A bitter feud between rival vitamin companies JSHealth and Life Botanics has ramped up after the two brands exchanged words over social media.
Jessica Sepel, the founder of the $798 million company, once again accused Life Botanics of copying her brand in several story posts on Instagram.
Ms Sepel’s popular range of supplements retail from $44.99 to $69.99 for a bottle of 60 capsules, depending on the benefits.
Alternative Australian brand, Life Botanics, also produces vitamins which are similar to JSHealth but priced at $40 for 60 capsules. However the vitamins are often reduced to around $24.95 per bottle.
They also name their products and have ingredient lists similar to those used by JSHealth. For example, their three products are named Digestion + Skin, Energy + Hair and Stress + Anxiety, which contain parallels between the Skin + Digestion, Hair + Energy and Anxiety + Stress sold by Ms Sepel.
On Wednesday morning, the author and clinical nutritionist shared an Instagram story which called out a “nasty copy cat brand”.
“Some nasty copy cat brand just wrote to us ‘all smiles as usual’ and I really want to relay that building a business is definitely not all smiles,” Ms Sepel wrote.
“I really try and keep it real everyday. It’s extremely testing and gruelling.
“I just want to make sure out platform always shows both sides of life, the good and the hard.”
Life Botanic then retaliated to her comments on their own Instagram page.
“Not us … does this mean there’s another copycat brand?” they wrote, in a tongue-in-cheek post that featured a gif of a man playing the violin.
They added: “But if you’re still stressed, we can send you a couple of Life Botanics stress and anxiety … think of the savings!!”
Ms Sepel then wrote: “Remember jealousy makes people nasty. My dad has always said, ‘envy is the most toxic human emotion, never go there’.
“So remember, stay in your lane. Focus on your blessings. And never forget – you are most likely just triggering other people’s insecurities. But karma sucks. Being kind always wins.”
Life Botanics has previously directly compared their products to the ones created by Sydney-based JSHealth.
In an Instagram post dated to February 2022, they shared that their products were now available in Coles. The caption alongside the photo read: “If you love JSHealth vitamins you will love Life Botanics.”
The cheaper brand claims to use the same ingredients as JSHealth, however Ms Sepel has challenged these claims as her brand exclusively sources the kelp used in her products.
At the time, the post earned the ire of the JSHealth founder.
“Our brand is built on efficacy, trust and science. No one can ever replicate JSHealth Vitamins. But good try,” she wrote.
Ms Sepel also blasted the ad for being “not okay on any moral level”.
“I just have no words for how morally low people will go to make $,” she wrote.
“Guys please please – this is NOT our brand, nor our formulas and absolutely not the ingredients we are so proud of.
“Cheaper ingredients are never a good thing.”
Notably, JSHealth dropped ambassador Nadia Bartel after the former WAG was caught breaching Victoria’s stay at home order and filmed snorting white power off a plate while at a gathering in September.
The brand swiftly took action and expressed their ‘shock and disappointment’ at the incident.
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“JSHealth fundamentally supports all public health orders in place to keep us safe in this hugely difficult time for so many. We do not tolerate illicit behaviour,” an Instagram post from the brand read.
“Please know we have taken immediate action and will no longer be working with this individual – or anyone who does not align with our values.”
JSHealth’s other celebrity ambassadors include model Dominique Elissa, while Australian actor Jodi Gordon has shared paid ad posts with Life Botanics.
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