FAQ

Q: What is noni?

A: Noni (Morinda citrifolia) is a small greenish white tropical fruit about the size of a potato, high in antioxidants, and is primarily found in the South Pacific. For centuries, the noni fruit has been an anti-oxidant rich resource considered to have healthful benefits by generations of Tahitians.

Q: What are the benefits of noni?

A: The noni plant is very versatile. The fruit and leaves are known to have many traditional uses. When we talk about noni, we break it into three key areas of product development: the fruit, leaf and seed. o Fruit – We use a fruit puree in the juice beverage, as well as noni extracts in other products. The fruit in concentrate form becomes an extract that is used in other products including facial care and skin care.  Medline.com and Pubmed.com have numerous peer review studies relating to the benefits of noni. o Leaf – Used as a tea the leaf has great antioxidant benefits, in addition it aids the digestive system. The leaf also can be processed into an extract that we call noni leaf serum which is a soothing gel used for topical applications. o Seed – Tahitian Noni International has received a patent for the process of extracting the oil from the noni seeds which is used as a moisturizer for our facial care products. We also sell the seed oil as a separate product, which features linoleic acid which has been proven to be a powerful ally in skin hydration and health.

Q: What is TAHITIAN NONI® Juice?

A: In the early 1990s, food scientist John Wadsworth was introduced to noni, a fruit high in antioxidants and rich in a history of helping people. He later traveled to Tahiti and other islands in French Polynesia to further his research and determine the availability of the fruit for commerce throughout the rest of the world. Tahitian Noni International was the first company to bring the health benefits of the noni plant to the world outside of Tahiti. John partnered with Stephen Story, both food scientists, and spent two years formulating TAHITIAN NONI® Juice.

Q: Does TAHITIAN NONI™ Juice contain added sugars?

A: All natural juices have natural fructose which is a sugar. We do not add any additional sugars to the juice.

Q: Why do some noni distributors claim that the juice can prevent and/or relieve certain ailments?

A: TNI has strict guidelines on how its products can be presented and described, and we absolutely prohibit any misrepresentation of the product. We have a compliance department that reviews and monitors distributors claims to ensure that they comply with our policies. Distributors who are found making false claims are disciplined and if they continue we will terminate them.

Q: Why is the noni fruit from Tahiti any better than a noni grown in Hawaii, for instance?

A: The islands of French Polynesia have nutrient-rich soils that have been home to wild grown noni for centuries. On more populated islands, noni plants have been raised for the sake of development and are now being re-cultivated in noni farms.

Q: What evidence do you have that the growing popularity of noni fruit is sustainable? Or is this just another fad?

A: People have derived benefits from the noni plant for thousands of years. Tahitian Noni International is dedicated to pioneering new, innovative applications for the noni plant. It is impossible to know the future with certainty. However, the acceptance and popularity of the noni plant and the various ways it can be used and consumed continues to grow dynamically. This kind of market growth and acceptance over time indicates that noni-based products are still in the early stages of growth. Also noni is now a rapidly growing industry and we are discovering new and exciting applications for noni almost everyday. Tahitian Noni International has been in the noni business for nearly 10 years with continual growth and applications accelerating, we do not believe that this is a short term fad.

Q: How do you control the claims of your Independent Product Consultants?

A: Tahitian Noni International has strict guidelines and controls to ensure that its Independent Product Consultants are well educated about the product and are prohibited from making any representations about the product that have not been approved by the company. Tahitian Noni International takes every appropriate action (including termination of sales agreements and legal action) if it finds evidence that an Independent Product Consultant is not in compliance.

Q: What are TNI’s key scientific studies supporting noni health benefits?

A: We have numerous patents pending that deal with scientific studies. Additional scientific studies can be researched on Medline.com and Pubmed.com and NoniResearch.org. Tahitian Noni International is a research-driven company dedicated to pioneering new, innovative applications for the noni plant.

Q: How are your harvesters certified?

A: Pickers are required to participate in the Tahitian Noni training program. Harvesters educate Tahitian pickers on when and how to properly pick the fruit as well as how to ship it to our facility in Tahiti for processing. Pickers must pass ongoing inspections.

Q: How can you be certain that the people who harvest the fruit receive fair wages and benefits, and have a safe working environment?

A: Tahitian Noni International has employed local management that is familiar with the customs, laws and regulations of French Polynesia. The Management works closely with the Governments of French Polynesia and ensures that the work environment and salary meet government standards. Tahitian Noni International has received an award from the Government of French Polynesia “for it’s outstanding partnership with our country in the creation of new jobs, economic and manufacturing infrastructure and for the development of programs that have led to improved quality of life for a growing number of our people”.

Q: What are the economic, political, and social impacts of noni harvesting on the Tahitian people?

A: Tahitian Noni International has been presented the “Corporation with Social Responsibility” Award from the government and people of French Polynesia for its positive economic and social impact on the country “for it’s outstanding partnership with our country in the creation of new jobs, economic and manufacturing infrastructure and for the development of programs that have led to improved quality of life for a growing number of our people”

Q: What is Tahitian Noni International’s relationship with Dr. Ralph Heinicke?

A: Dr. Heinicke did essential research that helped us understand the properties of the noni fruit. He continues to be a consultant for Tahitian Noni International and provides his exclusive endorsement for TAHITIAN NONI® Products.

Q: Have any of your Independent Product Consultants been disciplined for failing to adhere to accepted guidelines? Are you prepared to do so in the future?

A: We adhere to the Direct Selling Association’s guidelines and do not tolerate an Independent Product Consultants failure to comply with our company’s policies and procedures.

