Photo: Dallin Larsen, Co-Founder of Vasayo and MonaVie.
This week marked the soft launch of Vasayo, a new health and wellness company from the founder of MonaVie.
Dallin Larsen has spent more than two decades in the direct sales channel, first as an independent distributor and then at the corporate level. Now, he and his wife, Karree, are launching a new direct sales venture, the Lehi, Utah-based Vasayo.
In 2005, Larsen, his brother Randy, and Olympic athlete Henry Marsh co-founded MonaVie, a wellness firm known for its acai berry juice blends. The company’s annual revenue skyrocketed to $850 million in 2008, but sales slowed to $600 million in 2010, the last year MonaVie participated in the DSN Global 100 ranking.
Larsen retired from MonaVie in July 2014, and about a year later the company was acquired by skincare and supplement manufacturer Jeunesse Global. Financial details were not disclosed, but as part of the transaction Jeunesse cleared considerable debt that had been incurred by MonaVie.
“Retirement wasn’t for us,” Larsen said in a news release announcing his latest venture. “But we were only going to return to build a new—and final—company if we could find a truly innovative product and a disruptive story. And we have done that.”
Vasayo’s initial offering consists of five targeted nutrition supplements, all under the MicroLife sub-brand. “Vasayo products feature Advanced Delivery Technology (ADT), where nutrients are wrapped in cell-loving liposomal ‘bubbles’ for superior absorption and delivery,” said Dallin.
Having found what they consider an innovative product, the Larsens were also encouraged by trends in the wider direct sales market. For example, in 2015, the number of people involved in direct selling rose 11 percent, according to the U.S. Direct Selling Association. Additionally, advances in technology and social media are introducing brands to new audiences and sales methods.
A grand opening event celebrating the official launch of Vasayo will take place May 29–30 in Las Vegas.
