shown to be unsafe
• Quality and potency vary significantly between brands
• Third-party testing (USP, NSF, ConsumerLab) provides more reliable quality assurance than the brand name alone

Whether a supplement is owned by Nestle or by an independent company does not inherently indicate product quality. Third-party certifications matter more than corporate parentage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Nestle own Garden of Life?

Yes. Nestle acquired Garden of Life in 2017 through its Nestle Health Science division. Garden of Life maintains its organic and non-GMO certifications under Nestle ownership.

Who makes Centrum vitamins?

Centrum is made by Haleon plc, a consumer health company spun off from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in 2022. Haleon also makes Emergen-C, Advil, and Sensodyne toothpaste.

Are independent supplement brands better?

Not automatically. Brand independence does not guarantee product quality. Look for third-party testing certifications (USP, NSF International, ConsumerLab) regardless of who owns the brand. Some corporate-owned brands invest significantly in quality testing.

Why are supplements so expensive?

Supplement margins are typically 50-70%, significantly higher than most consumer products. Branding, marketing (especially influencer partnerships and podcast advertising), and distribution costs account for a large portion of the retail price.

The Bottom Line

The supplement aisle projects an image of wellness-focused, independent health brands. The corporate reality is that pharmaceutical giants, food conglomerates, and private equity firms own the majority of what you buy. This does not mean the products are ineffective, but it does mean the "natural" and "independent" brand images are often marketing choices rather than ownership realities.

Research supplement and wellness brand ownership on WhoBrands or browse health brands.

Sources

1. Grand View Research. "Dietary Supplements Market Report." 2025. 2. Nestle Health Science. Corporate overview. 2025. 3. Haleon. Annual Report 2025. 4. Euromonitor. "Vitamins and Dietary Supplements: US." 2025.

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com's research methodology. Last updated: February 5, 2026.