ViSalus facts for kids
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| Industry | Multi-level marketing |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 1, 2005 |
| Founders | Ryan Blair Blake Mallen (CMO) Nick Sarnicola(CEO) |
| Headquarters |
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USA
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Number of locations
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2 |
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Area served
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USA, Canada, UK |
| Products | Dietary supplements |
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Number of employees
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275 |
Vi is a company from the USA. It used to be called ViSalus Sciences. Its main offices are in Los Angeles, California, and Detroit, Michigan. Vi is well-known for its "Body by Vi 90-Day Challenge." The company sells products like shakes and drinks to help people manage their weight. They also offer dietary supplements and energy drinks. You can find their products in the United States, Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Contents
How Vi Started
Vi was first created in 1997 by Nick Sarnicola and Blake Mallen. They were working as distributors for another company called The Free Network. When The Free Network closed in 2005, a person named Ryan Blair bought Vi. He got help from an investment company called Ropart Asset Management. Nick Sarnicola and Blake Mallen stayed with Vi. They became the sales chief and marketing chief. The company then moved its main office to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Vi Joins Blyth, Inc.
Around 2008, Vi faced money problems because of a big economic downturn. The company was in debt. In 2008, another company called Blyth, Inc. bought Vi. Blyth, Inc. sells home decor items. Blyth first bought a part of Vi in 2008. By 2010, Vi was making a profit again. Blyth then bought more of Vi in 2011, owning most of the company.
Plans for Vi's Future
In 2012, Blyth, Inc. owned a large part of Vi. They planned to make Vi a separate public company. This would allow people to buy shares of Vi's stock. Vi was growing very fast in 2012. It was one of the fastest-growing companies of its size. However, Blyth decided not to make Vi a public company. This was because the market conditions were uncertain. Also, there were questions about how Vi's sales numbers were reported.
Vi Becomes Independent
In September 2014, Vi announced that it was no longer owned by Blyth. It became an independent company again. Blyth still owns a small part of Vi. At this time, Vi's earnings and sales had gone down since 2012. The company had also been losing money in 2013 and early 2014. After becoming independent, Vi stopped sharing its sales numbers publicly.
Changes in Distributors
In 2012, Vi had many people selling its products, about 114,000 distributors. By June 2013, this number went down to 76,000. In September 2014, it was 31,800 distributors. Nick Sarnicola, one of the founders, leads the largest group of distributors. His team makes most of the company's money. In 2016, Vi had to let go of 87 workers at one of its offices. This happened after several years of lower sales.
What Products Does Vi Sell?
Vi is known for its weight-management products. These include the Vi-Shape meal replacement shake and Vi-Trim Clear Control Drink Mix. They also sell Vi Go Instant Energy. Other products include Neuro, which is an energy drink, and Vi-Pak, an energy supplement. These were created by Michael Siedman, a doctor who specializes in ears, nose, and throat.
The Body by Vi Challenge
Vi promotes its products through the Body by Vi Challenge. This is a program where people set goals for losing weight and getting fit. They try to reach these goals over a 90-day period.
Where Vi Products Are Available
Vi's products are sold in 16 countries around the world. These include the USA, the UK, Italy, and Canada. In 2013, Vi started selling its products in the United Kingdom. In February 2014, Vi also expanded to Germany and Austria.
See also
In Spanish: ViSalus (empresa) para niños
