Devotees claim that Monavie cures their ills and makes them millionaires. But is it just hype in a bottle?
(featured in NEWSWEEK, August 11, 2008 issue) Flanked by a Ferrari, a Maserati, a Bentley, a Rolls-Royce and a Lamborghini, Dallin Larsen paced the stage, swigging deeply from a bottle in his hand. “I’ll tell you what,” said the tanned 49-year-old, opening his arms to the 4,000-person crowd, people are “looking for something they can count on, they can depend on, that’s constant.” The stirring scene would not be out of place at a megachurch revival-except Larsen’s event, organized this June in Orlando, Fla., was bent on earning sales rather than salvation. The object of hope was not God but a dark purple fruit juice called MonaVie. The rich syrupy blend of Brazilian açai (pronounced “ah-sigh-ee”) berries and 18 other fruits has gained a cult following among those who say it can kill pain, disease and malnutrition. Packaged in wine bottles like the one Larsen gripped onstage, MonaVie retails for around $40 a pop and isn’t available in stores. Instead, the Utah-based company tore a page
