A Q&A with Brauer

Tell us about Herman Brauer, the founder of Brauer Natural Medicine.

Herman Brauer, a young entrepreneurial pharmacist, opened a pharmacy in Tanunda in 1929. His son Warren, also a pharmacist, took over the store from his father but then later sold the pharmacy to help grow Brauer into larger-scale manufacture as the demand for homœopathic medicines was growing. Warren and his wife Joy developed their own manufacturing and production facility for orthodox and natural medicine. In 1984, they began what is now the production and laboratory facility of Brauer Natural Medicine. Warren and Joy would often Travel to Europe to ensure they were keeping up with the latest formulation and manufacturing developments of homœopathic medicine. Sadly, Warren passed away in 1994 and, although Joy owns the Brauer building, she doesn’t have any day-to-day input with the running of the business. We credit both Warren and Joy for establishing a trusted Australian-owned and -made brand and upholding Herman’s legacy and reputation for premium-quality, trusted natural medicines.

What are the core values of Brauer?

At Brauer, our team believes it is integral to love what we do and be great at it. What makes our work fun is that we’re doing meaningful work that improves people’s health. Brauer products offer traditional natural solutions for common health problems and people love them because they’ve found a natural solution to help relieve common symptoms. We also believe in the importance of being honest in all of our dealings and think for the long term, not just for today.

Have has the Brauer vision changed over time?

Our vision has evolved over time due to the increased capabilities of our manufacturing facilities. We’ve purchased new machinery, which has allowed us to produce a wide range of high-quality products, plus we’re able to produce larger quantities of stock and so reach a larger market.

What is homœopathy and how does Brauer use this system of medicine?

Homœopathy is a system of natural medicine developed by the doctor and chemist Samuel Hahnemann over 200 years ago. It is based on the “law of similars”, which states “let likes cure likes”. This principle was first described in 400BCE by Hippocrates, the father of medicine. The law of similars states that a substance which can produce symptoms in a healthy person can be used in very small amounts to treat similar symptoms in a sick person. With this approach, homœopathy uses nanodoses (extremely small doses) of mostly natural substances, which are traditionally thought to work with the body, stimulating its own healing abilities and starting the body’s process of recovering from illness.

Where do you grow and source your ingredients?

Brauer products contain a wide range of ingredients sourced from all over the world. We work hard with our suppliers to source the finest quality ingredients and are mindful to respect the natural flowering and seasonality of the ingredients used to ensure ongoing sustainability.

Please share the three most common plants you use and their treatments?

The three most common plants we use are Arnica montana, passionflower and German chamomile. Arnica montana is used in the Brauer natural pain relief range ArnicaEze, which works traditionally to help relieve arthritic pain and reduce the joint inflammation and swelling associated with arthritis. Passionflower is used in the Brauer stress range to help reduce the effects of mental stress. It helps to treat conditions related to sleeplessness, insomnia and nervousness. German chamomile is used in the Brauer sleep range to help induce and maintain restful sleep by helping to relax the body and mind and overcome restlessness during sleep. This gentle and versatile flower has found its most useful application in relieving stressful states of restlessness, irritability and pains, particularly those experienced by babies and children, such as teething and colic.

What tips does Brauer have for the changing season?

The most important thing to do is listen to your body. Stay in tune and make healthier choices every day, working to bring your body back into balance.

Leading into the warmer months, it’s important to stay hydrated by drinking a minimum of eight glasses of water a day. Water not only hydrates your skin from the inside out but it is also great for your metabolism. Eating a healthy balance diet rich in fruit and vegetables will ensure you’re meeting your necessary daily vitamin and mineral intakes. This will help to reduce the likelihood of colds and flues, which can occur during the change of season.

What’s next for Brauer?

We have an exciting year ahead for us with a national television campaign running from September right through until mid-2016. These TV advertisements will spread the word about our fantastic Australian-made products and will be complemented by print advertising, digital and an increased focus on social and online media. We know people are seeking more traditional and natural treatments, so we’re looking forward to seeing our brand awareness grow along with our happy customers.