−Removed: are a consumer health care and beauty company that is in the process of building a portfolio of best-in-class consumer product
−Removed: Our strategy is to grow both organically and by further acquisition.
−Removed: were organized as a corporation under the laws of the State of Nevada on December 29, 2010 under the name “Oro Capital Corporation”.
−Removed: On April 7, 2014, an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) was entered into by and among us, Synergy
−Removed: Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and our wholly owned subsidiary formed for the purpose of the transactions under the
−Removed: Merger Agreement (“Merger Sub”), and Synergy Strips Corp., a Delaware corporation incorporated on January 24, 2012
−Removed: (“SSC”).
−Removed: The Merger Agreement provided for the merger of Merger Sub with and into SSC (the “Merger”),
−Removed: with SSC surviving the merger as our wholly owned subsidiary.
−Removed: On April 17, 2014, we issued a share dividend to our shareholders
−Removed: in order to effect a 30-for-1 forward stock split.
−Removed: The Merger was consummated on April 21, 2014.
−Removed: On April 21, 2014, we changed
−Removed: our fiscal year end from July 31 to December 31.
−Removed: On April 28, 2014, we changed the name of the Company from “Oro Capital
−Removed: Corporation”
−Removed: to “Synergy Strips Corp.”
−Removed: On August 5, 2015, we changed the name to “Synergy CHC Corp.”
−Removed: January 1, 2019, the Company’s U.S.
+Added: Unless the context otherwise
+Added: requires, for purposes of this section, the terms “we,” “us,” “the Company” or “Synergy”
+Added: refer to Synergy CHC Corp.
+Added: We are a provider of consumer
+Added: health care, beauty, and lifestyle products.
+Added: Our current brand portfolio consists of two marquee brands, FOCUSfactor, a clinically-tested brain
+Added: health supplement (this study was performed independently and is not related to any FDA-approved IND application) that has been shown
+Added: to improve memory, concentration and focus, and Flat Tummy, a lifestyle and wellness brand that provides a suite of nutritional products
+Added: to help women achieve their nutrition and weight management goals.
+Added: Our products are sold through some of the nation’s leading club,
+Added: mass drug, and other retailers such as Costco, Amazon.com, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, Target.com, H-E-B, Meijer, and
+Added: Additionally, we have expanded into Canada and the United Kingdom.
+Added: We built our brand portfolio through strategic acquisitions.
+Added: the FOCUSfactor brand in January 2015 for cash consideration of $6.0 million, including an earnout.
+Added: In November 2015, we
+Added: acquired our second marquee brand, Flat Tummy, for AUD $10.0 million (or approximately $7.0 million), using a mix of cash and
+Added: Our capital structure following the acquisitions of our key brands in 2015 has been highly levered, and our focus has been on paying
+Added: our debt and, as a result, we do not have the resources to grow our business.
+Added: We have grown our FOCUSfactor brand from 3 SKUs at acquisition
+Added: to over 34 SKUs, and our Flat Tummy Brand from 1 SKU to 13 SKUs.
+Added: Our growth from 2022 to the present was driven by expanded distribution
+Added: of our FOCUSfactor product line to some of our major retailers, such as Costco, CVS and Walmart, among others.
+Added: This expansion included
+Added: SKUs within our FOCUSfactor vision line as well as focus and energy Ready-to-Drink (RTD).
+Added: We intend to accelerate the
+Added: growth of both our FOCUSfactor supplements and FOCUSfactor energy RTD products.
+Added: Our asset-light business model, in which we partner
+Added: with third-party manufacturers to produce our brand offerings, allows us to scale quickly and profitably while satisfying growing
+Added: Our flagship brand, FOCUSfactor, is a brain health nutritional supplement
+Added: with over 24 years of history and a clinically-tested formula (this study was performed independently and is not related to
+Added: any FDA-approved IND application) comprised of a proprietary blend of key brain supporting ingredients along with vitamins, minerals,
+Added: and other nutrients.
+Added: We believe FOCUSfactor is the only product in its category whose entire formula has been shown to support memory,
+Added: concentration and focus.
+Added: Our FOCUSfactor brand consists of over 34 SKUs and is sold primarily through leading retailers in the United States,
+Added: including Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, and Albertson’s, in addition to selling direct to consumer through
+Added: the FOCUSfactor website.
+Added: Across three of our key partners, we have increased the number of SKUs sold through the retailer from the single
+Added: SKU available at the beginning of our relationships, which began in 2015 and 2016.
+Added: In addition, we have increased our presence in retail
+Added: locations for these key partners, resulting in a significant increase in points of distribution, being the number of SKUs multiplied by
+Added: the number of retail locations for each retailer.
+Added: We have also expanded the brand internationally into Canada (2020), the United Kingdom
+Added: (2023) and we anticipate being in Taiwan and Mexico during 2025 and in Australia and Asia in the first quarter of 2026.
+Added: FOCUSfactor has expanded into
+Added: the beverage market with its focus plus energy RTD.
+Added: According to Zion Research in January 2024, the beverage market is a large ($176 billion
+Added: in 2022) and growing (projected 8.6% CAGR covering eight years from 2022 through 2030) market with an expanding range of functional benefits
+Added: such as energy, hydration, cognition/focus, weight loss, gut health and immunity.
+Added: Examples such as Celsius and Beyond Raw offer dual-benefit products
+Added: that deliver fat burning plus energy while C4 Smart Energy and FocusAid deliver focus plus energy.
+Added: Additionally, consumers are looking
+Added: for not only refreshing drinks but health perks such as zero sugar and low-calorie drinks.
+Added: This consumer shift in preferences towards
+Added: more functional benefits can be seen in the evolution of the energy RTD category where originally competitors like Red Bull and Monster
+Added: delivered conventional energy, then the category offered more performance energy products with added vitamins and amino acids in products
+Added: such as Reign and C4 Performance to products with more natural energy characteristics and then to the dual-benefit energy products
+Added: that we see today.
+Added: FOCUSfactor is well-positioned to
+Added: capitalize on the evolving energy RTD category (U.S.
+Added: sales of $19.2 billion in 2023 and a CAGR of 6.3% from 2018 to 2023, according
+Added: to Euromonitor in December 2023) with its new focus plus energy RTD.
+Added: We believe this represents a major growth opportunity, with
+Added: our dual-benefit RTD formula offering both focus and energy behind a 24+ year brand with strong heritage and awareness in the area
+Added: of brain health.
+Added: The FOCUSfactor brand name clearly communicates the differentiation benefit of adding focus to energy.
+Added: The FOCUSfactor
+Added: formula does not have to rely as heavily on caffeine as other brands such as Celsius, Bang, Reign and C4, as its formula is a balanced
+Added: blend of vitamins, cognitive nutrients and caffeine all in a zero sugar, low calorie, great-tasting drink.
+Added: The brand also delivers
+Added: a significant value relative to many competitors.
+Added: Additionally, FOCUSfactor has long-term relationships with large retailers where
+Added: it has an established presence, which will assist in market penetration for its RTD products.
+Added: FOCUSfactor is looking to attract both existing
+Added: consumers of supplement products (typically age 50+) to RTDs as well as a younger demographic (age 18-49).
+Added: FOCUSfactor has successfully
+Added: demonstrated the ability to leverage its existing retailer relationships to expand its RTDs.
+Added: From March 2023 through August 2023, FOCUSfactor
+Added: conducted a 5-month trial of its RTD products in 44 clubs of a warehouse club retailer throughout Texas with sales ranging from $550
+Added: per club per week to $2,382 per club per week.
