History
Early Factory: the barn where founder George Bergstrom first made MSM for human benefit.
Chemical engineer George Bergstrom III co-founded Cardinal Associates (changed to Bergstrom Nutrition in 2006) to bring MSM - previously approved for industrial use - to market for use as an ultra-pure nutrient for human benefit. In 1989, the founders of Bergstrom Nutrition entered into an agreement with R.J. Herschler, the sole owner of several use patents for biological and cosmetic use of MSM. Bergstrom Nutrition was selected as the original U.S. -based manufacturer licensed to sell MSM under the Herschler patents, and we remain the sole North American licensee.
In the early days of Bergstrom, the company was a two-man office with a small production facility in George's barn. During these early days, the only market for MSM was in the equine industry. In the mid 1990's, people began to realize the beneficial uses of MSM for humans, and Bergstrom entered the human nutritional supplement market in 1997, with its branded product, OptiMSM®.
In 1998, Bergstrom began a complete MSM manufacturing process in their current facility in Vancouver, Washington, using processing equipment that produced a new proprietary form of MSM: the microprill. Its unique handling characteristics led to wide acceptance among dietary supplement manufacturers.
In August of 2000, Bergstrom made significant plant improvements and passed a third- party NPA cGMP audit to become the 13th company to achieve facility certification and only the second raw material supplier.
In 2003, George Bergstrom passed away. Roma Bergstrom, George's widow took over responsibilities as Chair along with an experienced outside board of directors.
The name change from Cardinal Nutrition to Bergstrom Nutrition in October 2006 honors the founder's entrepreneurial spirit as the company grows and diversifies into a global, vertically integrated nutrition ingredient company.
