These Immune-Boosting Products Are Flying Off the Shelves, Companies Say

 After it became known she had contracted COVID-19, the first lady Melania Trump announced she is battling the virus with vitamins and healthy food. The president, too, had been taking these over-the-counter supplements in his fight against COVID, according to his doctors. And judging by sales numbers reported by vitamin and supplement makers, the first family aren't the only ones pursuing "a more natural route" to treat and even inoculate against the dreaded virus. 

Nestle, for example, has reported better-than-expected sales in its health-science unit, which produces vitamins, minerals, and supplements. In particular, supplement lines Garden of Life and Pure Encapsulations saw an increase in online sales. The company's nutritional beverage line Boost spearheaded growing sales in the healthy-aging product category.

Earlier this year, Nestle expanded its health portfolio of brands by acquiring Aimmune Therapeutics, which received the first FDA approval for a peanut allergy treatment, a seminal patent with the potential to spawn solutions to other food allergies.

A similar trend toward health-consciousness was reported by several other companies. Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, the makers of immune-boosting supplement Airborne, said the brand more than doubled revenue in the third quarter. And Conagra Brands Inc. said its Healthy Choice frozen meals are on the rise, a window into new healthier eating habits adopted by American consumers.

While our healthy eating habits went out the window during the first leg of the pandemic, the demand for snacks has leveled off and given way to healthier food demands. "People turned to comfort food initially during the outbreak," said Mark Clouse, the chief executive of Campbell Soup Company, at The Wall Street Journal's Global Food Forum earlier this month. "What we're seeing now is a greater level of balance and a return to some of those health and wellness trends."