+Added: From April 2024 through July 2024, a second pilot was successfully completed at a major
+Added: Canadian club retailer throughout Canada with results ranging from C$378 per club per week to C$2,206 per club per week.
+Added: Our second marquee brand, Flat
+Added: Tummy, consists of a range of lifestyle and wellness products and accessories including tea, shakes, lollipops, supplements, apparel,
+Added: and exercise accessories.
+Added: We also provide a Flat Tummy mobile app, which, as of December 31, 2024, had approximately 1.9 million
+Added: unique downloads and is intended as a tool to promote the Flat Tummy lifestyle centered around general wellness and health.
+Added: Our Flat Tummy
+Added: brand consists of 13 SKUs and is sold direct to consumer through the Flat Tummy website and application, as well as through Amazon.com,
+Added: Target.com and iherb.com.
+Added: We also own six additional,
+Added: non-core brands.
+Added: These developing brands are:
+Added: ● Hand MD — complete hand care brand to help
+Added: maintain clean and healthy hands while reducing the signs of aging.
+Added: ● Perfekt Beauty — beauty line of products
+Added: for the eyes, lips, brows, cheeks and skin.
+Added: ● Sneaky Vaunt — a lingerie brand with a line
+Added: of women’s shapewear, bralettes and panties.
+Added: ● The Queen Pegasus — eyelash enhancement products
+Added: for longer, thicker, natural lashes.
+Added: ● Neuragen — fast-acting topical treatments
+Added: for neuropathic (nerve) pain.
+Added: ● UrgentRx — line of fast-acting, portable,
+Added: powdered over-the-counter medications.
+Added: While we may elect to promote
+Added: these brands and commercialize their products in the future, we have prioritized our key brands, FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy, and management
+Added: is focused on the growth of these core products.
+Added: Our Competitive Strengths
+Added: We believe that we have attributes
+Added: that differentiate us from our competitors and provide us with significant competitive advantages.
+Added: Our key competitive strengths include:
+Added: Well-Positioned in Growing Categories
+Added: Driven by Favorable Consumer Trends
+Added: An increased focus on health,
+Added: beauty and wellness by consumers has served as a tailwind for our brands.
+Added: The nutritional supplement market has experienced significant
+Added: growth across a range of areas including immune health, brain health, heart health, sleep/stress, and overall nutrition and wellness as
+Added: a result of an aging population, increased obesity, pandemic concerns and a desire for more natural solutions and treatments over prescription
+Added: We believe that we are well positioned to benefit from these favorable trends.
+Added: The brain health segment is slated to grow
+Added: at 8% per year in the United States and 13% per year globally, according to Grand View Research.
+Added: We believe our focus on lifestyle
+Added: products has also benefited from the growth and prevalence of social media.
+Added: Results Backed by Independent Study for
+Added: We believe the FOCUSfactor
+Added: brand is strengthened by an independent clinical study to support the product claims for improved memory, concentration, and focus.
+Added: has been tested in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to evaluate its effect on memory,
+Added: concentration, and focus in healthy adults.
+Added: The study was not a clinical trial conducted pursuant to an FDA-approved IND application,
+Added: and the FDA has not reviewed this study or evaluated these performance claims.
+Added: In this study, FOCUSfactor
+Added: was tested on its entire 52-ingredient formulation rather than testing one or two ingredients within a formulation.
+Added: FOCUSfactor was
+Added: shown to provide a 44% increase in recall memory (an increase of 6.5 words compared to 4.5 words for the placebo group) after six weeks
+Added: of use versus placebo.
+Added: This differentiates FOCUSfactor from other brain-health supplements and is a prime reason why FOCUSfactor
+Added: has been placed in premier retailers.
+Added: See ” — FOCUSfactor Study ” for additional information.
+Added: Experienced Management Team with Proven
+Added: Track Record of Value Creation
+Added: Our executive team has a combined
+Added: 90 years of experience in consumer marketing and distribution and has been instrumental in acquiring and building our core brands.
+Added: Management has exercised strong financial discipline in its acquisition strategy, with a focus on acquiring brands at attractive valuations.
+Added: For example, we acquired FOCUSfactor for approximately 3x trailing EBITDA.
+Added: Management’s philosophy is to acquire promising brands
+Added: that fit within our health, beauty and lifestyle offerings, and apply our marketing and distribution strategies to develop brands to their
+Added: full potential.
+Added: We believe we are adept at identifying promising opportunities that build out and complement our core brand portfolio.
+Added: Premier Retail Partners
+Added: Our premier retail partners
+Added: include Costco, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Walmart, Amazon.com, Publix, Meijer, Albertson’s, CVS, Walgreens and others.
+Added: sell products to these partners under their standard arrangements, which do not include a term or duration as sales under each vendor
+Added: agreement are generally made on a purchase order basis.
+Added: Our partners provide a platform to expand the breadth of our current offerings
+Added: through product line extensions and new product innovation.
+Added: We continue to introduce new SKUs to our current retail partners, such as
+Added: the addition of FOCUSfactor RTDs and vision products to our membership club and other channels.
+Added: Additionally, the international footprint
+Added: of certain of our various retail partners facilitates our geographic expansion plans.
+Added: Scalable and Flexible Asset-Light Model
+Added: to Support Growth
+Added: Our focus is on brand management,
+Added: marketing, product development and distribution, and we utilize contract manufacturing partners in order to produce our various brand
+Added: The use of third-party manufacturing partners allows us to scale quickly, as we ensure that our partners have sufficient
+Added: capacity to meet our demand needs.
+Added: We also maintain multiple relationships with different contract manufacturers, ensuring diversification
+Added: of our manufacturing base and reducing the likelihood of supply bottlenecks or deficits that could potentially slow our growth.
+Added: Our Growth Strategy
+Added: We intend to drive growth and
+Added: increased profitability in our business through these key elements of our strategy:
+Added: Broaden Media Advertising Strategy
+Added: We have experienced significant
+Added: acceleration in sales growth for the FOCUSfactor brand as a result of our television advertising in prior years.
+Added: We launched a national
+Added: advertising campaign in August 2020, which aired on major news and entertainment networks such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, TLC, and
+Added: TNT, targeting adults 45 years of age and older.
+Added: We anticipate a coordinated expansion of our advertising strategy during 2025, as
+Added: we focus on pushing additional SKUs within our retail sales partner network to continue to build brand awareness and increase reach for
+Added: We also plan to invest in online marketing to promote all of our brands, including social media and influencer driven marketing.
+Added: We have also experienced significant growth through our increased distribution, which we continue to drive forward.
+Added: Acquire Brands which Complement Our Existing
+Added: We will continue to evaluate
+Added: acquisition opportunities that we believe fit well within our brand portfolio and create value for our stockholders, such as further retail
+Added: expansion in nutraceuticals and market expansion in health and beauty.
+Added: In spite of historical capital constraints, our opportunistic approach
+Added: to acquisitions has resulted in a successful track record of identifying promising targets that align with our overall brand strategy
+Added: in the health, beauty and lifestyle segments.
+Added: Partner with Additional Leading Retailers
+Added: to Expand the Reach of Our Products
+Added: We have established distribution
+Added: relationships with premier retail partners, including Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe, Target.com, H-E-B,
+Added: Meijer, and Albertson’s.
+Added: Based on the success of our products with these leading retail partners, we believe that we are well positioned
+Added: to add new retailers that will enhance our distribution footprint.
+Added: We believe we have expansion opportunities with food retailers, including
+Added: those focused on health foods.
+Added: We intend to introduce three to five new SKUs across potential retailers, which would potentially result
+Added: in the addition of approximately 50,000 points of distribution.
