Manufacturing

All HealthForce SuperFoods® products are manufactured by our sister company, Excelsior Alchemy, located in Tempe, AZ. The passion for purity and quality that has fueled the HealthForce mission for decades can also be found here, as these founding principles are a testament to the production facility’s standards.

Qualify Production Standards:

  1. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth
  2. Certified Kosher by Orthodox Union
  3. Vegan – no animal ingredients or testing
  4. FDA registered, cGMP (current good manufacturing practices) compliant per FDA CFR 21 part 111 regulations
  5. cGMP third-party registered and audited by NSF International
  6. Eco-conscious: Facility is free of GMOs, pesticides, animal- sourced ingredients, irradiation, fillers, flow agents, and excipients.
  7. Nontoxic, organic compliant, and biodegradable cleaning products
  8. Recycled paper office and restroom products, comprehensive multi- use recycling program
  9. Composting system in place for obsolete and unusable ingredients/products
  10. Organic-compliant, animal-friendly pest control program
  11. All labels and marketing materials are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper and all packaging materials are fully reusable and/or recyclable.
  12. Production area is a radio frequency-free zone (no microwaves, Wi-Fi, or cell phones permitted) and has electromagnetic radiation (EMF) mitigating technologies

Sourcing and Qualification

Organic • Wildcrafted • Lab Verified

Sourcing and qualification of new materials from trusted vendors is an ongoing, rigorous process. We are constantly searching for the purest, true-to-source, sustainably-grown ingredients on the planet.

The Process

Each potential vendor is screened through our Vendor Qualification process to ensure that they are the best fit for HealthForce SuperFoods®. We pride ourselves on transparency and quality; and with the help of verified third-party labs, certifications, qualified documents, and sometimes visiting the farms themselves, we assure you that our vendors do, too.

Sourcing starts with asking our suppliers the story of the products they are selling. Where the botanical originally comes from, what countries grow it now, what are its uses today in the herbal medicine community. Are the farmers paid fair wages, is this a sustainable crop for the economy and the ecology of the region, do the farmers participate in sustainable growing practices, do they test every batch as thoroughly as we do, are they NSF and cGMP certified, are they certified Organic, Kosher, Non-GMO, Vegan, Gluten-Free, etc.

Each ingredient is then put through a series of tests to meet our TruGanic™ Sourcing standard. All individual ingredients are tested for pesticides and GMOs (genetically modified organisms), botanical identity, microbiological activity, gluten, heavy metals, and extract assays/solvent residues when applicable.

After the initial TruGanic verification process, continued compliance is upheld through our commitment to the annual testing of each ingredient. The TruGanic Sourcing standard is foundational to our mission of providing pure, clean, quality ingredients, even when using wildcrafted or non-certified organic sources.

Lab Verified From Start To Finish

Our heavy metal specifications ensure the lowest levels of heavy metals feasible for each of product formulation. Heavy metal specifications (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury) are set for all raw materials and finished products to guarantee that all finished products comply with the American Herbal Products Association heavy metal standards. Any raw materials and/or finished products that do not meet our specifications are rejected.

Our Four-Step Testing Process:

  1. Heavy metal specifications are set for all ingredients and are communicated to all vendors before purchasing any raw materials. Certificates of Analyses are required for all raw materials that enter the production facility.
  2. All new raw materials are qualified for use by lab testing three separate lots for heavy metals. All three lots must meet heavy metal specifications in order for any/all new ingredients to be qualified.
  3. Once ingredients are qualified for use, we require continual ongoing lab testing of every lot of every ingredient that enters the production facility for heavy metals. Any lot that does not meet our heavy metal specifications is rejected and returned to the supplier.
  4. For all finished products, ingredients are blended for a minimum of 20 minutes to ensure homogenous finished product blend. Samples are then taken from finished product blend for additonal testing. Any finished product that does not meet finished product specifications is rejected.

Glass Packaging

Glass is more expensive, costs more to ship, and is considered “fragile.” So why is HealthForce Superfoods® so committed to glass packaging? We believe packing our products in amber glass bottles means is a better choice for the environment and results in better products for you.

Glass Facts:

  1. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or integrity.
  2. 80% of the glass that is recovered is made into new glass products.
  3. A glass container can go from a recycling bin to a store shelf in as little as 30 days.
  4. Glass is free of toxic chemicals and won’t leach into products.
  5. Glass preserves quality and flavor.
  6. Glass containers can be reused in the home. A great option for bulk food storage or on-the-go smoothie containers.

Information Regarding California Prop 65

All of our individual ingredients and finished products are tested to ensure compliance with California Prop 65.

California law contains what is known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, also referred to as Proposition 65 (“Prop 65”). Unique to California, this “right to know” law requires any product (food or non-food) sold in California that causes an exposure to any chemical listed under Prop 65 must include a warning label. Prop 65-listed chemicals that commonly occur in food and dietary supplements are heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

Prop 65 does not ban any products from sale in California; it simply requires warnings about the listed chemical contained in the product. Keep in mind that many foods including fruits and vegetables with important nutrition benefits, contain trace levels of contaminants. It is important to understand that some trace levels of heavy metals are found in nearly all dried botanicals (as well as common foods). It is well known that there are naturally occurring heavy metals found in soils around the world, and that plants can uptake these heavy metals in small amounts in the same way they do other minerals. As a result, these metals find their way into foods and dietary supplements, although typically only at low levels.

As part of our commitment to purity in our products we are continually looking for ways to further reduce any naturally occurring heavy metal content in our products. This includes seeking alternative ingredient sourcing options with lower heavy metal content, reviewing our manufacturing process, and reformulating our products when necessary.