USANA Health Sciences
A U.S.-based nutrition, supplement, food and personal-care company that distributes products primarily through independent associates and direct ordering.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
USANA Health Sciences is an American health-products company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in 1992 by immunologist and microbiologist Myron Wentz, the company developed from Wentz's earlier work in diagnostic testing and became a manufacturer and direct-selling distributor of nutritional supplements, functional foods, meal-replacement products, energy drinks, skincare and personal-care goods. The name is generally presented as USANA, while the legal corporate name is USANA Health Sciences, Inc. The company operates through a multilevel direct-selling model rather than conventional retail distribution. Its products are sold through independent distributors, known as associates, and through direct orders placed with the company. Associates may buy products for personal use, sell to customers and, subject to the compensation plan, receive commissions related to product sales and the activity of recruited distributors. Preferred customers can purchase products for personal use but are not permitted to resell them. This model has been central to USANA's international expansion, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, while also exposing the company to recurring scrutiny over product pricing, income representations and the economics of distributor participation. USANA manufactures most of its products at its Utah facilities. Its principal product architecture has included USANA Nutritionals, covering multivitamins, mineral supplements, cellular-nutrition products and digestive or detoxification products; USANA Diet and Energy, including meal-replacement shakes, protein bars and Rev3 energy drinks; and personal-care brands such as Sensé and Celavive, covering skincare, treatment and hair-and-body products. The company has promoted a science- and quality-oriented positioning, including laboratory testing, manufacturing controls and sports-related product assurances. A ConsumerLab.com review reported that USANA Essentials passed the specific tests applied, though such results do not guarantee that every product or health claim will work for every consumer. USANA became a publicly traded company in 1996 on Nasdaq. In 2010, the company completed the process of transferring its common-stock listing to the New York Stock Exchange, effective in early 2011. The company also received FDA drug-establishment registration for manufacturing over-the-counter drugs in 2011. Its corporate history includes strong growth and record revenue in the Asia-Pacific region, followed by soft sales in 2019 and a year-over-year decline in first-quarter 2020 sales. The brand has invested heavily in sports and wellness-related partnerships. These have included the WTA Tour, selected athletes, USA Swimming, USA Skateboarding and the Spartan Race brand. USANA has also supported health education and hunger-relief initiatives through HealthCorps and the USANA Foundation's Kids Eat program. In Utah, the USANA name is attached to the USANA Amphitheatre through a naming-rights agreement. USANA's public profile has also been affected by controversy. In 2007, short-seller Barry Minkow accused the company of operating an illegal pyramid scheme and submitted a lengthy report to U.S. authorities. The SEC reviewed the allegations and closed its inquiry without recommending enforcement action. Related shareholder litigation, distributor-termination disputes and claims about the qualifications of executives and advisory-board members prompted further scrutiny. USANA sued Minkow, but most claims were dismissed under California's anti-SLAPP law; the remaining stock-manipulation dispute was later settled. The company remains an active, publicly traded direct-selling health-products business, with its reputation balanced between scientific and manufacturing claims, international distribution, sports sponsorship and continuing debate over the economics of direct selling.