+Added: Diversify Our Geographic Presence through
+Added: Entry into New Markets
+Added: We seek to accelerate our sales
+Added: growth by expanding and further diversifying our geographic footprint.
+Added: Our goal is to increase our net revenues generated from new markets.
+Added: As we target new international markets, our strategy is to develop highly competitive and differentiated products that are produced in-country for
+Added: ease of entry, with support from our regulatory group and an in-country regulatory consultant to help expedite the approval process.
+Added: In the United Kingdom, where we have distribution with Costco and Holland & Barrett, we have established relationships with manufacturers
+Added: who began producing FOCUSfactor in-country in December 2021.
+Added: We currently plan to enter the Taiwan and Mexico markets during
+Added: 2025 and in Australia and Asia in the first quarter of 2026, initially with FOCUSfactor, then followed by Flat Tummy.
+Added: In Mexico, we have
+Added: identified local manufacturers and will begin connecting with retailers in Mexico in 2025.
+Added: We then plan to expand our brands into Australia
+Added: (where we have TGA approval for our FOCUSfactor products) and Asian markets in 2026.
+Added: In addition, we are developing our marketing plans
+Added: in compliance with applicable laws, and are initiating retailer meetings as we seek to gain distribution across these new retail markets.
+Added: Use Innovative Strategies to Boost Consumer
+Added: We have made investments in
+Added: promoting an app for Flat Tummy and view this as a key aspect of growing our customer base and maintaining high levels of engagement.
+Added: We have also focused on developing our social media presence, in particular through Instagram, in order to foster and grow our relationship
+Added: with customers.
+Added: Our brands appeal to both specific consumer needs as well as lifestyle choices and we seek to deepen our understanding
+Added: of our customers and boost recognition of our brands through increased engagement.
+Added: Continue to Develop and Expand Our Current
+Added: Our plan is to further develop
+Added: and expand our brands by reaching a broader set of customers through advertising and product expansion.
+Added: More specifically, we look to
+Added: develop new products for our brands to satisfy the various customer segment opportunities (i.e., baby boomers, millennials, etc.) and
+Added: satisfy various consumer needs as they relate to new and improved formulations, expanded and improved product benefits, alternative delivery
+Added: formats and sizes.
+Added: As we increase the product line-up behind our brands, we leverage our current retail distribution network by expanding
+Added: our presence as well as adding incremental distribution with new retail partners.
+Added: With a broader brand presence, we believe our advertising
+Added: becomes even more efficient at driving sales velocity.
+Added: This is evidenced by our expanded
+Added: FOCUSfactor product line, including focus and energy Ready-to-Drink (RTD) and liquid shots that are marketed to a younger adult audience.
+Added: In 2023, we successfully launched an RTD pilot program in the United States through a major retailer.
+Added: Additionally, in the second
+Added: quarter of 2024, we launched three core FOCUSfactor focus and energy RTD products in Canada.
+Added: In 2025, we plan to introduce an additional
+Added: FOCUSfactor supplement for Taiwan, RTDs for the UK and focus and energy coffee for the United States.
+Added: In the first quarter of 2025,
+Added: we plan on introducing new complementary products to the Flat Tummy line-up, including new protein shakes, gut-healthy ready-to-drink beverage,
+Added: hydration powder and pre-workout powder.
+Added: Additionally, we plan to employ this strategy of expanding our brands into international
+Added: markets that include Mexico and Asia, among others.
+Added: Marketing and Sales
+Added: Our targeted, consumer-driven marketing
+Added: strategy has been key to building our brands and driving revenue growth.
+Added: We manage dedicated marketing strategies for each of our brands
+Added: in order to build deep connections with our customers.
+Added: marketing strategy for FOCUSfactor is primarily focused on increased distribution and advertising campaigns that appeal to the demographics
+Added: of our wellness focused customer base.
+Added: We also utilize in-store promotions
+Added: along with online and social media advertising to promote our FOCUSfactor brand.
+Added: We leverage the following online and social media assets
+Added: as part of our marketing strategy:
+Added: Our FOCUSfactor
+Added: website helps to educate and inform consumers on our line of products.
+Added: The website also serves as a direct-to-consumer sales channel
+Added: for most FOCUSfactor products.
+Added: social media platform is Instagram.
+Added: As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately 13,600 followers.
+Added: ● FOCUSfactor — Brain Hub App:
+Added: in 2021 we launched our Brain Hub app on the Android and Apple iOS platforms to provide an additional point of engagement with customers.
+Added: The app contains a library of brain games and guided meditation sessions on topics related to mindfulness and brain health in order to
+Added: keep consumers engaged.
+Added: As of December 31, 2024, we have approximately 13,000 app downloads.
+Added: employ a primarily online and social media driven strategy for our Flat Tummy brand.
+Added: The brand is focused primarily on women.
+Added: campaigns to reach our core target segments through a mix of traditional online advertising as well as influencer-based marketing.
+Added: Our Flat Tummy website acts as a platform
+Added: for engagement with our customers.
+Added: In addition to offering a direct-to-consumer sales channel for our products, we also host a lifestyle
+Added: blog on our website with a focus on health and fitness.
+Added: Our primary social media platform is Instagram.
+Added: As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately 1.7 million followers.
+Added: Our marketing strategy for Flat Tummy seeks to leverage our
+Added: large online following to promote products from across the Flat Tummy brand.
+Added: More recently we have engaged with social media influencers
+Added: as a new strategy to promote our products.
+Added: As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately
+Added: 531,000 followers.
+Added: We mainly use the platform to share promotions and to relay content and advertisements.
+Added: ● Flat Tummy App:
+Added: Our Flat Tummy app had approximately
+Added: 1.9 million unique downloads as of December 31, 2024, across both the Apple and Android platforms.
+Added: The app provides customized workouts,
+Added: nutrition information, and diet plans.
+Added: The app is currently free to customers;
+Added: however, we are exploring different strategies to monetize
+Added: our large user base.
+Added: FOCUSfactor Study
+Added: FOCUSfactor has been tested
+Added: in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to evaluate its effect on memory, concentration,
+Added: and focus in healthy adults.
+Added: The controlled study was conducted in normal, healthy, male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and
+Added: 65 who had responded to advertisements.
+Added: A total of 96 subjects were enrolled and randomized to one of the two treatment groups (FOCUSfactor
+Added: and placebo).
+Added: Subjects were compensated for their participation.
+Added: The study was sponsored by Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, the developer
+Added: of FOCUSfactor, and was conducted in 2011 at Cognitive Research Corporation (“CRC”) in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
+Added: in consultation with CRC, was responsible for study design including selection of dose, eligibility criteria, efficacy and safety assessments,
+Added: and vitamin/nutraceutical supply.
+Added: CRC, a contract research organization, was responsible for data collection, database preparation, overall
+Added: project management, site monitoring, data management, statistical analyses, and preparation of the final study report.
+Added: The primary endpoint was sum
+Added: recall for five trials of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), a standardized neuropsychological test of memory.
+Added: one of the most commonly used tests of memory in psychopharmacology research.
+Added: The test was originally developed in the 1940s and has proven
+Added: useful in evaluating verbal learning and memory, including proactive inhibition, retroactive inhibition, retention, encoding versus retrieval,
+Added: and subjective organization.
+Added: The standard RAVLT begins with a subject being read a list of 15 unrelated words at the rate of one word
+Added: The examiner then asks the subject to recall as many words as possible.
+Added: This procedure is then repeated four more times with
+Added: the same list of words and the number of correct responses is summed.
