Sunrider

Sunrider, or Sunrider International, is a large, international, privately held direct sales [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/Opportunity/BestPlan.aspx Sunrider - The Best Compensation Plan ] ] company, the stated goal of which is "to bring wealth and health to people all over the world". Its headquarters are in Torrance, California. Sunrider manufactures herbal and health foods products at four manufacturing plants worldwide.

Company history

The company has been in operation for 25 years. It was founded in 1982 in Orem, Utah in the United States by the Taiwan-born herbalist, Dr. Tei-Fu Chen. In the late 1980s, the company moved its headquarters to the Los Angeles area. It has since developed into a multinational corporation with about forty offices worldwide. Also, Sunrider recently acquired several hotel properties in East Asia. Sunrider has over 7,000 retail stores in China. [ [http://www.chinahospitalitynews.com/2008/01/22/5513-sunrider-enters-chinas-hotel-sector Sunrider Enters China's Hotel Sector - China Hospitality News - The Digest of Corporate and Leisure Travel Planning ] ]

Sunrider's founder, Dr. Chen, claims to have perfected the extraction of stevia, by applying a non-chemical extraction method that had been recorded in the herbal manuscripts of the Chinese emperors.Fact|date=January 2008 This method removes the green colour and the bitter aftertaste of the Stevia leaves.

Sunrider is an official sponsor of the Los Angeles AIDS Walk, [http://www.aidswalk.net/losangeles/about/press/AWLA_07_DOE_RELEASE.pdf] Enterprise Mentors International (non-profit microfinance organization), the Torrance Chinese School, the American Cancer Society "Relay for Life", UNICEF, and the Los Angeles Consular Corps. Sunrider is the Sole sponsor for the Establishment of the Special Committee on Sub-health under the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies. [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/Goodworks/GoodWorks.aspx#] ]

Sunrider is the exclusive food supplement supplier sponsoring the 2008 Israeli Olympic Team. [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/Products/AntiDoping.aspx Sunrider - Anti-Doping Certification ] ]

Sunrider has also made large monetary contributions to the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, the Gang Alternatives Program (GAP) in Los Angeles, the Deseret International Foundation, the Make a Wish Foundation in Korea, and numerous charities and scholarships in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/Goodworks/GoodWorks.aspx#] ]

Grand Conventions

Every summer in either June or July, Sunrider International hosts an annual event known as Grand Convention. The conventions are normally held in southern California.

The 2007 Grand Convention was held in China and Hong Kong, with nearly 10,000 people in attendance. Asian pop stars Richie Ren and Kelly Chen performed at the Convention. [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/News/WorldnewsDetail.aspx?Date=200707&News=World1-12 Sunrider - WORLD NEWS ] ]

The 2008 Grand Convention will be held in Anaheim, California. [ [http://www.anaheimconventioncenter.com/eventsOpen.cfm?id=1516 Welcome to the Anaheim Convention Center ] ]

Manufacturing of Products

Sunrider International researches, develops, and manufactures all of its own products and does not outsource any production. The manufacturing process begins with buying raw herbs, sanitizing/cleansing the herbs, refining and concentrating, and packaging. This process occurs at all of Sunrider's four manufacturing sites throughout the globe Guangzhou, China; Taiwan; Singapore; and Los Angeles. A fifth manufacturing plant is under construction in Kunshan, China, in the metropolitan area of Shanghai, China. The Kunshan plant will have nearly convert|1000000|sqft|m2 of manufacturing space. The new Los Angeles manufacturing plant is the largest of its kind in the world, [ [http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_9964111] ] having nearly one million square feet of manufacturing facilities and space in the heart of southern Los Angeles, California.