History
USANA's origins date to 1992, when immunologist and microbiologist Myron Wentz separated the supplement business from his diagnostic-testing activities. Wentz had moved Gull Laboratories from Salt Lake City to West Valley City and used the new company, initially known as USANA Health Services, to manufacture and distribute nutritional products. The business adopted a direct-selling structure, relying on independent associates rather than ordinary retail stores. Products could be purchased from associates or ordered directly from the company, while associates could combine personal purchasing, customer sales and recruitment-based business activity. Dallin A. Larsen joined the company as vice president of sales in 1993. He later served as a consultant to the president and a special adviser to the board before leaving to establish Monavie in 2005. USANA expanded its product portfolio from nutritional supplements into diet and energy products and personal care. Manufacturing remained concentrated in Utah; at one point the company stated that it produced approximately 90 percent of its products at its headquarters, including more than 22 million tablets each week. USANA became publicly traded on Nasdaq in 1996. Its most serious period of public controversy began in 2007, when Barry Minkow and the Fraud Discovery Institute accused it of being an illegal pyramid scheme. The SEC investigated the allegations and concluded the inquiry without recommending enforcement action. The controversy nevertheless led to shareholder litigation, media investigations and disputes over the company's compensation structure, product pricing and income representations. USANA sued Minkow and related entities. In 2008, a federal court dismissed most of the claims under California's anti-SLAPP law, while the remaining stock-manipulation matter was settled confidentially. The same period also included a Canadian distributor-termination dispute that resulted in an award of damages to two distributors. Public scrutiny additionally focused on statements concerning the qualifications of some board, advisory and executive personnel. The company transferred its listing from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange at the start of 2011 and received FDA drug-establishment registration for manufacturing over-the-counter drugs during that year. In 2012, the company reported that associates accounted for 91 percent of product purchases, illustrating the continuing importance of its direct-selling channel. USANA strengthened its position in China through the 2013 acquisition of BabyCare Ltd., a prenatal-supplement business, and discussed establishing manufacturing capacity in the country. Sports sponsorship and community programs became important parts of the brand's public identity. USANA entered a co-sponsorship arrangement with the WTA Tour in 2006 and extended it in 2011. It also developed an athlete guarantee program related to banned-substance testing, supported USA Swimming and USA Skateboarding around the 2020 Olympic cycle, and became associated with Spartan Race in the United States. The USANA name was used for the USANA Amphitheatre in West Valley City under a naming-rights arrangement. Community work included health education through HealthCorps and childhood hunger relief through the USANA Foundation's Kids Eat program, which opened a Utah food-packing and distribution facility in 2019. The Asia-Pacific region drove significant growth through the late 2010s, and USANA reported record revenue in 2018. In 2019, however, annual net sales declined. China's 2019 100-day review of the health-food and multilevel-marketing sector created an additional regulatory challenge; BabyCare joined other companies in signing a declaration to improve self-discipline and compliance. First-quarter sales in 2020 were also below the prior-year period. Leadership transitioned from founder Myron Wentz to his son Dave Wentz in 2008, and in 2015 the chief executive role was divided between Dave Wentz and Kevin Guest. Guest became sole chief executive in November 2016. USANA remains an active public company selling supplements, functional foods and personal-care products through a global direct-selling network.
- 2019
Kids Eat facility opened
[1]The USANA Foundation's Kids Eat program opened a Utah facility for packing and distributing food to address childhood hunger.
- 2016
Kevin Guest became sole chief executive
[1]After a period in which the role was divided, Guest became USANA's sole CEO in November.
- 2013
BabyCare acquisition
[1]USANA acquired China-based prenatal-supplement company BabyCare Ltd.
- 2011
NYSE listing and FDA registration
[1]USANA's NYSE listing became effective, and the company received FDA drug-establishment registration for over-the-counter drug manufacturing.
- 2008
Leadership passed to Dave Wentz
[1]Dave Wentz succeeded Myron Wentz as chief executive officer.
- 2006
WTA Tour sponsorship began
[1]USANA entered a co-sponsorship agreement with the WTA Tour.
- 1996
Common stock began trading on Nasdaq
[1]USANA's shares began trading on the Nasdaq National Market System.
- 1993
Dallin A. Larsen joined the sales leadership
[1]Larsen became vice president of sales and later served in advisory roles.
- 1992
USANA was founded
[1]Myron Wentz established USANA after separating the nutritional-products business from his diagnostic-testing operations.
Products and positioning
A premium, science-oriented health and wellness brand emphasizing nutritional formulations, manufacturing quality, direct selling and athlete-oriented product assurance.
Dietary supplements
USANA Nutritionals
The nutrition portfolio includes multivitamins, minerals, cellular-nutrition formulas and products positioned for digestive or detoxification support. Essentials and CellSentials are among the best-known products associated with this line. USANA promotes formulation, testing and manufacturing controls as part of the range's science-oriented positioning.
Functional foods and beverages
USANA Diet & Energy
This line covers meal-replacement products, protein bars and energy beverages. Reset products are designed around meal replacement, while Rev3 is positioned as an energy drink. The products are distributed through USANA's associate and direct-order channel rather than ordinary retail outlets.