+Added: This summed score was chosen as the primary outcome measure, or
+Added: endpoint, for the current study.
+Added: The study demonstrated that,
+Added: compared to placebo, FOCUSfactor improved abilities referred to as memory (i.e., short term memory), attention (e.g., focus), concentration
+Added: and working memory in healthy adults.
+Added: Following six weeks of treatment, subjects who received FOCUSfactor had a mean increase in
+Added: recall of 6.5 words compared to 4.5 words for those who received placebo (t = -4.32, df = 87, p <0.001).
+Added: The total words
+Added: recalled over the five trials following six weeks of treatment (corrected for baseline score) was 51.9 words for subjects receiving
+Added: FOCUSfactor compared to 49.7 words for subjects receiving placebo (t = -2.98, df = 87, p = 0.002).
+Added: The significant effect on
+Added: the RAVLT summed score supports the hypothesis that FOCUSfactor improves memory, attention (e.g., focus), and concentration.
+Added: FOCUSfactor was found to be very well tolerated.
+Added: We were organized as a corporation
+Added: under the laws of the State of Nevada on December 29, 2010 under the name “Oro Capital Corporation.” In April 2014,
+Added: Synergy Strips Corp., a Delaware corporation, became our wholly-owned subsidiary, and we changed our name from “Oro Capital
+Added: Corporation” to “Synergy Strips Corp.” In August 2015, we changed our name to “Synergy CHC Corp.” In
+Added: January 2019, our other U.S.
subsidiaries, Neuragen Corp., Sneaky Vaunt Corp., The Queen Pegasus Corp.
−Removed: and Breakthrough
−Removed: Products Inc., merged with and into the Company.
−Removed: Fiscal Year Developments
−Removed: 2019 we focused on development and line extensions within our existing brands.
−Removed: We developed product extensions and expanded into
−Removed: of the Business
−Removed: is sold at America’s leading retailers such as Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe and online
−Removed: at www.focusfactor.com.
−Removed: FOCUSfactor is a brain-health nutritional supplement that includes a proprietary blend of brain supporting
−Removed: vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients.
−Removed: In December 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US
−Removed: Patent 8,329,227 covering FOCUSfactor’s proprietary formulation “for enhanced mental function.”
−Removed: of the patent marked one of the few times a patent has been issued for a nationally branded nutritional supplement.
−Removed: is clinically tested with results demonstrating improvements in focus, concentration and memory in healthy adults.
−Removed: is a material product to our revenue base, representing 64% of revenue.
−Removed: Flat Tummy brand consists of multiple products and accessories including tea, shakes, lollipops, supplements, apparel, a mobile
−Removed: App and exercise accessories.
−Removed: Flat Tummy products are sold online at www.flattummyco.com , Amazon.com, CVS and at The Vitamin
−Removed: The Flat Tummy brand is a material product to our revenue base, representing 32% of revenue.
−Removed: MD is the world’s first anti-aging skincare line formulated specifically for the hands.
−Removed: Hand MD is sold online at www.handmd.com
−Removed: and Amazon.com.
−Removed: is a topical product that works directly at the site of pain as opposed to oral products.
−Removed: Neuragen reduces the spontaneous firing
−Removed: of damaged peripheral nerves.
−Removed: By calming these nerves, Neuragen is clinically shown to reduce shooting and burning pains quickly
−Removed: and without side effects.
−Removed: Neuragen is sold at Walgreens and through various distribution channels.
−Removed: Vaunt is a backless, strapless, stick on, push up bra.
−Removed: Sneaky Vaunt is sold online at www.sneakyvaunt.com and Amazon.com.
−Removed: Fuel is a line of nootropic supplements designed to enhance brain function.
−Removed: Think Fuel products are sold online at www.thinkfuel.com
−Removed: and Amazon.com.
−Removed: and Commercialization Strategy
−Removed: intend to expand on the current retail strategies and build out a strong online sales model.
−Removed: and Development
−Removed: currently outsource our research and development to our manufacturers, as they are experienced in the development of new products
−Removed: and line extensions.
−Removed: Manufacturing
−Removed: currently outsource the manufacturing of our products to third parties who have the necessary equipment and technology to provide
−Removed: mass quantities as required.
−Removed: FOCUSfactor is manufactured by Atrium Innovations and Vit-Best Nutrition.
−Removed: Flat Tummy Tea is manufactured
−Removed: by Caraway Tea Company.
−Removed: Neuragen is manufactured by C-Care.
−Removed: Hand MD is manufactured by HealthSpecialty.
−Removed: Sneaky Vaunt is manufactured
−Removed: by Dongguan Jingrui.
−Removed: Commercialization
−Removed: are highly dependent on two retailers for the sale of our retail products:
−Removed: Costco Wholesale Corporation and Sam’s West,
−Removed: Inc./Walmart (a/k/a Sam’s Club), which comprise 78% of our net revenue for retail sales of our products.
−Removed: to diversify our sales network and generate revenue by selling our consumer-ready products to retailers across North America,
−Removed: which retailers may then sell to end consumers through retail distribution channels.
−Removed: We also sell direct to wholesalers and distributors
−Removed: at a reduced cost as a means to grow our revenue base quickly and to penetrate the market more effectively.
−Removed: success depends in part upon our ability to protect our core technology and intellectual property.
−Removed: To establish and protect our
−Removed: proprietary rights, we will rely on a combination of patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, including
−Removed: know-how, license agreements, confidentiality procedures, non-disclosure agreements with third parties, employee disclosure and
−Removed: invention assignment agreements, and other contractual rights.
−Removed: December 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S.
−Removed: Patent 8,329,227 covering FOCUSfactor’s proprietary
−Removed: formulation “for enhanced mental function.”
−Removed: The issuance of the patent marked one of the few times a patent
−Removed: has been issued for a nationally branded nutritional supplement.
−Removed: The issuance of the patent for FOCUSfactor came after a 2011
−Removed: clinical study report which showed that FOCUSfactor improved memory, concentration and focus in healthy adults participating in
−Removed: The clinical study of FOCUSfactor was sponsored by Factor Nutrition Labs, the owner of the Focus Factor Business at
−Removed: the time, and was conducted by Cognitive Research Corporation, a full-service contract research organization that specializes
−Removed: in the effects of nutritional supplements and pharmaceutical products on human cognition.
−Removed: The study was conducted in compliance
−Removed: with all applicable country requirements for the conduct of clinical studies, including those outlined by the International Conference
−Removed: on Harmonization, Consolidated Guidelines on Good Clinical Practices, and the Food and Drug Administration.
−Removed: In addition to
−Removed: this intellectual property, we also rely on our proprietary knowledge and ongoing technological innovation to develop a competitive
−Removed: position in the market for our products.
−Removed: Each of these patents, patent applications, and know-how are integral to the conduct
−Removed: of our business, the loss of any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
−Removed: and Marketing
−Removed: plan to focus on selling to retailers and distributors who currently are active in the consumer product space with the aim to
−Removed: expedite the penetration of market acceptance of the product.
−Removed: We are currently conducting research with focus groups to find out
−Removed: what the best approach for marketing efforts is and how to do so in the most cost-effective manner.
−Removed: We also plan to develop an
−Removed: online sales channel.
−Removed: sell our products in mostly North American retail locations along with other developed countries with similar retail landscapes
−Removed: to North America.
−Removed: there are many competing products on the market, in all our current product categories, FOCUSfactor is the only product in its
−Removed: category with both a patent and clinical study to support its claims.
−Removed: FOCUSfactor’s competitors include a wide range of
−Removed: products, from targeted brain-enhancement supplements to indirect competitors such as energy drinks that claim to improve concentration.
−Removed: products that we sell, and those that we are developing for future sale, may be subject to U.S.
−Removed: Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”)
−Removed: approval for packaging compliance.
−Removed: With respect to the products we currently sell, our regulatory counsel has reviewed all of
−Removed: our products and we believe we are compliant with the current rules.
−Removed: Since the current products sold are considered nutraceuticals,
−Removed: cosmeceuticals and over the counter products, minimal regulations are placed on the product with the exception of the appropriate
−Removed: labeling and warnings on the packaging.
−Removed: will rely on legal and operational compliance programs, as well as local counsel, to guide our compliance with applicable laws
−Removed: and regulations of the jurisdictions in which we do business.
−Removed: do not anticipate, at this time, that the cost of compliance with U.S.
−Removed: and foreign laws will have a material financial impact
−Removed: on operations, business or financial condition.
−Removed: There are, however, no guarantees that new regulatory and tariff legislation will
−Removed: not have a material negative effect on our business in the future.
−Removed: As of April 13,
−Removed: 2020, we had 36 full-time employees.
−Removed: We intend to grow our employee base in response to the demands and requirements of the
−Removed: We believe that the employer-employee relationships in our Company are positive.
+Added: and Breakthrough Products
+Added: Inc., merged with and into the Company.
+Added: In July 2021, we acquired Hand MD Corp.
+Added: as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
+Added: We were a public reporting
+Added: company until July 17, 2020, the date on which we filed a Form 15 to voluntarily suspend our duty to file reports under Sections
+Added: 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
+Added: As a result of our public offering in October 2024, we became subject again to the information
+Added: and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and we file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC.
+Added: The global nutritional supplement
+Added: market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.3% from 2018 to 2028 according to Inkwood Research.
+Added: One of the drivers of this growth is the increasing availability of over-the-counter products as an alternative to prescription medication.
+Added: FOCUSfactor competes in the
+Added: brain health supplement category.
+Added: The global brain health supplements market was estimated to be $8.6 billion in 2022 and is expected
+Added: to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.3% from 2023 to 2030, according to Grand View Research.
+Added: The industry is fragmented, with
+Added: both global and domestic competitors, which gives us an opportunity to scale and continue to take market share.
+Added: Our Flat Tummy brand competes
+Added: in the weight management and wellbeing market, which in 2022 was estimated to be a $11.3 billion global market, with forecasted growth
+Added: of 4.0% annually from 2023 to 2032, according to Business Research Insights.
+Added: Demographic trends and changing
+Added: consumer habits, including a focus on reducing obesity prevalence, have been drivers of this market.
+Added: We expect these trends will benefit
+Added: the Flat Tummy brand and allow for new and innovative products to appeal to the changing market demographics.
+Added: Research and Development
+Added: The development of new products
+Added: is comprised of two distinct steps.
+Added: First, our marketing team reviews new product opportunities by analyzing market data and consumer
+Added: trends in the market as well as products offered by our competition and then develops preliminary new product concepts which include claims/benefits,
+Added: delivery form, packaging, and pricing targets, among others.
+Added: We then work with our third-party manufacturers and leverage their research
+Added: and development to finalize our new product initiative (including formula and specifications), as these partners are experienced in product
+Added: development and formulation.
+Added: When we acquire a brand, we typically further expand the SKUs under that brand, through internal development
+Added: and with our existing partners.
+Added: Generally, we take ownership of the formulas and related intellectual property, unless the products use
+Added: a generic formulation.
+Added: Manufacturing and Related Operations
+Added: Our company collaborates with
+Added: external manufacturers, known for their reliability, to produce our diverse range of products.
+Added: We carefully select partners based on their
+Added: expertise and manufacturing capabilities, ensuring our products are of the highest quality.
+Added: The FOCUSfactor line is produced by several
+Added: respected manufacturers, such as Nutrition Formulators Inc., Vit-Best Nutrition, and ProTab Laboratories, to ensure supply continuity
+Added: and support brand growth.
+Added: For the Flat Tummy line, we work closely with manufacturers:
+Added: Caraway Tea Company to make our teas, Vit-Best Nutrition
+Added: for shakes and capsules, Global Widget for gummies, and Clever Foods for appetite suppression lollipops.
+Added: Most of our revenues are generated
+Added: through the retail channels, primarily due to our FOCUSfactor brand which is sold mainly through leading retailers.
+Added: These retailers include
+Added: club, mass, drug and other retailers such as Costco, Walmart, Amazon.com, Walgreens, Meijer, Albertson’s and CVS.
+Added: brands are also sold directly to consumers through their respective brand websites.
+Added: nutritional supplements
+Added: retail industry is a large and highly fragmented industry with few barriers to entry.
+Added: We compete against other domestic and international
+Added: manufacturers, specialty retailers, mass merchants, multi-level marketing organizations, mail-order and direct-to-consumer companies,
+Added: and e-commerce companies.
+Added: This market is highly sensitive to the introduction of new products, which may rapidly capture a significant
+Added: share of the market.
+Added: Certain of our competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we do,
+Added: and may be able to adapt to changes in consumer preferences more quickly, devote greater resources to the marketing and sale of their
+Added: products, or generate greater brand recognition.
+Added: In addition, our competitors may be more effective and efficient in introducing new products.
+Added: Although there are many competing
+Added: products on the market across our product categories, we believe that the FOCUSfactor brand is strengthened by an independent study to
+Added: support its claim of improving memory, concentration and focus.
+Added: FOCUSfactor’s competitors include a wide range of products, from
+Added: targeted brain-enhancement supplements to indirect competitors such as energy drinks that claim to improve concentration.
+Added: Tummy brand competes in well-established segments with a diverse range of competition both domestically and internationally.
+Added: Government Regulation
+Added: Domestic (United States) Overview
+Added: The processing, formulation,
+Added: safety, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, advertising and distribution of our products in the United States are subject to regulation
+Added: by several agencies, including the U.S.
+Added: Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”),
+Added: the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and by various agencies and programs of the states and localities in which our products are sold.
+Added: The FDA, which exercises regulatory authority over foods, dietary supplements (a subset of the foods category), and cosmetics, is the
+Added: regulatory body for the product categories in which we participate within the U.S.
+Added: While the FDA doesn’t
+Added: mandate pre-approval or registration for dietary supplements or food products, it does stipulate that these items must adhere to
+Added: current good manufacturing practices (“cGMPs”) and be produced in FDA-registered and audited facilities.
+Added: Additionally,
+Added: the FDA exercises regulatory oversight of ingredients and labeling of these products.
+Added: All FOCUSfactor products and
+Added: Flat Tummy products are governed by the FDA regulations in 21 CFR Part 111 (dietary supplements) or 21 CFR Part 117 (foods).
+Added: Neuragen (NDC 15377-010-04) is a homeopathic product and has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety or efficacy.
+Added: The FDA is not aware
+Added: of scientific evidence to support homeopathy as effective.
+Added: UrgentRx is an over-the-counter (“OTC”) drug, which has specific
+Added: regulatory requirements, including ingredient and manufacturing requirements.
+Added: Under the OTC monograph system, selected OTC drugs are generally
+Added: recognized as safe and effective and do not require the submission and approval of a new drug application.
+Added: The FDA OTC monographs include
+Added: well-known ingredients and specific requirements for permitted indications, required warnings and precautions, allowable combinations
+Added: of ingredients and dosage levels.
+Added: Products marketed under the OTC monograph system must conform to specific quality, formula and labeling
+Added: requirements.
