Madaus/Schwabe Acquire Murdock's MMS Holding Company Stock

SPRINGVILLE, Utah--N. Keller and G. Niederheide of Murdock/Madaus/Schwabe (MMS) announced the acquisition of the MMS Holding Company stock owned by Ken Murdock. The purchase denotes a "significant investment" and "reaffirms" their strategic position in the global supplement market, said the purchasers.

MMS is parent to Nature's Way vitamins and the NaturaLife brand name, both prominent in the United States. In Europe, Madaus AG is one of the most prominent research-based manufacturers and marketers of herbal products. Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH is also a prominent natural healthcare manufacturer, with emphasis on herbal extracts including St. John's wort, Hawthorn and Kava Kava.

By buying out Murdock's shares, the purchasers hope to improve MMS' position as a global competitor. "MMS' Nature's Way and NaturaLife consumer franchises have a preeminent position in the U.S.A.," they said in a statement, "and present us with significant growth potential. We intend to accelerate our promotional investment in MMS to rapidly gain market share."

In a statement thanking MMS employees, Murdock said, "Nature's Way pioneered and helped create the botanical market in the United States, and I take great pride in its legacy of product quality, innovation and consumer focus. I am confident that Madaus and Schwabe will continue this tradition and successfully carry it forward into the new millennium."