AdvoCare

AdvoCare International, LLC is an American dietary supplement company based in Richardson, Texas. They create and sell many wellness products, such as energy boosters, hydration drinks, gut health helpers, immune support, and sports performance items.

The company was started in 1993 by Charles E. Ragus. It began as a multi-level marketing business, which means people sold products and also recruited others to sell for them.

In 2018, AdvoCare faced serious problems and was charged with running something called a pyramid scheme. Because of this, in 2019, the company changed its way of doing business to a consumer omnichannel model. This means they shifted how they sold their products to focus more on selling directly to customers instead of relying only on recruiters.

History

AdvoCare was started in 1993 by Charles Ragus. The name AdvoCare means "Advocates Who Care." Ragus had worked for a big insurance company and also for another supplement company called Herbalife. He even trained with the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs back in the 1960s.

In 2007, Richard H. Wright took over as leader of AdvoCare. Later, in 2019, some important rules were changed about how the company could do business. In 2024, Christina Helwig became the first woman to lead the company as CEO. That same year, AdvoCare was honored as a great place to work in Dallas. The company also helped families and children through its foundation, giving away money to good causes.

Business

AdvoCare sells dietary supplements and related products, such as an energy drink. They also have products under brand names like Trim, Active, Well, Performance Elite, Fit, and 24 Day Challenge.

In March 2016, AdvoCare was discussed in an article in ESPN The Magazine. The article suggested that the company and some of its sellers made more money by getting new sellers to join than by selling products. It also said that some people in the company talked up how much money sellers could make, and didn’t encourage questions about the company’s claims.

Before July 2019, AdvoCare operated as a multi-level marketing company. This means they sold products through a network of independent sellers. After July 2019, AdvoCare stopped this model and began only paying sellers for products sold to customers. As of October 2019, AdvoCare joined the U.S. Direct Selling Association. In 2019, the company sold its Plano office to Opex Corp.

Sponsorships and endorsements

AdvoCare worked with famous athletes and sponsored many sports events to share its products. Some of the athletes who talked about AdvoCare included soccer player Carli Lloyd, baseball pitcher Doug Fister, CrossFit champion Rich Froning, and several football players like Andy Dalton and Drew Brees.

The company also paid to be the main sponsor of events such as the Independence Bowl and teams like FC Dallas. AdvoCare also supported racing teams and events in NASCAR from 2011 to 2016.

Tainted products claim

In July 2008, Olympic swimmer Jessica Hardy tested positive for a banned substance called clenbuterol. She said she had never heard of this substance and thought it might have come from a supplement she was using. Hardy had been taking a supplement called Arginine Extreme, which she received for free from AdvoCare to share her thoughts about the product. She later claimed in a lawsuit that the company's product was not safe. AdvoCare disagreed and sued Hardy for making false claims. After a hearing, Hardy was allowed to compete again in 2010 because a scientist said the AdvoCare product might have been the cause.

Deceptive practices lawsuit

In 2009, a court in Dallas, Texas, found that AdvoCare had used unfair methods and canceled agreements with two of its product sellers. The sellers, Bruce and Teresa Badgett, had been selling AdvoCare products for many years before their agreement was ended in 2006. The court said AdvoCare had been misleading and unfair, and the company had to pay $1.9 million.

AdvoCare did not agree with the court's decision and tried to change it, saying the sellers were not regular customers. But in 2012, the attempt to change the decision was stopped, and AdvoCare was told to pay for some of the sellers' costs in defending themselves.