+Added: We do not currently sell UrgentRx.
+Added: Food and Drug Administration
+Added: Dietary Supplements and Foods
+Added: The Dietary Supplement Health
+Added: and Education Act of 1994 (“DSHEA”) amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FD&C Act”)
+Added: to establish a new framework governing the composition, safety, labeling, manufacturing and marketing of dietary supplements.
+Added: under the FD&C Act, dietary ingredients (i.e., vitamins;
+Added: herbs or other botanicals;
+Added: or dietary substances for
+Added: use by humans to supplement the diet by increasing total dietary intake;
+Added: or any concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract or combination
+Added: of any of the above) that were marketed in the United States prior to October 15, 1994 may be used in dietary supplements without
+Added: notifying the FDA.
+Added: “New” dietary ingredients (i.e., dietary ingredients that were not marketed in the United States before
+Added: October 15, 1994) must be the subject of a new dietary ingredient notification submitted to the FDA unless the ingredient has been
+Added: “present in the food supply as an article used for food” without being “chemically altered.” A new dietary ingredient
+Added: notification must provide the FDA evidence of a “history of use or other evidence of safety” establishing that use of the
+Added: dietary ingredient “will reasonably be expected to be safe.” A new dietary ingredient notification must be submitted to the
+Added: FDA at least 75 days before the initial marketing of the new dietary ingredient.
+Added: The FDA may determine that a new dietary ingredient
+Added: notification does not provide an adequate basis to conclude that a dietary ingredient is reasonably expected to be safe.
+Added: Such a determination could
+Added: prevent the marketing of such dietary ingredient.
+Added: In 2011 and 2016, the FDA issued draft guidance setting forth recommendations for complying
+Added: with the new dietary ingredient notification requirement.
+Added: In 2024, FDA has issued another guidance finalizing New Dietary Ingredient Notification
+Added: (“NDIN”) procedures and timeframes, noting that other parts of the 2016 draft guidance will be finalized in due time.
+Added: FDA guidance is non-binding and does not establish legally enforceable responsibilities, and companies are free to use an alternative
+Added: approach if the approach satisfies the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, FDA guidance is a strong indication of the FDA’s
+Added: view on the topic discussed in the guidance, including its position on enforcement.
+Added: At this time, the NDIN draft guidance, and finalized
+Added: timelines and procedures guideline are not anticipated to have a material impact on our operations.
+Added: As a part of our product development
+Added: process, ingredients in products are vetted for compliance with FDA’s regulations for dietary supplements.
+Added: Any ingredient suspected
+Added: to fall under the NDIN classification is further vetted to confirm the ingredient is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) or that the ingredient
+Added: manufacturer/distributor has submitted NDIN to the FDA.
+Added: The FDA or other agencies could
+Added: take actions against products or product ingredients that, in their determination, present an unreasonable health risk to consumers that
+Added: would make it illegal for us to sell such products.
+Added: In addition, the FDA could issue consumer warnings with respect to the products or
+Added: ingredients in such products that we sell.
+Added: Such actions or warnings could be based on information received through FD&C Act-mandated reporting
+Added: of serious adverse events.
+Added: The Bioterrorism Act, enacted
+Added: in 2002, is a U.S.
+Added: federal law aimed at bolstering the nation’s ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to bioterrorism
+Added: and other public health emergencies.
+Added: Key provisions include mandatory registration of food facilities with the FDA, prior notification
+Added: of imported food shipments, recordkeeping requirements for food facilities, and the FDA’s authority to administratively detain food
+Added: products posing serious health risks.
+Added: This legislation enhanced food safety by facilitating better monitoring of food facilities and imports,
+Added: improving traceability and recall efforts, and strengthening the FDA’s ability to respond swiftly to potential threats to public
+Added: In June 2007, pursuant
+Added: to the authority granted by the FD&C Act as amended by DSHEA, the FDA published detailed current Good Manufacturing Practice (“cGMP”)
+Added: regulations that govern the manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and holding operations of dietary supplement manufacturers.
+Added: The cGMP regulations,
+Added: among other things, imposed significant recordkeeping requirements on manufacturers.
+Added: The cGMP requirements are in effect for all dietary
+Added: supplement manufacturers, and the FDA conducts inspections of dietary supplement manufacturers pursuant to these requirements.
+Added: of a manufacturing facility to comply with the cGMP regulations renders products manufactured in such facility “adulterated,”
+Added: and subjects such products and the manufacturer to a variety of potential FDA enforcement actions.
+Added: In addition, the Food Safety Modernization
+Added: Act (“FSMA”), which was enacted in January 2011, aimed to modernize and strengthen the food safety system by shifting
+Added: the focus from responding to foodborne illness outbreaks to preventing them.
+Added: The act granted the FDA new regulatory authority over the
+Added: way foods are grown, harvested, and processed.
+Added: It also required food facilities to implement preventive controls to identify and address
+Added: potential hazards in their operations.
+Added: FSMA represents a fundamental shift in food safety regulation, emphasizing prevention, risk-based approaches,
+Added: and enhanced collaboration throughout the food supply chain, which has increased the costs of dietary ingredients and has subjected the
+Added: suppliers of such ingredients to more rigorous inspections and enforcement.
+Added: FSMA also requires importers of food, including dietary supplements
+Added: and dietary ingredients, to conduct verification activities to ensure that the food or ingredients they import meet applicable domestic
+Added: requirements.
+Added: We take several actions to
+Added: ensure manufacturers we engage comply with the Bioterrorism Act, have implemented FSMA procedures (as applies), and are operating under
+Added: As is common in our industry, we rely on our third-party suppliers and manufacturers to have policies and procedures that
+Added: ensure that the products they manufacture and sell to us comply with all applicable regulatory and legislative requirements.
+Added: we have a set of supplier onboarding procedures that ensure that the third-party facilities are registered with the FDA and are operating
+Added: a quality system up to cGMP standards for the respective product category.
+Added: We make an intentional effort to engage manufacturers that
+Added: have additional quality certifications and third-party audits, such as food safety certifications under the Global Food Safety Initiative
+Added: (GFSI) or dietary supplement cGMP certifications audited by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), whenever possible.
+Added: During this onboarding
+Added: process, the supplier’s history is also researched for any recent recalls, warning letters, or import alerts related to their facility
+Added: or products manufactured by the supplier.
+Added: Additionally, each third-party manufacturer is required to enter into a quality agreement
+Added: This document specifically outlines responsibilities and cGMP/documentation expectations for each party.
+Added: In general, we also
+Added: seek representations and warranties, indemnification and/or insurance from our vendors.
+Added: However, even with adequate insurance and indemnification,
+Added: any claims of non-compliance could significantly damage our reputation and consumer confidence in our products.
+Added: In addition, the
+Added: failure of such products to comply with applicable regulatory and legislative requirements could prevent us from marketing the products
+Added: or require us to recall or remove such products from the market, which in certain cases could materially and adversely affect our business,
+Added: financial condition and results of operations.
+Added: A removal or recall could also result in negative publicity and damage to our reputation
+Added: which could reduce future demand for our products.
+Added: In such case, we may attempt to offset any losses related to recalls and removals with
+Added: reformulated or alternative products;
+Added: however, there can be no assurance that we would be able to offset all or any portion of losses
+Added: related to any future removal or recall.
+Added: The FD&C Act permits structure/function
+Added: claims to be included in labels and labeling for dietary supplements without FDA pre-market approval.
+Added: However, companies must have
+Added: substantiation that the claims are “truthful and not misleading,” and must submit a notification with the text of the claims
+Added: to the FDA no later than 30 days after marketing the dietary supplement with the claims.
