When choosing to start a direct selling business, finding a company with the right products at the right time is crucial. A trusted company identifies consumer trends and delivers effective assets to accelerate your success.
New technology and business methods help distributors share what they love. The product development cycle is essential to find and produce the next market trends for any successful direct selling company.
USANA Health Sciences, Inc. stands out as an industry leader in innovation. Its science-backed nutritional supplements, meal-replacement shakes, high-performance skincare products, and more supply diverse, health-minded products USANA Associates are proud to share.
USANA Bringing Leading-Edge Products to Life
Innovative and groundbreaking R&D initiatives are integral to direct selling companies in health and wellness. And USANA leads the way with its team of world-class scientists and product innovators.
It’s a fascinating and intricate process for any company developing new technologies – and USANA is committed to solutions that make nutrition more accessible to all.
To stay competitive, each new product is strictly vetted. USANA spends over $10 million on research and development (R&D) each year to create products to drive Associate and customer satisfaction and excitement.
Responsibility Through Transparency
Greater transparency in the development process is an industry-standard. Trusted companies specializing in health and wellness are responsible for safe and effective products. Ingredients, certifications and in-depth information culminate in products for a healthy life.
USANA’s R&D team ensures each new idea is viable and relevant using in-house and third-party research and securing groundbreaking industry patents.
Five Phases of Product Development in Direct Selling
Stage One: Product Conception
Research, clinical studies, social trends, and customer feedback help companies recognize a need, but great ideas could come from anywhere. Any science-backed concept could lead to the next customer favorite. USANA partners have more than 20 research institutions and universities in clinical studies. Some big names include the University of California Davis, Foods for Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, and many more.
Stage Two: Refining the Concept
Primed with an idea, USANA scientists are ready to ask important questions. Successful, sustainable, and creative solutions shape a new product. Some important considerations during this stage are:
- Demand
- Safety
- Desirability
- Affordability
Stage Three: New Product Proposal Review and Decision
A new product begins to take form. Few ideas make it to this phase—roughly one in 10—and even fewer reach product development. A product plan and concept are refined and presented, including:
- New product formulation
- Potential legal and patent issue review
- Global market evaluations
- Marketing strategy
- Anticipated launch date
The new product proposal is reviewed to determine if the idea is worth pursuing. During this process, a final decision is made – everything from full speed ahead to a definite, nowhere idea generation begins again.
Stage Four: The Real Work Begins
A thumbs-up means the scientists get to work to develop the final formula. In USANA’s case, project management steps in to coordinate the efforts of many departments working to bring this new concept to life.
Rigorous testing begins. Manufacturing trials ensure the final product meets USANA’s high standards. Analytical methods test potency, bioavailability, health markers, and more. Quality assurance and stability tests also make sure the product performs as expected and no adverse effects are found.
During this stage, product cost and pricing are evaluated, and the regulatory teams approve all formulas for each market. The marketing department follows through to detail their sales and product launch strategy.
Stage Five: Prepare to Launch
An entire product development cycle can take anywhere from 18 to 24 months. During the final stage, the product is manufactured, vetted, and ready to share with USANA customers. The commitment to safe, effective, high-quality products shines through, and the new product becomes part of customers’ everyday healthy lifestyles.
