The crossover from pantry staple to pill or powder is no coincidence. It’s a story of culture, science, and consumer curiosity converging to change the way we approach health. Let’s explore how this transformation happens, and what it means for the future of supplements.

The supplement industry is booming, with global sales projected to surpass $200 billion in the next few years. But rapid growth comes with responsibility. For new and emerging brands, FDA compliance isn’t just a box to check—it’s the backbone of consumer trust and business sustainability.

In the late 2000s, diet culture was booming. Weight-loss pills, powders, and programs flooded infomercials and glossy magazines, each promising effortless results. Then came Sensa: a so-called "miracle" product that claimed you could lose weight simply by sprinkling odorless, flavorless crystals on your food. No calorie counting.

In the 1990s, pet owners began to embrace the idea that their dogs deserved more than generic kibble and bland biscuits. Enter Beggin’ Strips: a cheeky, bacon-themed treat that leaned into the growing trend of “pet humanization.” With playful branding and a wink toward indulgence, it felt like the canine equivalent of snack food for people. But while the concept was fresh for its time, the product eventually ran up against shifting consumer expectations.

In the late 1990s, Frito-Lay promised snack lovers the impossible: all the flavor of fried potato chips without the fat. The result was WOW! Chips, a bold innovation made possible by olestra, a fat substitute that couldn’t be absorbed by the body. At first, the chips flew off shelves, hailed as a revolution in guilt-free snacking. But the very science that made them “fat-free” also sparked an infamous side effect—one that would haunt the brand and make WOW! a cultural punchline for years to come.

Some products arrive with a splash, only to fizzle faster than anyone expects. Pepsi Blue made its mark not with subtlety but with neon-blue soda and a berry-cola flavor that challenged expectations. It was bold, playful, and unmistakably different.