Airborne
Comprehensive Brand Analysis
Fast Facts
Company History & Milestones
• Early 1990s — Airborne created by Victoria Knight-McDowell, a former schoolteacher, as a vitamin/herbal supplement marketed to support the immune system. ([Wikipedia][1])
• 2008 — Company settled an FTC and class action lawsuit for claims about preventing colds; paid ~$23 million. ([e-lactancia.org][4])
• 2012 — Reckitt acquired Schiff Nutrition International (which owned Airborne) for approx. US$1.4 billion. ([Wikipedia][2])
• 2024 — Airborne launched a new reformulated “Complete Immune Support” formula with seven key nutrients. ([Reckitt][5])
Product & Manufacturing Profile
Core Products
N/A
Manufacturing Model
Manufactured for large retail distribution in the U.S. under Reckitt/Schiff brands. Specific manufacturing facility details are not broadly publicized in brand-consumer materials.
Quality Certifications
The brand website emphasizes “thoughtful ingredients and unique blends,” but consumer-facing materials do not publish detailed facility certificates like NSF or USP openly. ([Reckitt][7])
Third-Party Testing
Public documentation of per-batch Certificates of Analysis or independent third-party lab results is not prominently available in standard consumer materials.
Transparency
Ingredient Sourcing
The ingredient lists for key products are available (e.g., Airborne Original effervescent lists vitamins, minerals, and herbal extract blend) ([TriStateRx][8]) The brand states “quality ingredients” on its site, but details of raw-material origins, supplier traceability or country of origin are limited.
Published Testing
While the brand has been subject to regulatory scrutiny historically, current public disclosure of independent lab testing or COAs is minimal in consumer-facing materials.
Sustainability
Reckitt’s brand page mentions “We obsess over quality ingredients and how they might be blended together” but does not provide extensive sustainability or environmental impact disclosures specific to Airborne. ([Reckitt][7])
Trust Score
Airborne is a well-known, longstanding brand backed by a major consumer health company (Reckitt), which gives it institutional credibility. It offers clear product formulations and wide retail availability. On the other hand, the brand’s history includes legal settlements over misleading claims (reducing trust in marketing). Also, transparency around manufacturing facility certifications, independent third-party testing, and sourcing is somewhat limited in publicly accessible consumer materials. For these reasons the trust assessment is moderate.
Sources
- Airborne (dietary supplement) – Wikipedia – [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_(dietary_supplement)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_%28dietary_supplement%29) – Overview of brand history, claims, ownership.
- Airborne – Our Brands (Reckitt) – [https://www.reckitt.com/us/our-brands/airborne/](https://www.reckitt.com/us/our-brands/airborne/) – Brand page describing mission and product lines.
- “Airborne Acquired for Second Time in Two Years” – New Hope Network – [https://www.newhope.com/vitamins-and-supplements/airborne-acquired-for-second-time-in-two-years](https://www.newhope.com/vitamins-and-supplements/airborne-acquired-for-second-time-in-two-years) – Acquisition timeline and corporate changes.
Featured Ingredients
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