NATROL, INC. NAMED "MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR" BY NUTRITION INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE

06/Oct/2004

Leading Nutrition Magazine Recognizes Leadership and Quality

Chatsworth, CA (October 6, 2004 , NASDAQ: NTOL), - Natrol, Inc., manufacturer and marketer of branded nutritional supplements, was named "2004 Manufacturer of the Year" in the October 2004 issue of Nutrition Industry Executive (NIE) magazine. Natrol was acknowledged for its leadership and innovation in manufacturing quality nutritional supplements for consumers nationwide through sales in over 25,000 Health Food Stores, Mass Market Retailers, Drug Chains and Internet Retailers.

The editorial staff of NIE chose Natrol from a select group of nominated nutritional supplement manufacturers. Nomination criteria included product quality, industry reputation, financial success, trend-setting abilities and contributions to the industry.

"Since our company's founding in 1980, we've pushed ourselves hard to produce the finest nutritional supplements on the market," commented Elliott Balbert, president and CEO of Natrol. "Nutrition Industry Executive's designation is an honor for us, as it acknowledges Natrol's leadership in building a portfolio of premium-quality, scientifically-supported nutritional supplements."

"Natrol was chosen as Manufacturer of the Year for a variety of reasons, including its leadership role in developing new product categories, commitment to excellence in quality control, and a dramatic reorganization that led to a financial turnaround," said Paul Bubny, editor-in-chief of Nutrition Industry Executive. "Signing on Earvin "Magic"Johnson as a product and education spokesman was the icing on the cake."

In addition to providing a brief history of Natrol, the article in NIE highlighted the company's efforts in creating a broader awareness of Immune System Health with Mr. Johnson, its quality improvements through expanded Quality Assurance / Quality Control initiatives and the resulting financial success over the first half of 2004. For the first time in two years, on June 30, Natrol posted two quarters in a row in which revenue exceeded $20 million.

Nutrition Industry Executive is a leading publication for nutraceutical industry manufacturers.
Nutrition Industry Executive is a publication of Vitamin Retailer Magazine, Inc. Initially published in January 1997, NIE was the first trade magazine specifically for manufacturers of dietary supplement and nutraceutical products. Today, NIE is the leading publication targeting this field.

Natrol, Inc. provides consumers with innovative, high quality branded nutritional products. Natrol researches and sources the finest ingredients available and adheres to The National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The core Natrol brand focuses on specialty nutritional products, many of which are proprietary formulations that are validated and scientifically supported. Other brands under the Natrol corporate umbrella include Prolab Nutrition and Laci Le Beau® Teas. For more information, visit www.natrol.com.

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Contact: Bob Mauser
Director of Communications
Natrol Inc.
818-739-6000 x583
bmauser@natrol.com