Black Lotus Shilajit returns to Newtopia Now with Rose Shilajit Tincture
Nico Zabalza, co-founder, co-owner and CEO of Black Lotus Shilajit calls shilajit—a sticky tar-like substance found in mountains in Asia—a supplement that supports overall better health.
“It’s human fertilizer,” Zabalza said. “It’s what is missing in the food, in the dirty stuff that we used to eat with soil on it.”
Shilajit is gaining traction as a supplement. For centuries, it’s long been lauded in Ayurvedic medicine as a health regulator, an immune system modulator with neuroprotective properties. Still, research by western science is lacking, as the Journal of Ethnopharmacology and the Cleveland Clinic have noted. More than a decade ago, the International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease published a report on shilajit’s potential as a dietary supplement to support cognitive health, while citing the need for more biological investigations and clinical trials to understand it better.
Black Lotus Shilajit is available as pills and other delivery formats.
Shilajit, a black mineral resin, forms after organic compounds and decomposed plants, like fossilized plant and animal matter, trace minerals and sediments bind together over thousands of years. What makes Shilajit stand out is its unique mixture. It’s rich in fulvic and humic acids, which form after plant and animal matter decay. It seems to improve nutrient absorption in both soil and people.
“Shilajit has 85 ionic trace minerals, amino acids, vitamins, fulvic and humic acids, and rare compounds like dibenzo-a-pyrones and Carbon 60, which are unique to only very rare things on the planet,” Zabalza said. “It has the most fulvic acid of anything in nature, in a naturally occurring non-processed form. It’s a super complex form of carbon that’s impossible to recreate or synthesize. It can only be formed by the earth.”
Many people believe shilajit stimulates the immune system, supports inflammatory conditions and reduces chronic fatigue, among other issues. The International Journal of Ayurveda Research has called shilajit a herbomineral drug and “a panacea for high-altitude problems.” He experienced a boost in mental clarity and stamina, both physically and mentally, after taking shilajit, Zabalza said.
“I believe that humates, which shilajit could be classified as, will be a new category of supplements,” Zabalza said. “I think this is one of the missing things in health food stores.” While most shilajit comes from the Himalayan mountains, Zabalza gets his from the Altai Mountains in Siberia. In the summer, the rocks split open and start “sweating” it out, Zabalza said. “It literally oozes out of the tops of the mountains,” he said.
Shilajit is harvested off the rocks, then dissolved in water to filter out sediments, rocks and clay. In the sun, the water evaporates off and what is left is pure resin. It was discovered, Zabalza said, after local villagers saw monkeys and goats eat it.
At Newtopia Now in 2024, Co-CEO Kristian Jecmenica, left, and Nico Zabalza, right, pose for a photo in their booth. The man in the middle is unidentified.
Scaling a sustainable brand
Since launching Black Lotus Shilajit in 2019, Zabalza and his co-founder, Co-CEO Kristian Jecmenica, have scaled their Florida-based business, moving from farmers markets and holistic health events to direct-to-consumer sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then it reached out to natural retailers.
Black Lotus Shilajit’s product line includes tablets, tinctures, honey, salve and soaps. Its best-known products, the Pure Shilajit Resin and Pure Shilajit Tablets are dissolvable in milk, water or tea. Its newest product, which will be showcased at Newtopia Now, is a Rose Shilajit Tincture. It’s made with organic rose water, raw shilajit and coconut oil-derived glycerin. It can be added to a beverage to consume or to a skin cream to create a face mask.
The brand’s mission is to help people reach their optimal health.
They launched Black Lotus in Paradise Health and Nutrition, a health foods store Zabalza previously worked at located in Melbourne, Florida. Soon, Sunseed Natural Foods Co-op in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Peggy’s Natural Foods in Hobe Sound, Florida, gave them a chance. Eventually, they found a broker who helped them scale. That’s morphed into Black Lotus Shilajit being sold in more than 600 stores in 38 states. It also has more than 250,000 customers on its website.
“We’ve grown quite a lot,” Zabalza said. “A year ago, we opened our own facility in Florida, a state-of-the art packaging and manufacturing facility, with shipping and fulfillment.”
In late May, the 1,600-square facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida, became GMP-certified. Zabalza said expanding has helped Black Lotus Shilajit’s commitment to sustainability. Its products are packaged in Miron biophotonic violet glass to filter out “detrimental light frequencies.” The company uses biodegrable packing peanuts, compostable mailers and kraft paper tape. “Our shilajit is cleanly and ethically sourced to protect the Earth and preserve the integrity of the land it comes from,” Zabalza said.
Newtopia Now is the destination for new product innovation and a can’t-miss discovery opportunity for retailers and industry leaders. Find out more about Newtopia Now, which is Aug. 20-22 in Denver, Colorado, and register here.
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