Forever Living Products, an MLM company specializing in health and nutrition, was founded in 1978 in Arizona by CEO Rex Maughan. The company reported $2.5 billion in revenue for 2010, selling a range of aloe vera-based personal care and weight management items.
Maughan previously worked in real estate, accounting, and construction before launching Forever Living Products. He has remained with the company since its inception.
In 2004, Hungarian authorities fined Forever Living $280,000. The penalty stemmed from breaches of local advertising laws, issues with nutritional product registration, and the company's use of cosmetics as medicinal agents.
The company also faced a lawsuit from author Richard Bach. Bach successfully sued Forever Living for using elements from his novel, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, including its character, storyline, and copyrighted excerpts, to promote its marketing plan for over twenty years. This claim extended to the company's use of images from the book and film as its corporate logo, which appeared on merchandise, jewelry, products, packaging, and promotional materials.
Specific information regarding a settlement for the copyright infringement was not publicly available. However, Forever Living Products did change its logo from the original seagull to its current eagle design.
Forever Living Products bases its product line on aloe vera. The company states its items contain "100% pure aloe vera gel and many other beneficial botanicals." Products range from a single-serve "Aloe2Go" drink pouch, priced at $2.54, to "Business Packs" containing various items, which cost over $400.
The Forever Living Products compensation plan pays retail commissions upfront. Residual monthly commissions are calculated using team volume. The plan includes twelve affiliate membership ranks, starting with "New Distributor" upon sign-up.