Amway in China: Technology Center in Shanghai

What safeguards Amway from the recent food scandal in China is its highly reputable Research & Development Center in Shanghai, together with its state-of-the-art IT facilities at its National Data Center in Guangzhou that purportedly cost almost 500 million Renmenbei (RMB) or about PhP3.3 trillion.

From the spacious Factory Complex and the frenetic Yitai shop in Guangzhou, we flew to the impressive R & D office in Shanghai. The Amway business established by Rich de Vos and Jay van Andel in 1959 has come a long way indeed, as seen in the astonishing Amway Substation in China, where 20 – 25 trucks daily keep the factory bustling, among a total of 120 personnel both regular and contractual.

Its two-floor Shanghai office (with the R & D Center) at the plush address of One Corporate Avenue, 222 Hu Bin Road, has a whopping monthly rental of US$2 million but it is topping the sales revenues of the 13 shops in Shanghai.

Newly promoted Regional President of Amway China Mr. Gan Chee Eng disclosed in our interview that they are zeroing in on natural organic and herbals – specifically the traditional herbs of China — at their R & D Technology Center. “We are not duplicating our research & development efforts with HQ in the U.S., as our formulations are for global consumption,” explained Mr. Gan. “Currently, we have 400 pending patents across the board.”

The tall and statuesque R & D Director of the Technology Center Ms. Jia Chen pointed out that their R & D Center is the only one outside of the U.S. and is focused on the China market while doing “techno mining,” that is, making use of global data for its own purposes. They have many young scientists with doctoral and master’s degrees who are funneling all their explorations and innovations for healthy aging. And since China has adopted a one-child policy, Amway China responded by strengthening its baby care products from rice grains (not available locally) and the top seller in China: Nutrilite Protein Powder for children.

A 6-member Scientific Advisory Board of internationally recognized experts in their respective fields annually monitors and assesses the results of scientific researches for the success of a healthy aging process, like the Double X food supplements that improve immunity or the DNA stability analysis through positive mood improvement, that helps to overcome cancer, nerve function disturbance and muscular degeneration. They have succeeded in identifying mitochondria – the heart of skin cells, the area for restoring health to skin and body by using cardiolysin a very expensive extract from spinach leaves that exterminates free radicals in our system.

Using only organic plant concentrates in their nutrition and beauty products, like the popular Artistry and Nutrilite lines, Amway maintains four organic farms worldwide: in California and Washington, USA; a 1,660 ha. farm in Central Brazil that produces the largest amount of Acerola cherries used in the vitamin supplements; a 566 ha. farm in Jalisco, Central Mexico, with various agricultural produce.

Ms. Chen plotted the historical advances of science as it started in determining what should be planted, then addressing the nutritional deficiencies in the 1980s. Now, science is focused on healthy aging, on prolonging the quality of life, through proper intake of multivitamins/multi minerals and phyto chemical supplements.

Amway China is at the forefront in the search for the Best Possible Lifestyle in the 21st Century.

About Amway

For about 50 years now, Amway has been offering its business opportunity to people around the world who aspire to have a business of their own.

•We have over three million Independent Business Owners in over 80 countries and territories around the world.

•Our strength and global success lies in our reputation as a trusted resource for quality wellness and beauty products.

•Unlike other direct selling companies that use outside contractors to develop and manufacture most, if not all, of their products, we are proud to say that Amway has its own extensive R&D and manufacturing facilities and we make major investments each year in this area.

About Amway Philippines

•In the Philippines, Amway was established in 1997 with the vision to enable Filipinos live better lives through the Amway business opportunity.

•Steered by an all-Filipino management team in its new thrust of providing nutrition for the family, Amway today is focusing its adding product offerings in categories where Filipino consumers have shown greater interest such as health, cosmetics, personal care and agribusiness.

•With over 40,000 strong Independent Business Owners (IBOs) that continue to enjoy the benefits of having their own Amway business, Amway Philippines is enjoying considerable market share, banking on the mother company’s expertise in the direct selling industry.

Amway products in the Philippines

•We observe that most Filipinos are moving towards living a healthy lifestyle. This is evident in the fact that Amway’s biggest selling brand in the Philippines is Nutrilite, the world’s first and leading nutrition product.

•In the Philippines, the Nutrilite brand grew by 49 percent last year.

•Amway grows and manufactures its own Nutrilite products, backed by research and development.

•Artistry, Amway’s skin care and cosmetics product which is one of the five best-selling line of beauty products in the world, is also doing very well in the Philippines.

•We are the only direct-selling company that offers organically-complex agricultural products in the Philippines, thus helping Filipino farmers to increase their harvest. The introduction of environment conscious agricultural products has boosted Amway’s sales in the Visayas and Mindanao region where there is a big demand for such products.

•We also offer a wide range of home care and personal care products.

One by One Campaign for Children

•All over the world, Amway seeks to enrich the lives of the people, and nowhere is this more important than enriching the lives of children. Through the One by One Campaign for Children, Amway is working to improve the well-being of young people all around the globe.

•In 2009, Amway Philippines aims to partner with the Department of Education in expanding its One by One Campaign for Children in Cebu City.

Products in China not available in the Philippines:

•Thailand-made cookware – energy efficient

•Nutrilite Protein Powder for children

•Baby Care Cream (made of rice grains)

•Travel Bag for toiletries