Bi Nutraceuticals Comes to Reno

Kevin Annis, CCIM – Broker/Principal

In business since 1997, Bi Nutraceuticals is the largest supplier of botanical ingredients in the United States. Their products are used in dietary supplements, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, personal care and pet products. Bi Nutraceuticals has four state-of-the-art facilities worldwide, and until recently their headquarters has been in Long Beach, California. The company will be moving their headquarters to the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center shortly.

“The level of ‘can do’ attitude here far exceeded anything else we looked at,” company President George Pontiakos said during the public announcement. Bi Nutraceuticals leased 140,000 square feet of space and will be moving their plant, which includes 14, 40-foot mills, to the site. They plan to make the move happen quickly, with a goal of being up and running at the new location by December, when typically a large facility move takes 18-24 months.

Bi Nutraceuticals buys 350 different crops that include roots, stems, leaves and berries to use in their products. The United States supplies 60 percent of these products and Bi Nutraceuticals imports the rest. They are the largest importer of many botanicals including guarana, slippery elm bark and goldenseal.

The decision to move their headquarters came in March of this year due to the many challenges associated with doing business in California. Their search for an alternative location was a quick one, looking at facilities in nine states over a three-week period this spring. Reno, Nevada wasn’t originally on the company’s radar, but soon caught their attention. “We were very impressed with Nevada,” Pontiakos said. “Every state has a similar incentive package (such as tax benefits). We were looking for a place with a culture we could bond with.” Pontiakos was so impressed with the entrepreneurship and cooperation culture he saw in Reno, the company made their decision to relocate to TRIC in 24 hours.