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We Are Amway: Meet the People — Nikky Contractor
Welcome to WeAreAmway – an interview series where we meet the people who help power and continue our incredible 65-year legacy. From trailblazing entrepreneurs to dedicated employees, WeAreAmway explores the diverse experiences of the hundreds of thousands of individuals that make up our community, the landmark milestones in our history and the tireless endeavors that lead us into the future.
For International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re spotlighting Nikky Contractor, one of our leading nutrition research and development leaders. Nikky brings more than 20 years of gut microbiome research and expertise to her role in developing new vitamins and supplements at Amway.
About Nikky
Nikky: I have always been fascinated by how our bodies work. To this day, I’m struck by the fact that a million tiny processes have to work together in perfect synergy to help us be living, functioning human beings (I very much still nerd out about it). I studied biology in college and continued my education to earn my PhD in immunology. I held a number of different roles that allowed me to develop my appreciation for the human body and the impact that we have on it, both by diet and by supplementation, before landing at Amway three years ago. Currently, I am responsible for Nutrilite’s product development at Amway.
On her experience in gut microbiome research
Nikky: For my PhD, I studied the intersection of the roles of the immune system and of gut bacteria in inflammatory bowel disease. I created a test model where living things would exist both in and out of germ-free isolators. I learned that bacteria in the gut were driving the inflammation and causing the disease. This may seem like commonsense today, but thirty years ago this was huge. This discovery really spurred my lifelong interest in the microbiome and the enormous role that our gut health plays in, well, everything.
On her journey to Amway
Nikky: After I wrapped up my PhD, I continued to study what goes on in the gut ecosystem and did a post-doc at the National Institutes of Health. I also became really interested in the role nutrition plays in the gut. So, I moved into an industry role, studying the health benefits of human milk factors and how they can best support infants’ immune systems. I later began working at a company that produced nutritional supplements, through which I developed a deep appreciation for supplements and the value they can bring to people’s lives. Fast forward a few years, an opportunity to join the Amway team to help develop Nutrilite came around.
In my role, I lead the research and development for the Nutrilite line of vitamins and supplements. We research how our gut microbiome needs supplements to more effectively digest and metabolize nutrients. The intersection between gut health, our immune system and nutritional supplements fits perfectly with the research I conducted years prior during my PhD. Amway really made it possible for me to take my passion for science and make it my career.
On what makes Amway unique
Nikky: It’s really the seed-to-supplement process that we have here. At Amway, we rigorously track each step of a product’s life. For Nutrilite, there is a nine-step traceability process to track everything from choosing the correct botanical to how it is packaged. We have pilot labs at our Nutrilite facilities in California where we ensure we get the most out of our products. This means testing thousands of plants in our labs to make sure that the plant species we use will deliver the most health benefits. Here in Ada, we have the analytical and chemical expertise to develop all of our prebiotics, probiotics and vitamins. Our scientists have a deep understanding of safety and toxicology and make sure that whatever it says on the bottle is exactly what our consumer receives. It’s a really cool process.
Every day, we are using the best of nature and science to create pure, trustworthy products that contribute to overall wellbeing – which, for me, is both personally and professionally gratifying.
On Amway’s Research & Development
Nikky: Even beyond supplements, Amway is doing some cutting-edge scientific work as it relates to all their products – from household supplies to cosmetics. And it’s not just about our product ingredients, but even down to our packaging. Our Research & Development division is composed of over 800 scientists, including our packaging engineers – who I’m in total awe of.
There is a whole science and craft behind successfully packaging our products in a way that is environmentally sound but also creates a great experience for our consumers. In practice, this looks like using more recycled content, easier-to-recycle materials or less material overall. We package our products using sturdy materials so that the supplements get to consumers in the best form possible. Our team is so dedicated to the customer experience, and it shines through their work. Amway’s “Room of Doom” a.k.a their Reliability Lab conducts a total of 30,000 packaging tests every year. And this is in addition to the 500,000 product tests that are conducted yearly across 75+ of Amway’s labs.
On Amway’s overall mission
Nikky: I think that Amway Independent Business Owners build communities that help people live their healthiest, best lives. One way they are doing that is by teaching others about products that are rooted in science. I love that I can use my scientific background and expertise to play a tangible role in the lives of Amway product users.