By Sean Moloughney, Editor10.22.24
Year Founded: 1984
Website: www.thorne.com
Headquarters: Summerville, SC
Number of Employees: 700+
Parent Organization: L Catterton
Key Personnel: Colin Watts, CEO
Company Description/Mission: “Thorne is a science-driven wellness and personal performance company that delivers premium health and wellness solutions. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness and optimal personal performance can extend the duration of one’s health span, create happier and healthier lives, and help you feel your best at every age and life stage.”
Key Products and Brands: Nutritional supplements and personalized testing solutions
Over the past 40 years, Thorne has evolved to become one of the most recognized and prescribed dietary supplement brands among healthcare practitioners. Founded in 1984 by Al Czap, the company built a distinct heritage of quality and scientific rigor.
Thorne’s products have defined the highest level of quality and innovation through its commitment to staying at the forefront of technology and clinical research, said Jessica Cokins, senior vice president, brand marketing, at Thorne.
Czap turned the CEO reins over to Paul Jacobsen in 2010 and the company eventually moved from Idaho to South Carolina to accommodate growth and expansion. The company went public on the Nasdaq in 2021.
Today, Thorne is positioned for a new era of growth following the $680 million acquisition by private equity firm L Catterton in October 2023. Cokins noted that L Catterton has a track record of fostering growth and success of global consumer brands.
“We are lucky to have incredible partners at L Catterton at a pivotal time where we are writing our next chapter together,” she said. “Catterton really believes in our brand, our people, and our products and they are so supportive in helping us grow, maintain our high-standards, and continue to double down on their belief (and investment) in us.”
As a firm, L Catterton has approximately $34 billion of assets under its management. The company appointed former Vitamin Shoppe CEO Colin Watts as Thorne’s new leader.
“In terms of new innovation coming down the pipeline for Thorne,” Cokins said, “stay tuned for new products, events, activations, and brand campaigns that will continue to show consumers who we are as a brand, and showcase our leadership in health and wellness.”
As a vertically integrated science-based health and wellness company, Thorne offers 180+ nutritional supplement products. “Thorne’s groundbreaking platform of novel, market-leading health solutions pushes us to lead not simply the nutritional supplement market, but the entire technological and social ecosystem that surrounds it,” said Cokins.
“Thorne utilizes testing and data to create improved product efficacy and to deliver personalized solutions to consumers, health professionals, and corporations. We bring powerful biological insights directly to the consumer. The result? Individuals are empowered with the support, education, and solutions they need to proactively shift their approach from retroactive disease management to proactive, preventative health and wellness.”
For example, to address the importance of gut health in a consumer-friendly way that empowers individuals to take control of their health, Cokins said Thorne invented a first-to-market approach to microbiome testing with its award-winning Gut Health Test and microbiome wipe.
“The test is a leading-edge solution for those looking for personalized information and recommendations to improve their holistic health,” said Cokins. “A first-to-market, biodegradable wipe preserves DNA, thus ensuring easy and accurate data collection that sets the foundation for the comprehensive, tailored recommendations and 1:1 Thorne Advisor support you receive as a Thorne customer.”
Thorne serves more than 5 million consumers today. “We manufacture almost all of our products in-house in our Summerville campus, have long-standing partnerships with some of the foremost research institutions, brand partners, and sports and performance teams around the world, and we don’t plan on stopping our growth journey anytime soon,” said Cokins.
She added: “We are trusted by 47,000+ healthcare professionals, thousands of professional athletes, more than 100 professional sports teams, and multiple U.S. National Teams, and partnered with some of the most influential names in the health, wellness, and sports performance sectors who authentically use our products like Dwyane Wade and Karlie Kloss, Aurora and Sophia Culpo, and Erin Andrews, just to name a few.”
Thorne’s growth over the past 40 years demonstrates its dedication to addressing the changing needs of consumers, said Cokins. “Since 1984, we have evolved from a supplement brand with a handful of SKUs to a scientific wellness company offering a deep portfolio of personalized testing, educational resources and products that support specific health goals and needs for healthcare practitioners, athletic trainers, professional athletes, and consumers in all phases of life.”
Initially founded as a practitioner brand, Thorne’s first manufacturing headquarters were based in Seattle, WA, starting out with just 25 employees, before moving to Sandpoint, ID, in 1990. Thorne developed a reputation as an industry leader in setting standards for making nutritional supplements that healthcare practitioners recommend to patients.
Thorne launched as a direct-to-consumer brand in 2018, while making a cross-country move to new manufacturing headquarters in Summerville, SC.
