Quixtar Files Suit Against MonaVie

SALT LAKE CITY, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Quixtar North America has filed a multi-count Complaint against MonaVie (Mona Vie, Inc. and MonaVie LLC), and several MonaVie distributors for unfair competition in federal court in Salt Lake City. The Complaint alleges that MonaVie competes unfairly by making false claims about its products. Utah-based MonaVie sells juice blend products featuring acai berries through a network of distributors. Quixtar, a sister company to Amway Corporation, sells nutritional products through its Independent Business Owners (IBOs) that directly compete with MonaVie. Some of Quixtar's products also contain acai berries.

Quixtar's filing is intended to protect consumers from false health claims as well as ensure its IBOs are not damaged from unfair competition stemming from false claims. Quixtar, a respected member of the Direct Selling Association, also hopes to protect other direct selling companies from MonaVie's deceptive tactics.

The Complaint contains numerous examples of false health claims made by MonaVie and its distributors. For example, the Complaint includes transcripts of MonaVie meetings with speeches by "doctors" who falsely claim that MonaVie can cure cancer, stop aging at a rapid pace, improve vision, and eliminate pain. The "doctors" describe "dosages" of MonaVie to falsely imply that it is a medicine.

In addition, MonaVie distributors have attempted to raid Quixtar IBO organizations using these false claims.

The Complaint explains that while MonaVie has only been around only a few years, its founder was associated with a now defunct company which enjoyed tremendous growth by marketing a "superfood" derived from a sea plant. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took action against the company for unsubstantiated therapeutic claims for mitigating various diseases. The company eventually stopped selling the product and its remaining inventory was destroyed under FDA supervision.