Herbal Magic

Herbal Magic Inc. is a Canadian weight loss and nutrition franchise based in Toronto, Ontario. The company operates through a network of over 350 nutrition and weight loss centers across Canada. The program offers services including one-on-one coaching, natural products and meal plans.

The company says that all programs and supplements are researched and formulated by a team of nutritional and health care experts. Clients follow programs based on appropriate modifications to the Canada Food Guide and learn the importance of making healthy eating choices.

Advertising

In September 2008, Herbal Magic began its first national advertising campaign. The initiative, aimed primarily at women, consists of television, print and online advertising developed by TAXI of Toronto. The advertisements encourage women to rediscover a sense of self.

Past spokespeople for the program have included former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps and former Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Gord Stellick. On February 5, 2010, the CBC TV program Marketplace went into Herbal Magic with hidden cameras and exposed the business as a scam and a fraud. The company was making their customers buy very expensive supplements on the basis that the supplements were effective. What was exposed was that there was no scientific substantiation for the claims and that the Federal Government had not approved of the sale and claims of these supplments. The TV program can be viewed at http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/magic_in_a_bottle/main.html. As a result of the program, former clients and employees wrote dozens of critical blogs in regards to the scam.

Management

Herbal Magic is owned by a consortium of investors led by Cameron Capital and TorQuest Partners of Toronto. On February 18, 2009, the company announced a change in ownership with both TorQuest Partners and Cameron Capital making new investments in Herbal Magic Inc., including a personal investment from incoming Chairman and CEO, Steve Hudson. . On February 5, 2010, the CBC TV program Marketplace went into Herbal Magic with hidden cameras and exposed the business as a scam and a fraud. The company was making their customers buy very expensive supplements on the basis that the supplements were effective. What was exposed was that there was no scientific substantiation for the claims and that the Federal Government had not approved of the sale and claims of these supplments. The TV program can be viewed at http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/magic_in_a_bottle/main.html. As a result of the program, former clients and employees wrote dozens of critical blogs in regards to the scam.

References

   6. http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/magic_in_a_bottle/main.html