At the end of 2023, Thorne completed a significant expansion of its Summerville, SC campus, bringing the total area dedicated to manufacturing nutritional supplements to 540,000+ square feet. That’s the size of 10 football fields, Cokins noted.
“We are committed to creating the cleanest manufacturing processes, investing in the most comprehensive testing, and sourcing the highest quality ingredients,” she said. “Our manufacturing and warehousing facilities undergo regular third-party certification audits and regulatory audits to ensure compliance with the latest Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and regulations. These audits are conducted by independent certification entities, including NSF and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which has the most stringent cGMP regulations and is often recognized as the toughest regulatory agency in the world.”
This year has marked the start of a new era for Thorne, said Cokins with strong growth in Q1/Q2. Moving forward, brand awareness across the wider health and wellness industry will be a major point of emphasis for the company. “Thorne is referred to as ‘the best kept secret in the health and wellness industry,’ and we want to change that ... it’s time for more people to know about us and our offerings,” said Cokins.
Focused on continuous innovation, Thorne aims to exceed industry standards and stand out from the pack, delivering distinctly unique health solutions. “Our maverick mindset allows us to be agile, adaptable, and action-oriented,” said Cokins.
The company takes pride in its products, its process, and people. “What unites us is a shared pursuit to improve people’s lives. Our integrity allows us to follow through on our promises to customers and each other to foster trust and confidence at every step.”
As consumers continue to prioritize their health and wellness, the opportunities to meet their needs will expand as well. “We believe that health is personal, so we strive to pioneer personalized paths in health and performance solutions,” said Cokins. “Our athome testing solutions are a great place to start to identify your own personal biomarker results that are intuitive and meaningful, providing a comprehensive improvement plan with individual recommendations based on each person’s unique results.”
The company is also continuously focused on new product development, she added. “Our R&D team is driven by innovation, and we have a lot of new products in development that we expect you’ll see in 2025 and beyond.”
Website: www.thorne.com
Headquarters: Summerville, SC
Number of Employees: 700+
Parent Organization: L Catterton
Key Personnel: Colin Watts, CEO
Company Description/Mission: “Thorne is a science-driven wellness and personal performance company that delivers premium health and wellness solutions. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness and optimal personal performance can extend the duration of one’s health span, create happier and healthier lives, and help you feel your best at every age and life stage.”
Key Products and Brands: Nutritional supplements and personalized testing solutions
Over the past 40 years, Thorne has evolved to become one of the most recognized and prescribed dietary supplement brands among healthcare practitioners. Founded in 1984 by Al Czap, the company built a distinct heritage of quality and scientific rigor.
Thorne’s products have defined the highest level of quality and innovation through its commitment to staying at the forefront of technology and clinical research, said Jessica Cokins, senior vice president, brand marketing, at Thorne.
Czap turned the CEO reins over to Paul Jacobsen in 2010 and the company eventually moved from Idaho to South Carolina to accommodate growth and expansion. The company went public on the Nasdaq in 2021.
Today, Thorne is positioned for a new era of growth following the $680 million acquisition by private equity firm L Catterton in October 2023. Cokins noted that L Catterton has a track record of fostering growth and success of global consumer brands.
“We are lucky to have incredible partners at L Catterton at a pivotal time where we are writing our next chapter together,” she said. “Catterton really believes in our brand, our people, and our products and they are so supportive in helping us grow, maintain our high-standards, and continue to double down on their belief (and investment) in us.”
As a firm, L Catterton has approximately $34 billion of assets under its management. The company appointed former Vitamin Shoppe CEO Colin Watts as Thorne’s new leader.
“In terms of new innovation coming down the pipeline for Thorne,” Cokins said, “stay tuned for new products, events, activations, and brand campaigns that will continue to show consumers who we are as a brand, and showcase our leadership in health and wellness.”
Scale and Impact
Thorne provides tailored solutions including premium nutritional supplements and diagnostic tests to consumers, healthcare practitioners, athletic trainers, and professional athletes.As a vertically integrated science-based health and wellness company, Thorne offers 180+ nutritional supplement products. “Thorne’s groundbreaking platform of novel, market-leading health solutions pushes us to lead not simply the nutritional supplement market, but the entire technological and social ecosystem that surrounds it,” said Cokins.
“Thorne utilizes testing and data to create improved product efficacy and to deliver personalized solutions to consumers, health professionals, and corporations. We bring powerful biological insights directly to the consumer. The result? Individuals are empowered with the support, education, and solutions they need to proactively shift their approach from retroactive disease management to proactive, preventative health and wellness.”
