Krystal Planet Review and Profile

Krystal Planet no longer appears to be active as a direct sales company.

Krystal Planet and its parent company were connected to a Missouri securities investigation. In 2005, the Missouri Securities Division alleged that Krystal Energy Corporation and related respondents had offered and sold unregistered securities and had failed to make full disclosures to investors. A June 19, 2006 consent order resolved the matter without Krystal Energy Corporation or Troy Helming admitting or denying violations. The order dismissed the allegations against Krystal Planet Corporation and Alysia Carlson Helming. Krystal Energy had already paid $21,115.15 to two Missouri investors, while two others chose to retain their investments, and the company agreed to pay an additional $18,000 to Missouri's Investor Education and Protection Fund.

Original Npros business profile for Krystal Planet, preserved below for archival purposes:

Krystal Planet was a Kansas-based network marketing company focused on renewable energy and energy-efficiency products. The business was founded by Troy Helming and operated as a subsidiary of Krystal Energy Corporation. The companies were formed in December 2002, with Krystal Planet beginning its marketing operations on Earth Day in April 2004. Based in Lenexa, Kansas, the company built a network of independent energy consultants, known as "Ecos," who promoted products designed to reduce household energy consumption and support renewable-energy development. By 2005, Krystal Planet said it had established a network of thousands of independent dealers throughout the United States and 15 other countries. In January 2006, parent company Krystal Energy reported reaching monthly profitability for the first time, less than two years after marketing began.

Krystal Planet marketed an unusual assortment of environmental and energy-related products rather than the nutritional supplements or personal-care products more commonly associated with network marketing. Its offerings included residential wind and solar systems, energy-efficiency consultations, tankless water heaters, hydrogen energy systems, renewable-energy certificates, and the Green Machine fuel catalyst, which was promoted as a permanent vehicle installation intended to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. The company also sold FutureWind Green Power Certificates, which were intended to help finance the development of new wind-energy projects.

The company used a network-marketing and referral-based sales model. Independent Ecos could earn commissions from product sales and participate in a compensation structure tied to the recruitment and activity of additional consultants. A 2005 report described participation as carrying a $20 monthly fee and stated that consultants could receive payments for bringing new participants into the organization, in addition to one-time commissions on sales of energy-efficiency products.