+Added: Permissible structure/function claims may
+Added: describe how a particular nutrient or dietary ingredient affects the structure, function, or general well-being of the body, or characterize
+Added: the documented mechanism of action by which a nutrient or dietary ingredient acts to maintain such structure or function.
+Added: labeling of a product marketed as a dietary supplement may not expressly or implicitly represent that a dietary supplement will diagnose,
+Added: cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease (i.e., a disease claim).
+Added: If the FDA determines that a particular structure/function claim
+Added: is an unacceptable disease claim that causes the product to be regulated as a drug, a conventional food claim, or an unauthorized version
+Added: of a “health claim,” or, if the FDA determines that a particular claim is not adequately supported by existing scientific
+Added: data or is false or misleading in any particular way, we would be prevented from using the claim and would have to update our product
+Added: labels and labeling accordingly.
+Added: We have an in-house regulatory team that reviews the scientific literature and develops substantiation
+Added: as part of the product development process to ensure the crafting of compliant structure-function claims and product positioning.
+Added: Our regulatory team engages in the review of web copy, e-commerce copy, and other marketing copy at the request of the brand directors
+Added: of each respective brand.
+Added: In addition, DSHEA provides
+Added: that so-called “third-party literature,” e.g., “a publication, including an article, a chapter in a book,
+Added: or an official abstract of a peer-reviewed scientific publication that appears in an article and was prepared by the author or the
+Added: editors of the publication” supplements, when reprinted in its entirety, may be used “in connection with the sale of a dietary
+Added: supplement to consumers” without the literature being subject to regulation as labeling.
+Added: Such literature:
+Added: (1) must not be false
+Added: or misleading;
+Added: (2) may not “promote” a particular manufacturer or brand of dietary supplement;
+Added: (3) must present
+Added: a balanced view or is displayed or presented with other such items on the same subject matter so as to present a balanced view of the
+Added: available scientific information;
+Added: (4) if displayed in an establishment, must be physically separate from the dietary supplements;
+Added: and (5) should not have appended to it any information by sticker or any other method.
+Added: If the literature fails to satisfy each of
+Added: these requirements, we may be prevented from disseminating such literature with our products, and any continued dissemination could subject
+Added: our product to regulatory action as an illegal drug.
+Added: The FDA has broad authority
+Added: to enforce the provisions of federal law applicable to dietary supplements, including powers to issue a public warning or notice of violation
+Added: letter to a company, publicize information about illegal products, detain products intended for import, require the reporting of serious
+Added: adverse events, require a recall of illegal or unsafe products from the market, and request the Department of Justice to initiate a seizure
+Added: action, an injunction action or a criminal prosecution in United States courts.
+Added: Federal Trade Commission
+Added: The FTC exercises jurisdiction
+Added: over the advertising of all products, including foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics, and requires that all advertising to consumers
+Added: be truthful and non-misleading.
+Added: The FTC actively monitors the dietary supplement space and has instituted numerous enforcement actions
+Added: against dietary supplement companies for failure to have adequate substantiation for claims made in advertising or for the use of false
+Added: or misleading advertising claims or practices.
+Added: These enforcement actions have resulted in consent decrees and significant monetary judgments
+Added: against the companies and/or individuals involved.
+Added: Regulators require a company to convey product claims clearly and accurately and further
+Added: require marketers to maintain adequate substantiation for their claims.
+Added: More specifically, the FTC requires such substantiation to be
+Added: based upon competent and reliable scientific evidence and requires a company to have a reasonable basis for the expressed and implied
+Added: product claim before it disseminates an advertisement.
+Added: A reasonable basis is determined based on the claims made, how the claims are presented
+Added: in the context of the entire advertisement, and how the claims are qualified.
+Added: The FTC’s standard for evaluating substantiation is
+Added: designed to ensure that consumers are protected from false and/or misleading claims by requiring scientific substantiation of product
+Added: claims at the time such claims are first made.
+Added: The failure to have this substantiation violates the Federal Trade Commission Act.
+Added: Our products sold in foreign
+Added: countries are also subject to regulation under various national, local, and international laws that include provisions governing, among
+Added: other things, the formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, testing, advertising, and distribution of these products within their
+Added: respective categories.
+Added: Some foreign entities categorize these products/formulations as “Medicines” or subsets of a medicinal
+Added: category instead of as “food supplements” or “dietary supplements”, based on the regionally-specific regulations
+Added: and the nature of the product.
+Added: Government regulations in foreign countries may prevent or delay the introduction, or require the reformulation,
+Added: of certain of our products.
+Added: In foreign markets, our regulatory
+Added: department works with an in-country regulatory consultant group to guide us through the regulatory process needed to launch our product
+Added: in a particular country such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.
+Added: For example, Canada and Australia require a product submission
+Added: packet and approval from Health Canada (“HC”) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (“TGA”), respectively,
+Added: for products that would be considered “Natural Health Products” (in Canada) or “Listed Medicines” (in Australia).
+Added: In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, no formal regulatory submission or pre-approval is needed for products within the food
+Added: supplement category.
+Added: Launch timing varies by country.
+Added: In the United States and United Kingdom, once a formula is established and
+Added: labeling has been approved by our regulatory and legal advisors, the product can be launched upon production.
+Added: The Australian approval
+Added: process generally takes four to eight weeks from the time the packet is submitted, while in Canada the approval process can take
+Added: from six to twelve months from submission.
+Added: In Canada, HC has oversight
+Added: over our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products.
+Added: Our FOCUSfactor and Flat Tummy products are considered natural health products (“NHPs”)
+Added: by HC, and each has been issued, so they each have a natural product number (“NPN”) that was assigned by HC upon its review
+Added: and approval.
+Added: This applies to all products currently marketed or licensed in Canada, except for the FOCUSfactor energy drinks, which are
+Added: considered supplemented foods and are not subject to pre-approval.
+Added: Energy drinks are instead subject to supplemented foods regulations
+Added: and manufacturing standards.
+Added: In the United Kingdom, FOCUSfactor
+Added: products are considered food supplements that are regulated by the Food Standards Agency (“FSA”).
+Added: There is no requirement
+Added: for licensing or registering food supplement products in the United Kingdom.
+Added: Products must comply with relevant food law, which include
+Added: formulation/ingredient restrictions, specific labeling requirements, and other parameters.
+Added: Brexit has introduced significant challenges
+Added: for the sale of food supplements from the UK into the EU.
+Added: These challenges primarily stem from regulatory misalignment and new border
+Added: Previously, products could be freely traded within the EU under harmonized regulations, but now, UK-based supplements must
+Added: adhere to separate EU regulations to be sold in the European market.
+Added: This necessitates costly and time-consuming compliance efforts,
+Added: including product testing and re-labelling.
+Added: Additionally, customs procedures and tariffs introduced post-Brexit have further impeded
+Added: the flow of goods, increasing costs for businesses and potentially limiting consumer access to certain products.
+Added: Flat Tummy products are
+Added: not currently sold in the United Kingdom.
+Added: In Australia, FOCUSfactor products
+Added: are “Listed Medicines” that are regulated by the TGA and require an AUST L (Australia Listed Medicine) number.
+Added: Listed Medicines
+Added: are regulated by the TGA, and the advertising of these products is also regulated by the TGA under the Therapeutic Goods Administrative
+Added: Code (“TGAC”).
+Added: Flat Tummy products are not currently sold in Australia.
+Added: New Legislation or Regulation
+Added: Legislation may be introduced
+Added: which, if passed, would impose substantial new regulatory requirements on dietary supplements.
