MonaVie is a startup which began in 2005, using a direct sales or network marketing model. MonaVie was founded by Daillin Larsen, former USANA VP of Sales, Dynamic Essentials VP (from From December of 2001 until February of 2003 when closed by FDA), and owner of Monarch Health Sciences. The company took off quickly as a result of exposure on the Oprah Winfrey show, when Oprah and Dr Mehmet Oz discussed the Acai berry. MonaVie was first to introduce the now popular Acai berry juice.

There has certainly been a media blitz surrounding the Acai berry and Mona Vie. Most reports have been positive and usually include favorable mention by well known celebrities such as Brad Pitt, etc. In a SW Florida Fox4 news report, Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Papelbon gave a glowing endorsement of the product’s effectiveness. In addition, the University of Florida has reported promising mutagenic properties from lab studies, e.g. self-destruction of 86% of leukemia cells (there are no actual human studies on this). Another huge proponent of the Acai berry, mentioned in several investigative reports, is Dr. Nicholas Perricone, who refers to it as the “perfect energy fruit.”

30-day trial results were aired from two subjects with arthritic symptoms during a Fox4 News Report from March 26 2008.  Neither reported significant improvement:

MonaVie’s signature beverage is derived from the Acai berry, which is found in the Amazon. It is combined with 18 other fruits and berries and a liquid form of glucosamine to form a nutrient and anti-oxidant dense offering.  It is classed a superfood as are many fruits and vegetables and provides the equivalent of 5 fruit servings per day at it’s recommended dose.   The recommendation is 2 ounces in the morning and evening, which amounts to one bottle per week for.

Quite a few online scams have been reported surrounding Acai products, however none appear related to MonaVie. Most of these involve acai berry-derived weight loss pills. An analysis by the Ultimate Weight Loss Center, recognizes the beneficial properties of Acai, while warning of several scams.   Their website has excellent recommendations for those interested in Acai berry juice and weight loss products.

One  major issue with Monavie mentioned by most is the cost. A single bottle is priced at $45 and would typically last one week. A month’s supply is approximately 180.00. This, however doesn’t seem to be a major issue with most distributors, who believe in the product and testify to improvements in their health. Others may choose to buy from different sources, which appear to be readily available.

MonaVie was featured #7 trend on The Doctors Show “The 10 Hottest Health Trends For 2009″ episode , January 7th, 2009.

Is this a viable network marketing company that can be a profitable home business for many people? Distributors receive a 20% discount on the product after they sign up with a $39 membership. The compensation plan is a traditional binary plan, which pays 10% on matching team volume on a distributor’s business center. There are several additional ways to increase this through a bulk order bonus, executive check match bonus, leadership pools, a first order bonus, a star maker bonus, and the opportunity to earn off of multiple business centers. Overall, the company reportedly pays out about 50% of its net income to the distributor force, making it a very fair plan and an industry leader in this respect.

According to other reports we’ve seen, only10% of distributors stick beyond 90 days. This, however is probably not unusual in the MLM industry. The company’s popularity has waned some since being #7 ranked in 2007 to #9 in 2008 in Network Marketing Today’s annual Distributor’s Choice award. Regardless, the Acai berry and Monavie’s product and opportunity are well received in the industry and would be a good choice for many in a home business.

For those interested in building a MonaVie business online, please review our online MLM Marketing System for several free training offers and to take a test-drive of the industry’s leading online business tools.

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