Natures Path Foods USA Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Natures Path Employees 401(k) Savings & Retirement Plan
Blaine, WAManufacturing534 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,634Employer $ per active participant
$3,418Employee $ saved per active participant
0.24%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$19.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$56,189Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity16.8 / 5034th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.1 / 2548th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.3 / 1529th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score26 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 34th |
| Lower admin cost | 48th |
| Employee saving | 29th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Natures Path Foods USA put in about $1,634 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $873,524 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,826,821 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,121,199 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $41,366 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $22,873 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,143,556 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $14.6M / $19.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 480 / 589 |
| Participants with account balances | 347 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Kestra Investment Services LLC | $22,873 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $17,237 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250925092351NAL0007491873001, received 2025-09-25, EIN 91-1825645, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.