Q: What controls do you have in place to ensure that the soil, water and air are protected in the course of growing and harvesting the noni fruit?

A: Our process does not use any machinery or materials that would be a threat to the natural environment. We do not allow chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to be used on the noni tree.

Q: Given that Tahitian Noni International’s noni fruit is harvested in Tahiti, how does TNI ensure that the fruit is quality-controlled?

A: Tahitian Noni International has a quality control system for the harvesting and the processing of the fruit. These guidelines include specific size and ripeness of the fruit used in its juices and testing by analytical labs. The puree is processed in Tahiti, sealed in chilled large containers, and shipped to our American Fork Utah Manufacturing Plant for bottling.

Q: How does noni cure cancer, asthma and arthritis?

A: Noni is a natural healthy beverage rich in antioxidants that promote wellness. TNI and its Independent Product Consultants do not claim that noni cures cancer or any other ailments. TNI has strict guidelines on how its products can be presented and described, and we absolutely prohibit any misrepresentation of the product.

Q: What are Tahitian Noni International’s current sales figures?

A: Tahitian Noni International’s annual sales in 2005 exceeded $500 million worth of products worldwide.

Q: How is Tahitian Noni International different from other companies selling noni?

A: Tahitian Noni International was the first to introduce the benefits of noni to the world. Tahitian Noni International has the largest noni research facility and is dedicated to pioneering new, innovative applications for the noni plant. Tahitian Noni International has patents issued and patents pending relating to the noni plant. Unlike many competing products, the original TAHITIAN NONI® Juice is made from noni fruit puree, not dried or powdered noni. And it contains no chemical preservatives, sugars, or thickeners.

Q: Is TAHITIAN NONI® Juice safe for pregnant women to drink?

A: TAHITIAN NONI® Juice is a natural fruit juice and is safe for pregnant women to drink.

Q: How does Tahitian Noni International differentiate from other direct selling companies, such as Amway?

A: Our company is unique. Our products are founded upon the rich history, tradition and culture of Tahiti, with the common component in noni. We cannot think of any other company that has incorporated such an admired traditional culture like that of the Islands of French Polynesia. All of Tahitian Noni International’s Independent Product Consultants worldwide are required to operate in accordance with the Direct Selling Association (DSA) Guidelines for Ethical Business Practice. The guidelines provide individuals and organizations involved in direct selling with generally accepted principles of conduct. Network marketing is a fun, flexible and financially rewarding business opportunity. Tahitian Noni International annually sells more than $500 million worth of products worldwide. Success is based on one’s own initiative, dedication, sales ability, and the strength of Tahitian Noni International products, not on anything else. Network marketing is about people and products. Our Independent Product Consultants love the Tahitian Noni International products that they sell.

Q: What is the shelf life of TAHITIAN NONI® Juice?

A: The shelf life of an unopened bottle of TAHITIAN NONI® Juice is 2 years from the manufacturing date. The expiration date is printed on the bottle itself, in the white area near the bottom of the back label. It is printed in this format: DD/MM/YYYY. After the bottle is opened, the shelf life is one week if not refrigerated and one month if refrigerated at 40°F (4°C).

Q: Tahitian Noni International is currently a private company, any plans to go public?

A: Tahitian Noni International is currently exploring the option of an initial public offering at some time in the future. We envision even further growth as the demand for noni-based health products increase.

Q: What are the company’s expansion plans for the next five years and the next 10 years?

A: In 2006, we plan to open nine Tahitian Noni Cafés™ throughout the world in the following locations: the redesign of the existing Tokyo café along with the Grand Opening of Fukuoka and Nagoya, Japan, Taipei, Munich, Sao Paolo, Atlanta, Dallas and at our company headquarters in Provo, Utah. We plan to continue to expand our presence around with world including expansion to China, Russia, India and many other locations. We also plan to expand with in our already existing markets with additional sales offices and Tahitian Noni Cafés™ in the United States and Japan.

Q: What is the idea behind the Lifestyle Center of Tahitian Noni?

A: The idea for the Lifestyle Center stemmed from our beginnings in Tokyo. In 2003, we opened our first Tahitian Noni Cafe in the first floor of our office in Tokyo, and had an immediate success. The public in general was delighted, the mass media also, and this really exposed the brand of Tahitian Noni to the people that had not been receptive to our channel of marketing. Currently we are preparing to open our ninth Lifestyle Center; this time in Munich, Germany. The combination of a Tahitian Noni Cafe with a Lifestyle Center where people can experience the Tahitian Noni products has been a success wherever they are found.

Q: What are the objectives of the Lifestyle Center?

A: The Lifestyle Center represents the building, physical aspect, of the Tahitian Noni Brand. People love to shop, eat and learn. The central style of Tahitian Noni life is a place that welcomes the community so that they recognize and experience the benefits of the noni fruit in an environment that is oriented towards purchasing, the diet and entertainment.

Q: What is the future strategy of the concept of the Lifestyle Center?

A: Our objective is to have a Lifestyle Center that is fully functional in all of our principal markets around the globe. TNI will be opening small Product Centers in the smaller cities that are less populated. Our ultimate objective is that everyone around the world can have access to Tahitian Noni products.

Q: What is TNI's policy on animal testing?

A: The welfare of animals is important to us at Tahitian Noni International. We develop many products beneficial to humans, horses, dogs and other animals, complying with all laws and best practices respecting the humane and ethical treatment of animals. Only when alternate scientific methods are clearly inadequate or inappropriate does Tahitian Noni International allow animal testing for products. In these rare situations, research is conducted under contract with academic institutions and professional organizations committed to providing test animals with good care and humane treatment, using as few animals as necessary to yield scientifically reliable results.