+Added: We cannot determine what effect additional
+Added: domestic or international governmental legislation, regulations, or administrative orders, when and if promulgated, would have on our
+Added: business in the future.
+Added: New legislation or regulations may require the reformulation or revised labeling of certain products to meet new
+Added: standards, require the recall or discontinuance of certain products not capable of reformulation, or impose additional record keeping
+Added: or submission requirements.
+Added: Moreover, emerging or future regulations might introduce additional challenges beyond those currently foreseen,
+Added: further affecting the industry landscape.
+Added: Fragmented state-level regulations
+Added: develop in the United States from time-to-time.
+Added: Once such bill, the New York Weight Loss Products Bill, effective as of April 22, 2024,
+Added: imposes stricter regulations on weight loss and athletic performance products.
+Added: Among its provisions, it requires manufacturers to implement
+Added: age verification measures for the sale of consumers in the state of New York.
+Added: Despite its passage, opposition from industry trade
+Added: groups persists, citing concerns over its impact on the dietary supplement industry.
+Added: Another noteworthy and continuously-evolving state-level regulation
+Added: is Proposition 65, which is a California initiative that governs the presence of some chemicals and associated warnings and is managed
+Added: by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).
+Added: On a federal level in the United States,
+Added: repeated legislative attempts have been made within the last several years to introduce a mandatory product listing (MPL) for the
+Added: dietary supplement industry through the FDA, which would require notification to the FDA before bringing a product to the market and for
+Added: label information to be submitted to and maintained in a central database.
+Added: While the most recent MPL attempt failed in 2022, the FDA’s
+Added: outlined budget and legislative proposals for 2025 continue to include the modernization of DSHEA regulations and the introduction of
+Added: Several trade association groups within the dietary supplement industry continue to express opposition to the current proposal,
+Added: citing a clear lack of scope and definition of what it ultimately may require.
+Added: In Canada, Health Canada is
+Added: in the process of reviewing and updating the database of ingredient and product monographs.
+Added: While this effort is considerably focused
+Added: on the clarification and harmonization of existing monographs and resources, the changing of certain ingredient monographs may have the
+Added: potential to impact formulation or labeling, if any such ingredient is included in one of our licensed products.
+Added: If this does occur, Health
+Added: Canada is expected to provide phase-in and guidance for any such changes.
+Added: Health Canada has also provided updated labeling formatting
+Added: for Natural Health Products (NHPs), with a compliance date for existing products of 2028.
+Added: Concurrently, Health Canada is in the consultation
+Added: period for an updated fee schedule for Health Canada-related activities, such as the review of product submission packets, site licensing,
+Added: and other activities relevant to maintaining operations and regulatory compliance in Canada.
+Added: These discussions are still ongoing, but
+Added: present potential additional future expenses to companies with natural health product registrations in the Canadian regions, as well as
+Added: manufacturers or importers of such products.
+Added: The benefit of this proposed pay scheme is that it may significantly reduce the number of
+Added: product submissions from other companies in the Canadian market, which may reduce competition in the Canadian market and perhaps reduce
+Added: review timelines by Health Canada for new product registrations and other such activities, therefore decreasing the time barrier to entry.
+Added: Intellectual Property
+Added: We own 23 trademarks that have
+Added: been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and have filed applications to register additional trademarks.
+Added: In addition, we claim domestic trademark and service mark rights in numerous additional marks that we use.
+Added: We own a number of trademark
+Added: registrations in countries outside the United States.
+Added: Federally registered trademarks in the United States have a perpetual
+Added: life, as long as they are maintained and renewed on a timely basis and used properly as trademarks, subject to the rights of third parties
+Added: to seek cancellation of the trademarks if they claim priority or confusion of usage.
+Added: Most foreign trademark offices use similar trademark
+Added: renewal processes.
+Added: We regard our trademarks and other proprietary rights as valuable assets and believe they make a significant positive
+Added: contribution to the marketing of our products.
+Added: We protect our legal rights
+Added: concerning our trademarks by appropriate measures, which may include legal action.
+Added: We possess a portfolio of both registered and unregistered
+Added: (i.e., common law) trademarks.
+Added: In certain circumstances, we seek and obtain registrations for our trademarks, which may confer certain
+Added: advantages, and the decision to register a trademark is made on a case-by-case basis.
+Added: We have registered and intend to register certain
+Added: trademarks in certain limited jurisdictions outside the United States where our products are sold, but we may not register all or
+Added: even some of our trademarks in every country in which we conduct business or intend to conduct business.
+Added: Patent 8,329,227
+Added: covering FOCUSfactor’s proprietary formulation “for enhanced mental function.” This patent was issued by the United States
+Added: Patent and Trademark Office in December 2012 and expires in April 2025.
+Added: In addition to this intellectual
+Added: property, we also rely on our proprietary knowledge and ongoing technological innovation to develop a competitive position in the market
+Added: for our products.
+Added: Each of our patents and know-how are integral to the conduct of our business and the loss of any could have a material
+Added: adverse effect on our business.
+Added: Human Capital Management
+Added: We recognize that attracting,
+Added: motivating and retaining passionate talent at all levels is vital to continuing our success.
+Added: By improving employee retention and engagement,
+Added: we also improve our ability to support our customers and protect the long-term interests of our stakeholders and stockholders.
+Added: invest in our employees through continuously improving benefits and various health and wellness initiatives, and offer competitive compensation
+Added: packages, working to continuously improve fairness in internal compensation practices.
+Added: As of December 31, 2024, we
+Added: had 21 full-time employees.
+Added: We intend to grow our employee base in response to the demands and requirements of the business.
+Added: that the employer-employee relationships in our Company are positive.
We have no labor union contracts.
−Removed: Impact of COVID-19
−Removed: outbreak of COVID-19, which has been declared by the World Health Organization to be a pandemic, has spread across the globe and
−Removed: is impacting worldwide economic activity.
−Removed: A pandemic, including COVID-19, or other public health epidemic poses the risk that
−Removed: the Company or its employees, suppliers, and other partners may be prevented from conducting business activities at full capacity
−Removed: for an indefinite period of time, including due to spread of the disease within these groups or due to shutdowns that may be requested
−Removed: or mandated by governmental authorities.
−Removed: While it is not possible at this time to estimate the impact that COVID-19 could have
−Removed: on the Company’s business, the continued spread of COVID-19 and the measures taken by the governments of countries affected
−Removed: and in which the Company operates could disrupt the operation of the Company’s business.
−Removed: The COVID-19 outbreak and mitigation
−Removed: measures may also have an adverse impact on global economic conditions, which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s
−Removed: business and financial condition, including on its potential to conduct financings on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all.
−Removed: In addition, the Company may take temporary precautionary measures intended to help minimize the risk of the virus to its employees,
−Removed: including temporarily requiring all employees to work remotely, and discouraging employee attendance at in-person work-related
−Removed: meetings, which could negatively affect the Company’s business.
−Removed: The extent to which the COVID-19 outbreak impacts the Company’s
−Removed: results will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information that may
−Removed: emerge concerning the severity of the virus and the actions to contain its impact.
−Removed: website address is https://synergychc.com/.
−Removed: We do not intend our website address to be an active link or to otherwise incorporate
−Removed: by reference the contents of the website into this Report.
−Removed: Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
−Removed: maintains an Internet website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information
−Removed: regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.
−Removed: RISK FACTORS.
−Removed: a “smaller reporting company,”
−Removed: as defined by Item 10 of Regulation S-K, we are not required to provide this information.
−Removed: UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.