Personal care
Sensé
Sensé is a personal-care and skincare range covering facial-care and broader skin-treatment products. It forms part of USANA's expansion beyond ingestible nutrition into topical personal care.
Skincare
Celavive
Celavive is a skincare line within USANA's personal-care business. The range is marketed around skin health and treatment-oriented care and complements the company's nutritional portfolio.
Prenatal nutrition
BabyCare
BabyCare was a China-based prenatal-supplement company acquired by USANA in 2013. It provided USANA with a local business and brand platform in China's maternal and prenatal nutrition market.
Controversies
2019
Chinese health-sector regulatory review
China suspended multilevel-marketing operations during a 100-day review prompted by concerns about exaggerated advertising and questionable products in the health sector. BabyCare participated in an industry self-discipline declaration.
2007
Pyramid-scheme allegations
Barry Minkow's Fraud Discovery Institute accused USANA of operating an illegal pyramid scheme. The SEC investigated and closed the inquiry without recommending enforcement action. Minkow disclosed that he held a short position in USANA stock.
2007
Questions over qualifications and income claims
Public reporting questioned credentials attributed to some company leaders and advisers, as well as the price of products and income claims made in distributor recruitment.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Kids Eat
Utah, United States
The USANA Foundation opened a facility to pack and distribute food for children experiencing hunger in the Utah area.
Outcome. The program established a local food-relief operation.
- 2019HealthCorps health education partnership
United States
USANA partnered with HealthCorps on health education for children.
Outcome. The partnership extended the brand's community activity beyond product marketing.
- 2019Spartan Race nutritional partnership
United States
USANA was announced as the official nutritional partner of Spartan Race in the United States.
Outcome. The partnership connected the brand with endurance and obstacle-racing audiences.
- 2011WTA ace donation program
International WTA markets
As part of the extended WTA relationship, USANA pledged a donation to Children's Hunger Fund for each ace recorded at designated WTA tournaments from Wimbledon through the end of the season.
Outcome. A sports sponsorship was linked to a hunger-relief donation program.
Brand decisions
2020
Olympic-cycle sports partnershipsStrategyBackground
USANA used sports partnerships to support its performance-nutrition positioning ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Action taken
The company partnered with USA Swimming and the USA Skateboarding National Team as an official multivitamin sponsor and nutritional-supplement supplier, respectively.
Aftermath
The agreements expanded USANA's visibility among elite and Olympic-associated athletes.
2015
Division of the chief executive roleStrategyBackground
USANA reorganized senior leadership responsibilities as it balanced global operations with field development and sales.
Action taken
The CEO role was divided between Dave Wentz, responsible for global operations, and Kevin Guest, responsible for field development and sales.
Aftermath
Kevin Guest became sole CEO in November 2016.
2013
Acquisition of BabyCare Ltd.M&ABackground
USANA sought to expand its presence in China's prenatal and health-products market.
Action taken
USANA acquired BabyCare Ltd., a China-based prenatal-supplement company.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened the company's China platform, while the market later became subject to heightened regulatory review.
2011
Transfer of stock listing to the NYSEStrategyBackground
USANA had traded on Nasdaq since 1996 and sought a different public-market listing.
Action taken
The company completed the transfer process, with NYSE trading becoming effective at the beginning of 2011.
Aftermath
USANA continued as a publicly traded company under ticker USNA.
Recent events
Reported
USANA and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine sign strategic cooperation agreement[3]
USANA, together with its China subsidiary BabyCare, signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine to collaborate in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
USANA reports higher fourth-quarter profit and revenue[4]
USANA Health Sciences reported fourth-quarter profit of $39.63 million and revenue of $310.52 million, up from the same period a year earlier.
Reported
USANA revises fiscal 2020 outlook[5]
USANA Health Sciences revised its fiscal 2020 earnings-per-share and consolidated net-sales guidance downward from its previous ranges, citing a lower effective tax rate and diluted share count, currency exchange rates, and its current assessment of future sales.
Reported
USANA Philippines receives APEA inspirational brand award[6]
USANA's Philippines market received the inspirational brand category award at the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards 2020 Regional Edition.
Sources6 sources
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