The Swanson Story
Our story began in Fargo, ND in 1969, when a man with a passion for golf was looking to lessen his joint pain. He set off on a journey into the world of natural supplements and health research, nurturing a deep commitment to wellness and life-long vitality. This commitment grew into a mission, a mission to share pure and potent health products directly with others, at a great value. And so, in 1969, Swanson Health introduced its first supplement to the world.
Over 50 years later, Swanson Health continues to innovate science-backed vitamins and supplements, delivering wellness solutions that help people live simply healthier together.
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Leland Swanson was born in 1915. After serving in WWII, he returned home, married and started a family. In the 1950s he began his lifelong journey down the path to natural health and wellness as he began to look for natural solutions to help his joints. In 1968 Leland begins selling vitamin E, a popular product still sold today. He founded Swanson Health Products in 1969 to help share his vision of wellness with the world.
By the 1970s, the copy's product line had expanded to 100 supplements and he began mailing handmade catalogs in 1975. By 1979 Swanson's customer base had expanded to 30,000 like-minded wellness seekers. The 1980s saw increased growth with the first Swanson retail store opening in 1980 and international sales following soon after. In 1982 Leland's sons, Jay and Lee Jr., took over the family business and opened a new, larger 15,000 square foot facility. The 1990's saw the rise of online selling and in 1999 swansonvitamins.com was launched. Growth continued as the Fargo facility embraced green energy in the form of geo-thermal heating in 2010, opened east and west coast distribution facilities in 2011, and reached over 500 employees in 2018.
Lee Swanson Jr. retired in 2016 and the company was acquired by Swander Pace Capital, a private equity firm specializing in investments in growth-oriented consumer products companies. In 2018 Swanson Health Products rebranded to the vibrant look and feel you see today, and received global recognition for award-winning products and customer service. In 2019 Swanson Health celebrated 50 years of wellness. We remain dedicated to delivering the same high-quality products and exceptional service our customers expect.