Direct Selling Roundup

Serenova – The entrant in the industry

Serenova announced the official launch of its operations on Women’s Day, March 8th. The women’s wellness company has a product line that appeals to every stage of a woman’s growth and development. Serenova envisions supporting women’s health from puberty to menopause.

“We are proud to be a member of The Menopause Society. Through this association, Serenova demonstrates a commitment to staying at the forefront of research and best practices in supporting women’s health. Over 13 million women in the UK are currently experiencing perimenopause or menopause, many of whom are actively seeking solutions. This is an interesting space to launch a new product. We are excited to see how the first Serenova women’s health supplement – Balance & Boost is received, and we have further brand extensions waiting to launch over the course of the next 12 months,” said Ashley Farmer, the Chief Commercial Officer of Serenova.

Serenova is a member of the UK Direct Selling Association and a part of an employee-owned business, Cambridge Nutritional Foods.

Seldia Europe hosts 9th Direct Selling Conference

The Direct Selling Association in Europe, Seldia, hosted its 9th Direct Selling Conference in a two-day event with educational sessions, workshops and meet-and-greet opportunities for network marketing professionals. The event was held on the 18th and 19th of March with Astra Awards ceremony and “walking dinner”. The event opened with a keynote address from Beatrice Nelson-Beer, the Seldia Chairperson. She shared her strategic vision for the future of direct selling in Europe.

The Astra Awards recognized the contributions of companies and individuals in positive impact, continued education and upskilling, and communication and outreach categories. The Positive Impact Award was presented to Amway and the awardee in the Continued Education and Upskilling category was Avon. The Baltic DSAs bagged the Communication and Outreach Award from among the finalists, Avedisco Italian DSA and Fédération de la Vente Directe.

“The conference provided an invaluable opportunity for industry leaders, members, and advocates to unite in shaping the future of direct selling. It is crucial that we continue to drive innovation, strengthen the sector for long-term growth, and evolve to ensure a thriving industry across Europe and beyond,” commented Nelson-Beer.

New expansions and innovations in the industry

Companies announced major business expansions into new international markets. New products also hit the market with innovations leading the way. Zinzino expanded its operations to New Zealand with a focus to capture the surrounding markets. The company said that the customer service and market support will be handled from its headquarters in Gothenburg with the support of local consultants in New Zealand. eXp Realty opened its 25th international market in the Latin American direct selling industry with operations launched in Peru.

MONAT announced an innovative approach to its social selling initiatives with TikTok Shop. “We are thrilled to launch the MONAT TikTok Shop as an industry-first innovation,” stated Ray Urdaneta, MONAT CEO and Co-Founder. TikTok Shop aims to ease distributor sales efforts and present them with a real-time view of their transactions and compensation plan in the backoffice.

Stemtech, the stem cell nutrition company, announced the launch of a pet product line which is expected to hit the markets in the second quarter of 2025. “We are excited to bring the power of stem cell nutrition to pets, offering a breakthrough solution for pet owners who want to improve their animals’ health and wellness. This is an exciting time for investors, as we are poised to capitalize on a booming industry with innovative, science-backed products that will transform pet healthcare,” said John W. Meyer, Stemtech President & COO.

Canadian direct selling industry faces tariff-related challenges

The tariff implementation in Canada poses severe challenges for companies operating across US and Canada. The tariff regulations have impacted supply chain, pricing, customer sentiments and investment decisions. Direct selling companies in Canada face export issues with uncertain import/export tariff policies in the US. The 25% tariff on Canadian imports imposed by the US is still pending confirmation.

Canada has also imposed 25% retaliatory tariffs on US products like cosmetics, kitchenware and jewelry. Companies are caught in the trouble of revising the pricing for various markets within Canada and US. The duty-free de minimis exemption for small packages by the US government adds to the customs complexity for Canadian direct selling businesses shipping to the US.

The DSAs in both the countries are working closely together to help companies overcome these challenges and ensure smoother international operations.

DSA applauds US Senator’s support for the industry

John Curtis, US Senator in a recent Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing stood up for the direct selling industry on the FTC proposed rules that target the industry and its small business owners. In the hearing that included FTC Commissioner, Mark Meader and the DSA, John Curtis asked to review of the industry’s concerns on the two new FTC proposed rules.

Dave Grimaldi, the CEO of DSA said, “Senator Curtis proudly stood up for the direct selling industry, raising concerns similar to those voiced by DSA regarding the FTC’s proposed rulemaking that unfairly aimed at direct selling. Direct selling is a $37B industry supporting 13,000,000 small business owners in the US, and contributing $111.4 billion annually to the US economy, supporting supply chains, household spending and government revenues.”