A friendly atmosphere, growth opportunities, responsive management and a feeling that they are contributing to something important are among the top reasons employees of Piping Rock Health Products, LLC say they love their jobs. The privately held company, which is based in Bohemia and has expanded to include six Long Island locations, ranked first among large companies in this year’s “Top Workplaces” survey.
Employees also feel strongly that the company is going in the right direction, earning Piping Rock a special award for “Direction” in addition to the “Top Workplace” honors.
Piping Rock manufactures vitamins, supplements and wellness products under multiple brands and distributes them across the United States and internationally. Most of the company’s employees — about 574 — are based on Long Island. The company employs about 740 people nationwide and about 1,000 globally, including the United States..
“I work with supportive colleagues. I feel like I am on a strong team, and we all have the same work ethic. It’s a friendly, inviting atmosphere,” says one happy employee in responding to the survey.
“My coworkers are extremely friendly and helpful,” says another respondent. “The environment is encouraging and engaging.”
Besides the inviting atmosphere, employees tout the opportunity for growth. “I love my job because … it allows me to reach and exceed my potential in my role, as well as broaden my knowledge of the industry, all while helping the company grow and progress into the future,” says a survey respondent.
“There is a lot of opportunity to learn and grow alongside a successful company,” says another.
Another employee adds, “I have learned so much and have passionate, strong leaders in the industry helping me grow to be the best version of myself,”
Piping Rock was founded in 2011 by Scott Rudolph with his son, Michael. Scott Rudolph learned the vitamin business from his father, Arthur, who started manufacturing vitamins in 1971, when Scott was 14. As a 19-year-old college student, Scott Rudolph started his own vitamin company, working nights and weekends to pick and package vitamins by hand. In 1986, Scott and Arthur Rudolph launched Nature’s Bounty (also known as NBTY, Inc.) and built it into the world’s largest vitamin manufacturer. The publicly traded company was sold in 2010 to a private equity firm in a deal valued at $3.8 billion, and Scott Rudolph left soon thereafter and launched Piping Rock with his son, backed by a team of vitamin visionaries and supported by a talented team of associates.
“With Piping Rock, our dream spanning three generations is realized to make superior quality vitamins, supplements and natural products affordable and easy to access for everyone,” Scott Rudolph says on the company website.
The company manufactures vitamins and supplements in its own facilities and sells and delivers them directly to customers. By operating with full vertical integration, Piping Rock is able to produce in-house what competitors would normally outsource. This enables the company to control every step of the process, from ingredient sourcing to final packaging, and bring innovative products to market quickly while guaranteeing their potency, quality and safety. Piping Rock’s model also eliminates retail and distribution middleman costs, allowing the company to provide value to customers.
Management is responsive to employees and willing to listen to their suggestions and concerns.
“Leadership hears and implements our inputs,” says one employee.
As another employee puts it, “I feel seen and heard here.”
“Top-level management is always open to discussion and supportive,” adds a third.
Employees also like feeling that they are part of an important mission – to make high-quality, innovative vitamins and wellness products more affordable and accessible – as well as part of a growth-oriented company.
“I feel like I am a part of something important,” says one employee.
“The work is meaningful, and rewarding,” says another. “I enjoy the fast pace of this business and enjoy the challenge to succeed.”
Regarding the direction the company is heading, one employee says, “I feel like … this company can actually make a real difference in the world.”
One employee extols the fact that “Piping Rock is always building, expanding and growing, all in a positive direction.”
Piping Rock remains very competitive because “we are always staying on top of the latest trends in the industry,” says one employee. “We are launching tons of new items constantly, and trying new brands and marketplaces.” The company offers thousands of products, including vitamins, supplements, herbs, essential oils, beauty products, teas and healthy snacks, and ranging from the traditional to the exotic.
One employee particularly cites the advantage of being “part of a growing company at a young age. It makes me feel good knowing I can continue working hard and have a future here.”