Brand Ambassador
The Thompson's brand has engaged Australian Rugby Union coach Robbie Deans as our official brand ambassador. The partnership will last for 3 years, and will help build brand awareness and credibility for the Thompson's brand in Australia.About Thompson’s
The Thompson’s brand was established by the respected English herbalist M. Barrington Thompson, who opened New Zealand’s first health shop in 1951. Today, the Thompson’s brand is a market leader in natural healthcare in New Zealand, enjoying positive growth in Australia and exports products around the globe. Our products are distributed through both health food stores and pharmacies.
Thompson’s use of superior quality ingredients, our unique formulations, and the credibility of our clinical data ensure our products deliver enhanced performance and measurable health benefits.
The Thompson’s brand is just one of the successful brands that makes up Integria Healthcare’s strong brand portfolio. Click here to learn more about Integria Healthcare
History
There really was a Mr. Thompson
Today’s Thompson’s brand was begun by one M. Barrington Thompson, who opened what was New Zealand’s first health shop in 1951, a time when natural health was probably thought of as something you were blessed with more than something you might influence.
Mr. Thompson must have been a modest, as well as accomplished man, because we know so little of the details of his life. Certainly we know that he was a qualified herbalist who emigrated, with his bride Kathleen, from Birmingham UK to Auckland NZ, in 1950. He will have already realised he was in the antipodes as soon as his name, Barrington, became plain ‘Barry’ to those familiar with him.
The shop he opened on Karangahape Road was ambitious, and remarkably comprehensive. The well-connected Barry sourced Herbals and Biochemics from quite a number of English sources, with vitamin stocks imported from the Wm. T. Thompson Co. (a delightful coincidence of names, but no relation) in the United States. Whatever Barry landed in bulk he packaged and sold under his own label. But we can assume the contents were well chosen.
A strong following for his products was soon created by the early adopters of natural health of those days, and the business prospered. So much so, he ended up buying the rented building in which the business was housed. Barry converted the first floor of the premises into a lecture hall from where he could spread knowledge of natural remedies. This evolved to become the South Pacific College of Natural Health, now located in Ellerslie.
In the early 70’s he sold his big city shop to the Douglas Family, while establishing his smaller ‘retirement’ business at Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore, closer to where he then lived. Many loyal customers followed him to his new location, happy to go out of their way for his excellent knowledge and products.
Barry Thompson continued to work at his shop, with the formulations that were his passion, on a daily basis until his death in 1979. Barry and Kathleen had no offspring. Warren and Elizabeth Sanderson purchased the business from widow Kathleen; and shareholding by the Sanderson family remains right up until today.
Although Barry may never have imagined it all those years ago, no doubt he’d be proud of the way his Thompson’s brand has thrived, to not only become market leader in New Zealand, but to enjoy exciting growth across the Tasman in the Australian market.
Our Promise
The Thompson’s brand is dedicated to efficacious natural healthcare based on credible science. This commitment is reflected through our use of the highest quality raw materials and our unique product formulations supported by credible clinical evidence. As a leader in premium quality nutrition we are not satisfied by merely providing our customers with the best in natural healthcare, but rather, remain committed to our quest for original solutions that will deliver superior health outcomes.
Research & Development
The vision for the Thompson’s brand is to become a leader in evidence based natural healthcare solutions dedicated to superior efficacy based on credible science.
An integral part of realising this vision can be found in Integria Healthcare’s world class Research and Development facility based at Brisbane Technology Park, Queensland. It is here where the Thompon’s brand will benefit from Integria Healthcare’s continuing investment in proprietary research in our quest for new and proven natural healthcare solutions.
Australian Rugby Official Supplier
The Thompson’s brand and Integria Healthcare are proud to be the Australian Rugby Union’s Official Supplier of Nutritional Supplements. This news follows the announcement of Wallabies Coach Robbie Deans as Thompson’s Brand Ambassador. This partnership will ensure the Wallabies have access to the very best nutritional supplements to help them maintain and enhance their health, perform at their peak and stay on top of their game.
