Life Botanics founder Jimmy Seervai reveals Nadia Bartel’s scandal was an inspiration

MasterChef Australia star Jimmy Seervai has revealed how Nadia Bartel’s white powder snuff scandal led him to launch successful vitamin brand Life Botanics.

Nadia, 37, has been known to have been dropped from a string of sponsors after footage of the ex-WAG snorting white powder from a Kmart plate went viral during one of Melbourne’s six Covid lockdowns in September 2021.

Among the brands that severed the connection was vitamin company JS Health, which issued a statement bizarrely referring to Nadia as “that person” rather than by name.

Australian wellness entrepreneur Jimmy Seervai (left) has revealed how Nadia Bartel’s (right) white powder snuff scandal led him to launch successful vitamin brand Life Botanics

Speaking to the Herald Sun, Mr Seervai said he was inspired to start Life Botanics after seeing how his current competitor JS Health handled Nadia’s demise.

“The way JS Health treated them for dropping them so publicly, I thought fuck it, I’m going to launch my own product. So it was a direct result,” he said.

Mr. Seervai, who was previously a food ingredients researcher, is now gearing up to launch a new line of vitamins next week.

Nadia, 37, has been known to have been dropped from a string of sponsors after footage of the ex-WAG snorting white powder from a Kmart plate went viral during one of Melbourne’s six Covid lockdowns in September 2021. Shown is a screenshot of the footage

The campaign is spearheaded by Jodi Gordon who, like Nadia, has dealt with her fair share of public scandals over the years.

Despite Jodi’s heartache – which included a recent stint in rehab for alcohol abuse – Life Botanics has stood by her.

The company, currently warehoused in Coles, hopes to compete with JS Health by undercutting its premium prices.

Speaking to the Herald Sun, Mr Seervai said he was inspired to start Life Botanics after seeing how his current competitor JS Health handled Nadia’s demise

The campaign is spearheaded by Jodi Gordon (pictured) who, like Nadia, has dealt with her fair share of public scandals over the years

It comes after JSHealth founder and clinical nutritionist Jessica Sepel lashed out at Life Botanics in March after the budget brand announced a “two bottles for $40” deal for its wellness vitamins.

Life Botanics, which is endorsed by actress and model Jodi Gordon, angered Ms Sepel by touting the deal on social media alongside the tagline, “If you love JSHealth vitamins, you’ll love Life Botanics. Identical formulations, same results, half the price.

A single bottle of JSHealth’s “Skin and Digestive” vitamins — which Life Botanics sells with similar ingredients — sells online for $45.

In March, Ms Sepel lashed out at Life Botanics after the budget brand announced a “two bottles for $40” deal for its wellness vitamins sold in Coles supermarkets, using the slogan, “If you buy JSHealth ‘Love vitamins, you’ll love life botany’

Sharing the Life Botanics ad with her 390,000 Instagram followers, Ms Sepel, whose multi-million dollar company is based in Sydney’s Double Bay, wrote: “This is another level of not-OK. How deep can you go?’

“I have the strongest community in the world so please know this is NOT and never can be our brand. Our ingredients are very unique. Our community will help ensure that doesn’t happen,” she added.

“I just have no words for how morally low people go to make money. Fortunately, JSHealth was built on efficiency and trust, not dollars.’

A single bottle of JSHealth’s “Skin and Digestive” vitamins — which Life Botanics sells with similar ingredients — sells online for $45. In contrast, Life Botanics, which is endorsed by actress Jodi Gordon, offers its “identical” products at $40 for two bottles

In response to these claims, Lauren Jones, Senior Marketing Manager at Life Botanics, told Daily Mail Australia: “We have great respect for JSHealth products and as a manufacturer we have the opportunity to offer consumers better value for money at a at a more affordable, everyday price.

“At its core, healthy competition is part of the Australian retail market. Our goal is to offer premium quality products at an affordable price, no matter who we compare ourselves to.’

Ms. Sepel and her husband, Dean Steingold, CEO of JSHealth, once made the Australian Financial Review’s Young Rich List with an estimated worth of $426 million.

The company’s runaway success means that JSHealth is now selling a bottle of vitamins every 10 seconds and there are now plans to expand into the UK, North America and Asia.

Ms. Sepel and her husband, Dean Steingold, CEO of JSHealth, once made the Australian Financial Review’s Young Rich List with an estimated worth of US$426 million

Source: | Dailymail.co.uk