NOW Foods, Fruitful Yield chain founder Elwood Richard dies

Funeral services are being planned for Elwood Richard, founder of Bloomingdale-based NOW Foods and retail chain Fruitful Yield. He died Friday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 85.

Friends and family will gather at 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 14, at Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery and Funeral Home, 17W201 Roosevelt Road, Oakbrook Terrace.

"His passion in defending consumer choice in the industry with logic and with scientific knowledge he had as a physical chemist came through many, many times," NOW CEO Jim Emme said. "One of the legacies he left is the Golden Rule, treating others as you want to be treated. He lived that every day that I knew him."

Richard's introduction to natural foods began in 1948, about 20 years before he founded NOW Foods in 1968. That's when his father, Paul Richard, bought Fearn Soya and developed the industry's first protein supplement product. Richard earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Monmouth University and graduate studies in physical chemistry and biochemistry at Indiana University. By 1960, he started to run Fearn Soya after his father's death and also worked with his brothers, Bill and Lou. In 1962 Elwood opened his first natural health food store, the Health House, and today the suburban retail chain, renamed The Fruitful Yield, operates 13 stores. They are in South Elgin, Schaumburg, Lombard, LaGrange Park, Batavia, Bloomingdale, Darien, Elmhurst, Elmwood Park, Joliet, Oswego and two in Naperville.

In 1968 Elwood founded NOW Foods and has since expanded product lines and manufacturing facilities. He also ensured that the company's mission of empowering people to lead healthier lives would never be compromised by short-term profit demands. Through his legacy planning and gifting of shares to family members, NOW currently has about 40 Richard family member owners.

When Elwood retired as CEO in 2005, succeeded by longtime NOW employee Al Powers, he stayed involved in the business and the industry as NOW board of directors chairman, and a member of the NOW Advocacy Team, the NOW Strategy Team and the NOW Environmental Team.

"El was a truly great man and a great entrepreneur. He was always passionate about the health food industry, and the success of the NOW brand is a testimony to his vision, leadership and dedication to our mission and our industry," said former NOW CEO Al Powers. "He will always be remembered for his love, generosity, and kindness that touched the lives of everyone at NOW. He was the heart and soul of NOW Foods."

Elwood is survived by his wife Betty, daughter Sharon Wong, sons Dan and David, five grandchildren and one great grandchild. Burial is private.