David Love, vice president of sales and marketing CFU Distribution Co, Blaine, Wa

What products can benefit both the chiropractic practice and the patients? Secondary profit centers are an important part of the business of chiropractic practices and also provide patients with the necessary tools to complement their chiropractic care. Chiropractic Products asked David Love, vice president of sales and marketing for CFU Distribution Co, Blaine, Wa, which distributes Brazilian Fresh Harvest Coral™ products, about how and why to incorporate nutritional supplements into your secondary profit center.

What are the benefits of including Brazilian Coral products as part of the secondary profit center?

Brazilian Fresh Harvest Coral provides an attractive profit center because of its high margins and availability only to medical professionals. Doctors should not have to compete with companies such as GNC and Wal-Mart. Medical evidence is clear that almost everyone is mineral deficient (see www.brazilcoral.com for abstracts), which means that patients provide chiropractors with substantial residual income.

What kinds of patient education and promotional materials do you provide for DC practices?

We have implemented a patient education program, which is designed for doctors to leverage our knowledge of nutrition via email newsletters and educate their patients every month with information that is relevant. The newsletter reminds the patients why they are taking Brazilian Fresh Harvest Coral™, so the retention rate increases dramatically. We also provide chiropractors with a four-page, four-color brochure to pass out to their patients.

What is the history of Brazil Coral?

Marcos Neves, MD, a Brazilian doctor, discovered Brazil Coral by accident when working with an American steel manufacturer. Neves then began experimenting with agricultural applications, which resulted in French and Belgian fertilizer companies purchasing tons of fossilized coral annually for restoring minerals and microbes in their soil. He then studied the effects of Brazil Coral with farm animals. Results showed similar growth using coral as with growth hormones, except the animals were energetic, exercised more, developed higher protein, and had less fat. He has been studying the effects on humans for the past 29 years and experiencing tremendous success.

What is unique about Brazilian coral?

Brazilian Fresh Harvest Coral is unique in many ways. First, it is living. That means it has a higher mineral content—12 times more trace minerals than other coral. It has full RDA levels of calcium and magnesium and is cold processed. Processing is accomplished with ultraviolet light instead of heat in the range of 1,000°, which depletes the mineral content. Also, Brazilian Fresh Harvest Coral is only sold to medical professionals.

Tell us about CFU's commitment to the chiropractic profession?

CFU is committed to providing chiropractors superior and exclusive products not available through retail stores. We also inform chiropractors about new products via email newsletters.

What do you see for the future of chiropractic?

We see a movement towards evidence-based supplements to compliment traditional chiropractic practice. With the increasing confusion surrounding efficacy of nutritional supplements, people will rely on the expertise of chiropractors to establish their nutritional supplement profile. CP