Cutting ties

The Anderson Family has made the difficult decision to end their 6-year journey by closing what you have come to know as Ava Anderson LLC”

The Anderson family

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The Anderson family of Barrington, which founded Ava Anderson Non-Toxic, issued a statement on its website on Monday, Jan. 25, alerting people to its decision to close the business.

"The Anderson Family has made the difficult decision to end their 6-year journey by closing what you have come to know as Ava Anderson LLC," stated the message at avaandersonnontoxic.com.

"However, the Management Team at our RI-based home office will pick up the torch and carry it forward. We are diligently working to continue to offer the great products you have experienced over the past 6 years under a new brand. It is our intention to transfer all the great aspects of the company you currently know."

The company was started when Ava Anderson was just 14 years old, but grew quickly. In 2014, the business reportedly offered more than 75 products, and enrolled a team of more than 6,000 sales consultants. Ava Anderson Non Toxic also reportedly employed 45 full-time workers at an East Providence facility. More recently, the company moved to a space in the Tourister Mill complex in Warren.

According to a Jan. 26 press release from the company, there are two reasons for the Anderson family's recent decision.

"First, Ava and the company have been disparaged and harassed unrelentingly for years online and in person, at speaking events and in her daily life," stated the release.

"We withstood the attacks because we felt the message was so dear to us, as well as the tremendous responsibility we have always held for our employees and independent representatives, who have built important incomes through hard work and dedication to their businesses.

"Sadly, there are many who are 'keyboard brave' who have made this experience intolerable for our daughter and our family. It has accelerated over time, and we see no end in sight. We know we have made the best decision, and believe that anyone would take this same action if their child or family was being treated in this manner."

Some of the alleged harassment can be traced to bloggers and other online sources that have questioned the labeling of Ava Anderson Non Toxic products.

Contracts violated

The Anderson family offered another reason for its decision to step away from the business it founded.

"Second, we have recently learned that several of our suppliers, who professed to have our same mission of providing safe, organic and natural personal care products, have violated our contractual agreements, by including some of the ingredients, found on all store shelves that we have passionately educated and even lobbied against, in several of our 80+ products," read a statement.

"We created this line to share an important health message and are devastated to have discovered this. We shared the information with all of our independent representatives and affected customers."

On the company's website, the family issued a personal statement regarding the situation:

"We are a family who has supported our daughter, in a sincere and unselfish mission to educate everyone about this important issue, and know that we have made a difference, with the support of our Consultants and all of you. Our amazing and dedicated team has worked tirelessly for all of you. We have done everything in this business from sourcing and manufacturing products, to the way we pay and treat each and every team member in our home office and each Ava Anderson Consultant with the highest of integrity always!

"We hope you will be able to understand that our daughter has been under attack, online and in person, and has been tethered to social media for years, attempting to protect the brand and the company she cares so much for, as well as for each of you. She (and our family and team) have always felt a tremendous responsibility to all of you and we have done our very best to fulfill that.

"We simply cannot see any possible happiness or peace for her future or our family being treated this way. We have tolerated it for years to build this company, but have lost the ability to battle and continue to sustain the barrage daily. We know your hearts and believe you would take this same action if your child or family were being treated this way and could no longer function.

"We are so sorry for this, the most difficult decision of our lives, but we can see no other way to continue.

"With gratitude, The Anderson Family"