Sports Drinks | Juices | Energy Drinks

The news is out, Neways has been shut down, basically, for the next three months. All current distributors may buy and sell products, however, there is a government imposed three month moratorium on recruiting. Why? Apparently some “unethical recruiting” was taking place, and enough people got tired of it. Neways will survive this, however, it sends a loud and clear message to one of the industries largest network marketing markets in the world.

I don’t know, really, what todays ethics are. I know the dictionary defines ethics as, “a set of moral principles, esp. ones relating to or affirming a specified group, field, of form of conduct.” Some people function solely on the premise of “buyer beware.” CLEARLY, there is a conflict here. So are the buyer beware people unethical? Buyers should be aware anytime it involves investing time, money, dreams, effort, while at the same time sacrificing. The responsibility lies with the buyer to make sure what he is being sold is what it is said to be. Ideally, we would all be honest. That just isn’t the case.

Network Marketing recruiting can be done by anyone. All you have to do is pay the sign up fee, and you are in. With thousands and thousands recruiting, there will be some bad apples. Usually, if someone is really unethical, their business will not last too long. However, some are just REALLY THAT GOOD. Some of these heavy recruiters will say anything, do anything, lie, cheat, steal, and do whatever it takes to close the deal. This is at the root of dissatisfaction among the 85% of the worlds population who are not interested in network marketing.

Eithics do play a role in life, especially in a relationship business. And for the most part, one cannot escape the consequences of unethical actions for long. Neways is not the only company that has this going on, but was unlucky enought to pay the price for everyone. From time to time, the industry needs a good wake up call, thanks Neways!

Attention network marketers! You know who you are. You know this business, and you have attended an opportunity meeting or two. The other day, in the middle of an opportunity meeting for MonaVie’s Acaiberry drink. I stepped back and just watched. I saw the confident expressions on all the willing participant faces. Their emphatic applause imparted the hope that one day they would succeed. Hope that one day they would earn an income enabling their dreams to come true. In this relentless pursuit to self-reliance, I wondered how much money they spend, how much energy and faith exert, and how much time they spend for their network marketing careers.

The numbers do not lie. The vast majority of network marketing ventures end in failure (much like any business venture). However, few businesses create a following where meetings are more like religious revivals than training meetings. This MonaVie meeting was excellent. The speaker, an attractive master at his craft, could say no wrong. The faithful applauded loudly, hanging on his every word. He is the living epitome of success, and all watching apparently wanting to emulate him.

Anyone who has cashed a hard earned commission check knows that the heart of network marketing beats in the meetings we hold and attend, much like attending church. MLM 101 dictates that meetings generally consist of three main elements as follows:

1. Product Explanation- improves your life
2. Corporate Background- trusted individuals who help you
3. Business Opportunity- get ahead in life

Truly successful “networkers” have very good, informative, and motivational meetings. The cutting edge product is absolutely essential to your health, corporate figureheads are noble with supreme business acumen, and most importantly, the sense of urgency with their unique business opportunity rivals the need for food and water. My question is, how is this different than a religion? Religions might be characterized with the following:

1. Product- better way of life (a set of rules to live by)
2. Corporate Background- trusted servants (God and his servants)
3. Business Opportunity- get ahead in life (go to heaven, not to hell).

Maybe this is a stretch. But, it is evident that many religiously follow their MLM. In my last meeting it happened to be MonaVie. Passionate belief in their juice and business opportunity justifies what the vast majority pays (or donates). All to be a part a company that is very much bigger than they are individually. Yes, they certainly do get something for their money, and some do end up making a good living. Is it a freakin’ religion? No, but I think it is close. Is that necessarily a bad thing?

Super Juices are taking the market by storm. As natural alternatives to supplement pills, prescription medication, and general food supplements are drinks packed with vitamins, nutrients, and energy, these juices are generally a mixture of exotic fruits packed with vitamins and minerals. In the wake of Glaceau selling Vitamin Water to CocaCola for $4.1 BILLION, if there ever was ever a question of the super juice’s niche in the wellness revolution, there certainly isn’t now. The network marketing industry might have been ahead of the curve taking full advantage of this revolution with the advent of their unique super fruit juices. Tahitian Noni International, Xango, and other highly successful network marketing companies, many based in Utah, have been banking the rewards of this niche in wellness revolution with super juices for over a decade.

Forever Living Products (FLP) pioneered the network marketing super juice movement with aloe juice over 25 years ago. Now worldwide, FLP reportedly has yearly revenues of over $1 billion. Tahitian Noni International (1996) launches noni juice when the true demand for these products was just at a beginning. Next was XanGo (2002), started by a group of disgruntled Tahitian Noni VP’s in 2002, launched XanGo Juice, a mangosteen fruit mixutre; later MonaVie (2005) launched it’s self titled acai berry juice. All three companies reportedly bring in over $300 million each in yearly revenues. The domino effect continues today, as the network marketing industry jokes, “anyone with a million bucks and a juice is starting their own company.”