For example, to address the importance of gut health in a consumer-friendly way that empowers individuals to take control of their health, Cokins said Thorne invented a first-to-market approach to microbiome testing with its award-winning Gut Health Test and microbiome wipe.
“The test is a leading-edge solution for those looking for personalized information and recommendations to improve their holistic health,” said Cokins. “A first-to-market, biodegradable wipe preserves DNA, thus ensuring easy and accurate data collection that sets the foundation for the comprehensive, tailored recommendations and 1:1 Thorne Advisor support you receive as a Thorne customer.”
Thorne serves more than 5 million consumers today. “We manufacture almost all of our products in-house in our Summerville campus, have long-standing partnerships with some of the foremost research institutions, brand partners, and sports and performance teams around the world, and we don’t plan on stopping our growth journey anytime soon,” said Cokins.
She added: “We are trusted by 47,000+ healthcare professionals, thousands of professional athletes, more than 100 professional sports teams, and multiple U.S. National Teams, and partnered with some of the most influential names in the health, wellness, and sports performance sectors who authentically use our products like Dwyane Wade and Karlie Kloss, Aurora and Sophia Culpo, and Erin Andrews, just to name a few.”
Thorne’s growth over the past 40 years demonstrates its dedication to addressing the changing needs of consumers, said Cokins. “Since 1984, we have evolved from a supplement brand with a handful of SKUs to a scientific wellness company offering a deep portfolio of personalized testing, educational resources and products that support specific health goals and needs for healthcare practitioners, athletic trainers, professional athletes, and consumers in all phases of life.”
Initially founded as a practitioner brand, Thorne’s first manufacturing headquarters were based in Seattle, WA, starting out with just 25 employees, before moving to Sandpoint, ID, in 1990. Thorne developed a reputation as an industry leader in setting standards for making nutritional supplements that healthcare practitioners recommend to patients.
Thorne launched as a direct-to-consumer brand in 2018, while making a cross-country move to new manufacturing headquarters in Summerville, SC.
New and Noteworthy
In July 2024, Thorne launched its “Find Your Way” campaign in partnership with brand partner and supermodel Karlie Kloss. “There are so many ways to optimize wellness and personal performance, and with the help of brand partners like Kloss, along with others such as Dwayne Wade, Jrue Holiday, Ryan Crouser, and many more, we can demonstrate how consumers, healthcare practitioners, and athletes alike are empowered with the tools that match their individual goals.”At the end of 2023, Thorne completed a significant expansion of its Summerville, SC campus, bringing the total area dedicated to manufacturing nutritional supplements to 540,000+ square feet. That’s the size of 10 football fields, Cokins noted.
“We are committed to creating the cleanest manufacturing processes, investing in the most comprehensive testing, and sourcing the highest quality ingredients,” she said. “Our manufacturing and warehousing facilities undergo regular third-party certification audits and regulatory audits to ensure compliance with the latest Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and regulations. These audits are conducted by independent certification entities, including NSF and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which has the most stringent cGMP regulations and is often recognized as the toughest regulatory agency in the world.”
This year has marked the start of a new era for Thorne, said Cokins with strong growth in Q1/Q2. Moving forward, brand awareness across the wider health and wellness industry will be a major point of emphasis for the company. “Thorne is referred to as ‘the best kept secret in the health and wellness industry,’ and we want to change that ... it’s time for more people to know about us and our offerings,” said Cokins.
Performance, Personalization, and Innovation
Whether its weekend warriors, professional athletes, or people who want to keep up with their children and grandchildren, “Thorne is part of a larger personalized wellness ecosystem,” said Cokins, “and we want to continue touching as many industries as we can so that we can help consumers optimize their personal performance journeys at every age and life stage.”Focused on continuous innovation, Thorne aims to exceed industry standards and stand out from the pack, delivering distinctly unique health solutions. “Our maverick mindset allows us to be agile, adaptable, and action-oriented,” said Cokins.
The company takes pride in its products, its process, and people. “What unites us is a shared pursuit to improve people’s lives. Our integrity allows us to follow through on our promises to customers and each other to foster trust and confidence at every step.”
As consumers continue to prioritize their health and wellness, the opportunities to meet their needs will expand as well. “We believe that health is personal, so we strive to pioneer personalized paths in health and performance solutions,” said Cokins. “Our athome testing solutions are a great place to start to identify your own personal biomarker results that are intuitive and meaningful, providing a comprehensive improvement plan with individual recommendations based on each person’s unique results.”
The company is also continuously focused on new product development, she added. “Our R&D team is driven by innovation, and we have a lot of new products in development that we expect you’ll see in 2025 and beyond.”
