Reliv International, Inc.
Company: Reliv International, Inc., Chesterfield, MO
Company Description: Reliv International, Inc., based in suburban St. Louis, Mo., is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of a proprietary line of nutritional supplements addressing basic nutrition, specific wellness needs, weight management, athletic performance and energy. Reliv sells its products through an international network marketing system of approximately 62,000 independent distributors.
Nomination Category: New Product Awards & Product Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: New Product or Service of the Year - Consumer Products
Nomination Title: Reliv International's Reliv 24K
Tell the story about this nominated product or service (up to 500 words). Describe its function, features, benefits, and sales to date. You may include hyperlinks to product photos and data sheets. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
Sometimes, our daily activities can zap our energy and leave us feeling worn
out, unfocused and stressed out. We’re caught in the fatigue cycle in which
physical fatigue and mental fog go hand-in-hand, and stress is a leading
contributor to both. Reliv 24K™, from Reliv International, is the first product
created specifically to break the fatigue cycle. It offers healthy energy and
mental clarity while at the same time reducing stress.
Reliv 24K differs from traditional energy drinks, which are packed with
caffeine. Too much caffeine can lead to jitters and a “crash” when the stimulant
wears off. 24K contains no caffeine. It instead contains 24 powerful – and
healthy – ingredients to tap into the body’s natural vitality. The ingredients
include:
• Omega-3 fatty acids, which are instrumental in the function of brain cell
membranes and help learning and memory
• Resveratrol, which improves blood flow to the brain and enhances brain
performance
• B vitamins, which are essential for energy production and also support brain
function
• Beta alanine, which reduces fatigue
• Gama aminobutyric acid (GABA), which serves as a neurotransmitter that reduces
anxiety
• Valerian root, which has been shown to reduce stress in those feeling anxiety
Reliv saw a lack of healthy options in the energy drink market and set out to
develop a healthy energy drink. But we went beyond energy to include ingredients
that would also promote mental focus and provide stress relief.
The product’s name is derived from its 24 active ingredients. All ingredients
were chosen based on scientific studies showing them to be effective in boosting
energy, improving mental clarity or reducing stress. It will not cause jitters
or lead to a crash. Nor will it cause a heart spike, which sometimes can result
from consumption of too much caffeine.
The product, which contains five calories per one-ounce serving, comes in two
sizes: a 28-ounce bottle and a two-ounce shot bottle. The company launched 24K
in February and has seen strong sales. (Reliv does not release sales details of
individual products.)
The new product has generated significant media coverage, with more than 700
stories on how to break the fatigue cycle posted online in newspaper websites.
Lauren Vance, a college student, told us, “Studying for exams can mean a lot of
late nights and early mornings. I usually end up feeling pretty crummy from the
lack of sleep. I had tried other energy drinks before, and they always gave me a
jolt of energy, but left me feeling drained after 30 minutes or so. 24K™ was
different because I felt really good and didn't feel shaky or get a crash
afterward. I earned all As and Bs on my exams this year! Now I take a shot of
24K whenever I work a late shift at the dorms. It keeps me awake and alert so I
can do my job. I love it!”
List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, product reviews, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch interview:
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/article_a800abb0-1986-5a26-be1e-370f0831e65f.html
Click on Detroit online article on fatigue cycle with two paragraphs on 24K:
http://www.clickondetroit.com/technology/26867203/detail.html
Reliv news release with link to photo and short video:
http://www.reliv.com/US/EN/Reliv-International-Cracks-Fatigue-Cycle.html
Ingredient fact sheet for 24K:
http://content.reliv.com/products/24k/24KingredientFacts.pdf
Go to this site and then click on Product Reviews:
http://www.reliv.com/US/EN/24k.html
Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that developed this nominated product or service:
Dr. Carl W. Hastings, vice chairman and chief scientific officer of Reliv
International, is the creator of Reliv 24K. He has developed 15 nutritional
supplements for Reliv and holds U.S. patents for five Reliv products. He is a
member of the board of directors of the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Dr.
Hastings earned a Ph.D. in food science from the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining Reliv, Dr. Hastings conducted research on
nutritional products for Mead Johnson and developed new applications for food
ingredients