01.26.16
Today, an announcement was posted on the Ava Anderson LLC website, alerting customers that the family behind the firm had decided to close the business, which was started by Ava Anderson as a teenager.
In a letter posted on the website, the Anderson family cited both personal attacks and supplier issues for the shuttering of its direct sales personal care business, which touted natural, non-toxic ingredients.
(You can read an article on the company here, which was posted on Happi in 2015.)
After noting online harrassment of their daughter, the family’s letter stated:
“Second, we have recently learned that several of our suppliers, who professed to have our same mission of providing safe, organic and natural personal care products, have violated our contractual agreements, by including some ingredients, found on all store shelves, that we have passionately educated and even lobbied against, in several of our 80+ products. We created this line to share an important health message and are devastated to have discovered this. We shared this information with all of our independent representatives and affected customers.”
There had been reports popping up that were questioning the company's formulations and messaging.
The letter also noted that the management team plans to "re-open with a new company, brand and many of the same wonderful products."
The full letter on the website, dated, 1/26/16 reads:
Dear Ava Anderson® Customers,
Thank you for your patience – the Ava Anderson® website and shopping cart are temporarily unavailable and will be live again soon to allow purchase of approved products.
The Anderson Family has made the difficult decision to end their 6-year journey by closing what you have come to know as Ava Anderson LLC.
However, our capable management team with a combined 150 years of experience in the direct sales industry will re-open with a new company, brand and many of the same wonderful products that our customers have grown to love, within days of our closure next month.
A message from the Anderson Family:
Over the last 6 years, Ava Anderson Non Toxic has built a highly successful company, with over 80 valued employees and more than 12,000 Consultants nationwide. We have grown from a dream at a kitchen table to a 50 million dollar run rate company, with a nearly 200% annual growth rate.
There are two reasons for our decision not to continue the company that we founded.
First, Ava and the company have been disparaged and harassed unrelentingly for years online and in person, at speaking events and in her daily life. We withstood the attacks because we felt the message was so dear to us, as well as the tremendous responsibility we have always held for our employees and independent representatives, who have built important incomes through hard work and dedication to their businesses. Sadly, there are many who are “keyboard brave” who have made this experience intolerable for our daughter and our family. It has accelerated over time, and we see no end in sight. We know we have made the best decision for our family, and believe that anyone would take this same action if their child or family was being treated in this manner.
Second, we have recently learned that several of our suppliers, who professed to have our same mission of providing safe, organic and natural personal care products, have violated our contractual agreements, by including some ingredients, found on all store shelves, that we have passionately educated and even lobbied against, in several of our 80+ products. We created this line to share an important health message and are devastated to have discovered this. We shared this information with all of our independent representatives and affected customers.
We are a family who has supported our daughter, in a sincere and unselfish mission to educate everyone about this important issue, and have succeeded by sharing with millions. We have always conducted our business with the highest level of professionalism, integrity and kindness, including sourcing, manufacturing, and employee, representative and vendor relationships. We have great confidence in the Management Team who is moving forward with a new company to carry on our important work.
With gratitude, the Anderson family"
In a letter posted on the website, the Anderson family cited both personal attacks and supplier issues for the shuttering of its direct sales personal care business, which touted natural, non-toxic ingredients.
(You can read an article on the company here, which was posted on Happi in 2015.)
After noting online harrassment of their daughter, the family’s letter stated:
“Second, we have recently learned that several of our suppliers, who professed to have our same mission of providing safe, organic and natural personal care products, have violated our contractual agreements, by including some ingredients, found on all store shelves, that we have passionately educated and even lobbied against, in several of our 80+ products. We created this line to share an important health message and are devastated to have discovered this. We shared this information with all of our independent representatives and affected customers.”
There had been reports popping up that were questioning the company's formulations and messaging.
The letter also noted that the management team plans to "re-open with a new company, brand and many of the same wonderful products."
The full letter on the website, dated, 1/26/16 reads:
Dear Ava Anderson® Customers,
Thank you for your patience – the Ava Anderson® website and shopping cart are temporarily unavailable and will be live again soon to allow purchase of approved products.
The Anderson Family has made the difficult decision to end their 6-year journey by closing what you have come to know as Ava Anderson LLC.
However, our capable management team with a combined 150 years of experience in the direct sales industry will re-open with a new company, brand and many of the same wonderful products that our customers have grown to love, within days of our closure next month.
A message from the Anderson Family:
Over the last 6 years, Ava Anderson Non Toxic has built a highly successful company, with over 80 valued employees and more than 12,000 Consultants nationwide. We have grown from a dream at a kitchen table to a 50 million dollar run rate company, with a nearly 200% annual growth rate.
There are two reasons for our decision not to continue the company that we founded.
First, Ava and the company have been disparaged and harassed unrelentingly for years online and in person, at speaking events and in her daily life. We withstood the attacks because we felt the message was so dear to us, as well as the tremendous responsibility we have always held for our employees and independent representatives, who have built important incomes through hard work and dedication to their businesses. Sadly, there are many who are “keyboard brave” who have made this experience intolerable for our daughter and our family. It has accelerated over time, and we see no end in sight. We know we have made the best decision for our family, and believe that anyone would take this same action if their child or family was being treated in this manner.
Second, we have recently learned that several of our suppliers, who professed to have our same mission of providing safe, organic and natural personal care products, have violated our contractual agreements, by including some ingredients, found on all store shelves, that we have passionately educated and even lobbied against, in several of our 80+ products. We created this line to share an important health message and are devastated to have discovered this. We shared this information with all of our independent representatives and affected customers.
We are a family who has supported our daughter, in a sincere and unselfish mission to educate everyone about this important issue, and have succeeded by sharing with millions. We have always conducted our business with the highest level of professionalism, integrity and kindness, including sourcing, manufacturing, and employee, representative and vendor relationships. We have great confidence in the Management Team who is moving forward with a new company to carry on our important work.
With gratitude, the Anderson family"