Funny or not, the fact is that the super juice boom is a reality. Listed below is just a sample of recently launched or currently launching super juice products and companies, each with their own stories, exotic blends, and anecdotal remedies, and more importantly will require millions of dollars of capital to get off the ground.

• Free Life(2003), super juice made from the Himalayan goji berry
• Agel (2004), vitamins/minerals/herbs proprietary Suspension Gel Technology
• Quixtar (Amway) Seismic Super Juice low sugar with vitamins for kids
• Xocai, acai berry mixed with chocolate
• Zrii(2007), another Himalayan fruit, amalaki
• NuWays(2007), Durian Fusion- southeastern Asia’s durian fruit (King of Fruits)
• Sisel(2007) has 4 main juices made from seaweed
• Ocean Grown (2007), algae and krill oil (not really a juice, but close enough)
• GoYin (2007), a mixture of various super fruits

This string of super juices hitting the market has actually caught the attention of big corporations, and there is no question that are taking this niche seriously. Recently Anheueser-Busch and CocaCola are reportedly set to get in on the acai berry market. Prices for the acai berry have reportedly jumped over 60% within the last year.

Vitamin water was a big move into solidifying the new world of healthy alternative beverages niche in the market. It is, however, doubtful we will see the same multi-billion dollar purchase deals for any super juice companies. As hard as these companies have tried to brand their version of the fruit in their product, there is no way to stop anyone from making their own noni juice, acai juice, or amalaki juice. Hence the domino effect of network marketing companies coming up with the latest and most innovative products. With the marketplace drastically more competitive compared to 10 years ago, it will be interesting to see what new super juice will be next, and what network marketing company will come up with it.

PROVO, UT - Tahitian Noni International (or TNI) a Provo based network marketing company announces that Tahitian Noni Juice helps “maintain healthy cholesterol.” As the premier authority on noni juice, TNI introduced noni juice to the world market in July 1996. Currently TNI sells glass-bottled noni juice in vast quantities across the world. As one person’s month supply retails for about $168, TNI has reportedly achieves over $300 million in annual revenues. Raising the bar for the network marketing community with noni juice, TNI’s record-breaking success in sales over the past 10 years has spurned the launching of hundreds of noni juice knock-off products, and other new self-classified “super juice” companies.

TNI, as all network marketing companies, typically sells products to the wellness community. The challenge for TNI and for the industry in general, is to legitimize efficacy of their all-natural products. Products like noni juice are not held to the same standards of the FDA, as are pharmaceutical medications. Noni Juice, and other similar natural products don’t CURE or TREAT anything. . . officially. Therefore, credible proof for the average person is reduced to anecdotal stories and unsubstantiated, biased, and quasi-scientific experimentation. It is reasonable to understand why many in the real world might view TNI and similar companies as nothing more than modern day snake oil salesmen.

TNI announced in early 2007 that Tahitian Noni Juice was the subject of a pharmaceutical level 3^rd party double blind human clinical trial. This was a bold move by TNI. Testing of this kind is completely unheard of in the network marketing industry, where a negative result from a legitimate double-blind test can potentially destroy a company’s flagship product, and all credibility it may have had.

TNI announced to their top distributor force at August Vision Retreat in Hawaii that Tahitian Noni Juice helps “maintain healthy cholesterol.” TNI presented actual data that a showed a substantial drop in cholesterol by participants in the clinical trial. It was puzzling to distributors why TNI did not announce the actual earth shattering results that would put to rest the doubters of the anecdotal stories that have been around for a decade. The reason for watered down announcement was not exactly clear. However, the explanation alluded to the fact that TNI must balance the line between supplementation and medicine. TNI is a food supplement company, not a pharmaceutical laboratory, and has no intention to become one. TNI’s best interests are served as a food supplement company that sells noni juice unfettered by the FDA. TNI wants to stay as far away from the FDA as possible. The purpose of TNI in the beginning was to present a natural alternative to medicines. Therefore, these clinical results will likely continue to be announced as it was in Hawaii, “Tahitian Noni Juice: Maintains Healthy Cholesterol.” Consumers will receive that information from distributors, the way it is meant to be with network marketing.

To many TNI distributors, this clinical trial is the magic bullet they have been searching for. Actual 3^rd party conducted double blind test results is enough to blow any competitive product out of the water. Although, to many already drinking Tahitian Noni juice, this just confirms what they have already believed. Actual data from the test results will be released in a “reader friendly” format in the coming months. Visit www.tni.com for more information regarding Tahitian Noni Juice, other products, and other press releases.