Beyuna has been around for over 9 years now and things are going very well. How do you look back on the past years?
“It’s amazing to see how you keep developing: new employees, expanding the offices. At the head office we’re a real team, and if you remove one person from the equation it doesn’t work any more. We have a joint passion, and there’s a positive atmosphere at work.
Beyuna is also open for business in America, which is where I began network marketing, and now I’m going ‘back’, as it were, and I’m working on the other side. That seems wild to me! I like the way Americans view supplements. They’re crazy for European products which are well-evidenced and non-GMO, and they really like our earnings model too. Network marketing is huge in the States. I’ve been happily working in network marketing for 25 years and it just gets better. I’m a fan of network marketing, because you can give everyone an equal opportunity. In Iceland it is now law that men and women must be paid the same, and I think that’s quite right. Network marketing doesn’t rely on your background, gender, or position, but on your efforts and dedication. I think it’s great that everyone can work for a passive income, so everyone gets the change to actually contribute to their pension.”
Beyuna continues to expand its range. How do you come up with ideas for new products?
“When choosing ingredients and products, I base my choices on scientific research at PubMed - an online data bank with references to biomedical and scientific literature - among other things. There you can find all the medical studies and research into supplements that have ever been published. I also consult SpectraCell, a database made by a leading clinical laboratory specialising in personalised solutions to prevent and manage illnesses. When developing and selling food supplements, we have to work within the Regulation on claims, a piece of legislation setting out which health claims may be made about ingredients. These have to be backed up by science, and understandable to consumers. I look at these claims, but I also carry out an expansive objective study on the effects and composition of the correct ingredients for our food supplements. Accurate long-term studies substantiate the effectiveness of supplements."
Beyuna is known for its high-quality supplements. What do you look for when creating a new product?
“My mission is to make products for my family. That may sound selfish, but only if the supplements are good enough for my family do they have the quality I’m looking for. Supplement development is incredibly fast. It can be compared with your smartphone, and how quickly it becomes dated. You can see the same thing with food supplements. I always make sure I follow the most recent developments and that my products continue to be updated and improved by replacing and adding a number of ingredients which studies show are better absorbed by the body. To give you an example, according to the most recent scientific findings there is a type of B6 that the body can use directly without having to convert it first - the organic active co-enzyme form Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P). So I make sure to work P5P into our product.
We’re also updating and improving our capsules on an ongoing basis. Lots of capsules are made of pigs or cows, meaning they’re unsuitable for Hindus, Muslims, vegetarians or vegans. We opt for plant-based capsules, and are also investigating the best kind - the Pullulan capsule. Broadly speaking, our products are manufactured in Germany. I love ‘German efficiency,’ and the care they take when developing our products. Beyuna began clean labelling around three years ago. A lot of people probably don’t know that many supplements contain additives. Anti-caking and glazing agents, colourants and flavour enhancers are used to fill the capsules and to give them a different colour or flavour. I believe you buy a supplement for the active substances it contains, not the superfluous and unnatural ingredients. Up to two thirds of some supplements are actually additives. These fillers absolutely do not belong in a natural product - why create a wonderful, fully-natural product and then fill it with synthetic products? That doesn’t sit well with me. Beyuna is dedicated to Clean Label. Beyuna products are adjusted and ‘cleaned up’ on an ongoing basis, based on the most recent scientific findings. For instance, Beyuna Magnesium contains 650mg of magnesium and is entirely Clean Label. This makes the production process slower, as the capsules are hand-filled. That also means it’s more expensive, but it also results in a better product and one I believe in.”