Thrive Life is one of many companies providing food storage for individuals and families. Thrive Life focus is freeze-dried food. Many people might ask themselves, is Thrive Life a scam? This might be because their marketing is done through individual consultants, using an MLM direct sales model.

Name: Thrive Life

Website: www.thrivelife.com

Price: Social Seller – $135
Business Builder – $265
Business Builder Plus – $499

Owners: Jason Budge and Steve Palmer

Overall Rank: 90 out of 100

Food Storage – Isn’t That Something Preppers Do

When you think of food storage what comes to mind? Could it be the Preppers, who have these bunkers getting ready for a Holocaust? Or maybe a Zombie attack?

What if you just lost your job? Could you live on your own without seeking help from the government?

I don’t know if you have noticed. It takes at least a week for Red Cross or FEMA to arrive, no one has access to food for days. Unless you are ready, you could be without food and water for 3-5 days. I see billboards asking if you have a 72-hour kit. Are you ready if something happens?

Jason Budge and Steve Palmer grew-up with food storage in their homes. These cans of food were stored in boxes under beds, couches, or in basements. Jason and Steve started their food storage supply, they wanted a different way to store the cans, a way which made the cans more accessible.

Thrive Life – A Family Business

Jason and Steve became friends in college. After graduation, they collaborated in the creation and construction of a shelf rotation system, for food storage cans. They sold their shelving racks at fairs and home shows under the name of Shelf Reliance. Many of their customers wanted their recommendation on food storage food. They did research and did not find a company they were comfortable recommending to their customers.

Shelf Reliance expanded to canned food, dehydrated and freeze-dried. Jason and Steve found the best food option was freeze-dried food. Originally they used traditional food storage items under the name of Thrive food. But are replacing the food they sell with freeze-dried items as they become available. The advantage to freeze-dried items is the lack of preservatives. A freeze-dried item has all the water removed, then is packaged in a can or pouch. A can will give you 20 – 25 years shelf life. Pouches will give you a 10 – 15 year shelf life. Once opened the food will continue to be good for a year, depending on the humidity of your area.

Multi-Level Marketing – Thrive Life Expands

As Shelf Reliance continued to grow, they chose to use the Multi-Level Marketing, MLM, business model to sell their products. They wanted the business opportunity to be available to everyone and anyone interested. And felt the best way for someone to taste the food is in someone’s home. To get people to taste their product, the best way is in people’s homes.

They suggest having Host Parties within individuals’ homes. Most of the consultants selling Thrive food are women and men who enjoy cooking. Or maybe just enjoy a reason to have people over to eat.

As they grew and more emphasis was placed on the food, their name was changed to Thrive Life.

Over the years, I have been involved in many MLM companies. At one point I did research on the MLM business model and found an individual who embedded himself in a company. Doing everything they required of him to succeed. His article was critical of MLMs, but realized many people are drawn to MLMs. One of his recommendations was to look at the compensation plan. He suggests for a company to stay viable, pay the bills, it should not pay down more then six levels. One of the positive of Thrive Life is they pay three levels down. Because it is an MLM, is it a scam?

What is a scam to you? Are you looking for a quick way to make money? If you are, then I suggest you buy a lottery ticket. Because anyone working a MLM business plan needs to prepare themselves for a lot of work. The secret is, there are no secrets. In order to make money in any business is to put in the work. The advantage to Thrive Life is the low cost of getting started. Think of the individuals you see as rich. If you look at what it took for them, in the beginning, to get where they are now. You will see a lot of hard work, even without pay.

You may have experience in a MLM. It is hard to approach family and friends about the latest business you have become involved in. The idea of Thrive Life is to have people taste the food. You invite them to your home. Get those who visit to volunteer to Host a party at their home. The Host will receive free and half off product cost of total sales.

The Food – Gluten and GMO Free

Thrive Life has gone to great lengths to have the best food, including Gluten and GMO free foods. They pride themselves in having standards above what is required by the government health codes.

They have recalled food on their own. When they find any food does not meet their standards they do not want people using it. For example, they sold powdered eggs. These eggs had a non-sticking agent, so the egg powder would not clump in the cans. They later determined this agent did not meet their health concerns, they no longer sell this type of eggs. They have found a better mixture.

And take great pride in the taste and quality of the food. The sweet corn, strawberries, blueberries, chopped chicken, and yogurt bites (in their many flavors) make great snacks to have at your work desk or on a hike. Their shopping list of food grows every year.

Recipes – Chief Todd Shows You The Way

After Thrive Life continued to have success with the food. Jason and Steve hired a food expert from the Food Channel to represent them. This has warped into an in-house full-time chief. Chief Todd develops and demonstrates the recipes, he has a monthly demonstration of food recipes which are viewed on the internet. All old demonstrations are available on YouTube.

There are cook books available. Many of the consultants develop their own recipes. The advantage to using Thrive food items, is they are mostly packaged individually. Think about what it takes to prepare a meal. The time it takes to cut-up all the ingredients for a stew. Thrive food items are already cut-up, they just need to be re-hydrated.

The recipes are very good, their cornbread and chicken salad is amazing. And the Shepard’s Pie recipe is one of my all-time favorites.

They are adding premixed meals. This is in response to the need of many families to have healthier meals in the evening for working parents. Similar to the many companies selling prepackaged meals.

A majority of those who sell Thrive food are people who like to cook and want to have their own business. And like to be around new people, frequently.

Business Kit – Includes Food and Business Material

There are three business kits to choose. Social Seller is $135. Business Builder is $265. And Business Builder Plus is $499.

Each kit has business material and food to use for home parties. The more you invest, the more food you will have to share and use. The Builder Plus kit includes a Pantry Organizer, their signature rotating shelf system (what got the whole thing started).

Training – Fast Track First 100 days

All consultants get access to a “Back Office.” You will find a Fast Track training to help you succeed during your first 100 days of your business. Jason and Steve consulted with Belinda Ellsworth to evaluate and develop an improved training and computer access system for consultants. Belinda has over 30 years experience with direct sells and has helped many companies in the MLM industry.

As a consultant, you also have the option to have your own website. This website can be used to send customers. There are templates available, making it easy for anyone to have their own web page.

Click here, to view one.

Pros:

• Respectable company
• Great Support
• Flexible starting cost
• Products you can be proud to sell
• Compensation plan, only pays three levels down

Cons:

• MLM business plan
• Having to sell to your family and friends, to get you started
• Your income is limited by the compensation plan (% paid out)

LEGIT

Conclusion:

I think this is a great company with a great product. Some may think the items are expensive, but you get what you pay for. The products are healthy and are definitely a time saver in the kitchen. But it is not easy to convince people to use this food over the food you buy at the local grocery store. Once you get into the swing of the business it can be fun meeting new people and eating good food with them. The individual that will help you grow this, you have not meet yet!

Of course, it is up to you.

Before you decide to join an MLM, read my review on Wealthy Affiliate. A way to work from home, being part of an on-line marketing community. Every time you sit in front of your computer, and write articles, for your own website you will adding to your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

If you have had an experience with Thrive Life, add to the comment section below.

If you have any question let me know.