Sunrider also manufactures its products in a way that ensures kosher and halal quality of their foods and supplements, making them marketable and available to the Jewish and Islamic communities. [ [http://www.ifanca.org/products/index.php?manId=106] ]

Products

Hotel Business

Sunrider has created a new hotel chain, acquiring several hotels in Asia. In Beijing, the Sunworld Dynasty Hotel and the Sunworld Hotel. In Taipei: the Sunworld Dynasty Hotel. Both hotels in Beijing are "Olympic" hotels, meaning that they are pre-booked by government officials. The Sunworld Dynasty hotels are five-star, while the Sunworld Hotel is a four-star. The Sunworld Dynasty Hotel in Beijing has Asia's largest indoor terrace plaza. With the re-opening of the Sunworld Hotel and Sunworld Dynasty Hotel in Beijing, visitors can come to the heart of Beijing's shopping and government district by just walking outside the hotel. http://www.sunworlddynasty.com.cn/Eng/Home/Index.aspx

Controversies

*Stephen Barrett has accused the company of making false claims regarding its products' therapeutic effects, and reports legal problems the company has faced from the FDA and state of California regarding false medial claims. In addition, Barret claims that Sunrider distributors do not have the proper qualifications to advise their customers about the products' use. [http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/mlm.html The Mirage of Multilevel Marketing ] ] The company has instructed distributors to avoid medical claims, and no longer publicizes any such claims. [ [http://business.sunrider.com/News/News_Legal.asp?Page=6 Sunrider International's Legal News ] ]
*In 1987, salmonella bacteria were found in one of the company's products. [ [http://www.answers.com/topic/the-sunrider-corporation?cat=biz-fin The Sunrider Corporation: Information and Much More from Answers.com ] ] [ [https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/The-Sunrider-Corporation-Company-History.html The Sunrider Corporation - Company History ] ] Since 1987, Sunrider has improved sanitary conditions, and has in fact received numerous awards in the category. [ [http://business.sunrider.com/News/News_Legal.asp?Page=5 Sunrider International's Legal News ] ]
*In 1992 a jury in Phoenix, Arizona, concluded that Sunrider had violated Arizona's racketeering laws and out of court sunrider setteled for $650,000 to a woman who claimed that Sunrider products have had a negative effect on her health. [ [http://www.veterinarywatch.com/Acuref2.htm Veterinarywatch : Acupuncture, Naturopathy, and Other "Health Care" Wanna-Be's ] ] The company points out that no one else had negative effects from the products, and the woman's boyfriend admitted several years later to spiking the products with the toxic element thallium to force Sunrider into an out-of-court settlement. [ [http://business.sunrider.com/News/News_Legal.asp?Page=5 Sunrider International's Legal News ] ]

Awards & Recognition

*2008 Certificate of Recognition from the Pediatric Therapy Network [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2008 Certificate of Appreciation from the Torrance Unified School District [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2008 Jade Sponsor Award from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2008 Gold Sponsor Plaque from the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2008 Commendation from the Mayor of the City of Redondo Beach [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2008 World Healthcare Products Top 100 Brands Award for Sunrider China [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2008 World Economy Top 10 Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Tei-Fu Chen at the 2008 Asia-Pacific Economy Council in Beijing [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*Sunrider's founders, Drs. Chen among the top ten Asian American entrepreneurs [ [http://goldsea.com/Profiles/100/chentei.html Tei-Fu Chen | America's Most Successful Asian Entrepreneurs | GoldSea 100 ] ]
*2007 Torrance Advantage "People to People" Award, presented by the City of Torrance, California [ [http://www.torrnet.com/14148.htm 2007 City of Torrance Winners] ]
*2007 Professional Enterprise Award to Sunrider Singapore [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2007 Korea Marketing Distribution Grand Prix Award [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2007 Certificate of Commendation from Singapore AVA for Sunrider Singapore Manufacturing [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2007 AVA Grade A License for Singapore Manufacturing [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*2007 Certificate of Appreciation from UNICEF for Sunrider's generous donations [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/Company/Awards.aspx Sunrider - Awards & Honors ] ]
*2007 Product Exemption from Quality Surveillance Inspection Certificate and Product Exemption from State Inspection Plaque [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/webform/company/awards.aspx#] ]
*Kosher Award [ [http://www.sunrider.com/Eng/WebForm/Products/Kosher.aspx Sunrider - Kosher Certification ] ]
*Islamic Food & Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) Award [ [http://www.ifanca.org/products/index.php?manId=106] ]
*American Minority Business Awardfact|date=July 2007

External links

* [http://www.sunrider.com Sunrider International]
* [http://sunriderintl.blogspot.com Official Sunrider International Blog]
* [http://www.answers.com/topic/the-sunrider-corporation?cat=biz-fin Background information about Sunrider]
* [http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/mlm.html Criticism of Sunrider]

References