The company is the exclusive worldwide distributor of Himalayan Goji, a health juice containing goji-berry extract and which has been scientifically tested and acclaimed by a renowned expert. Its Bangkok office opened three weeks ago on the fifth floor of the Gaysorn Place office building at the Rajprasong Intersection.

FreeLife has spent more than US$1 million (Bt37.3 million) in setting up its Thai operations. The Bangkok office is run by country manager Marguerite Linda Kekule, who has almost nine years of experience in direct sales and formerly worked for another multinational company specialising in nutritional and personal-care products.

"We are one of the fastest-growing companies in the US, with sales tripling every year since 2003," said Kevin Fournier, president and co-founder of FreeLife International. "We expect FreeLife International to become a billion-dollar company in the next four years, and Thailand will share part of our tremendous growth in the future."

He said FreeLife International had developed its direct-sales network in almost 20 international markets so far. In the Asia-Pacific region, that includes the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. "We are providing people with a great product and great nutritional results. We've also changed people's health and offered them a brighter financial future," said Fournier. "Our international strategy is to open up markets and support them, to ensure that they will be successful. And our focus in Thailand is to make sure that people in Thailand will be successful, as well," he said.

Fournier said FreeLife currently offered 65 products in the US, both food supplements and personal-care items, but that Himalayan Goji was the company's flagship product, contributing almost 90 per cent of the company's sales. Unlike other direct-sales companies in Thailand that rely on a variety of products and product lines, FreeLife International focuses on Himalayan Goji.

The goji berry has been used as an herbal remedy for thousands of years in Tibet and elsewhere in China, as well as in India, says Dr Earl Mindell, a world-renowned nutritionist and the author of the best-selling book, "The New Vitamin Bible". He believes goji will have a greater impact on the health and well-being of mankind than will any other product ever introduced in the natural-health arena.

Fournier said, "From an early stage, we were united in our commitment to develop a product that would help others improve their lives. In Himalayan Goji, we have found a product that we believe will be a billion-dollar brand in the next three to five years. We are committed to building a company in Thailand that will make a positive difference and be a safe harbour to people looking for a home".

He said almost 100,000 sellers - which they company called "independent marketing executives" - had joined FreeLife's international direct-sales network. In Thailand, the company has already met with about 1,000 potential sellers since its soft opening three weeks ago.

Founded in 1995 by Fournier, who has strong direct-sales experience, and Ray Faltinsky, FreeLife International is now one of the leading direct-sales companies distributing health supplements in the US. In 2000, the company was ranked No-296 on the Inc 500 list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies there.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation