Sportron International Review and Profile

Sportron International is a South African health-and-wellness direct-selling company founded in 1992 by Dr. Alan Thomlinson, with Keith Harding serving as a co-founder and longtime international president and chief executive officer. The company developed nutritional supplements using what it described as FoodState nutrientsââ'¬"vitamins, minerals and herbal ingredients formulated in a food-like matrix intended to improve absorption. Sportron expanded from Southern Africa into international markets, including parts of Asia, Europe and North America. By the early 2010s, the company reported distribution in more than 40 countries and worldwide annual sales exceeding $140 million.

The Sportron product line included multivitamins, minerals, omega fatty-acid supplements, digestive and immune-support products, joint formulas, weight-management products and specialized nutritional combinations. Products marketed in the United States included Omegatone, Joint Formula/A-Tron, B-Plex and D-Plex-5000. The current South African range continues to use the Sportron name and promotes the company's BioFood Matrix and nano-technology formulations. Sportron Group also markets the Swissgarde range of herbal and nutritional products.

Sportron operated through a multilevel direct-selling model. Independent distributors and consultants purchased products at distributor prices, sold them to retail customers and could earn additional commissions from qualifying sales volume generated by personally sponsored distributors and their larger organizations.