Learn more about Kyäni, the health and wellness company, co-founded by the Hansen brothers
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIDK/KIFI) - (Note: This story first aired July 9, 2019)
A local company is reaching all corners of the world. Kyäni was founded in Idaho Falls in 2005 and is improving lives through health, wealth, and humanitarian efforts.
"Every aspect of Kyäni is really bringing hope, helping people," said Kirk Hansen, CEO and chairman of the board for Kyäni in an interview with KIDK Eyewitness News 3 anchor Todd Kunz. Kyäni is a multi-level marketing company headquartered in Idaho Falls.
"We would define ourselves as a health and wellness company, but what we really created was a company that offers incredible products that are all natural, that really use wild ingredients to frequently give our bodies what we need to just be healthier," said Hansen.
Hansen said our bodies will frequently heal themselves if given the right nutrition. He said the company doesn't make any medical claims, but the stories are evidence.
"We do provide incredible nutrition and we have absolutely amazing results. There are people who have stories that are life-changing and just bring a tear to your eye, when you hear about the dramatic effect that these products have had in these people's lives," said Hansen.
These products are centered around a daily regimen of wild Alaskan blueberry in the morning, loaded with antioxidants and wild Alaskan salmon with Omega-3s in the evening. Other products aid in absorption and help the body gain better blood flow. Plus, there is a skin care line that allows the skin to regenerate itself better.
"It's a very simple business model," said Hansen.
It is a three-pronged approach for Kyäni. People are helped by the products. People can earn some extra income, creating their own business. And there is a humanitarian effort that helps people who can't help themselves.
"And definitely not feed them a fish, but teach them to fish through education, through opportunities," said Hansen.
As for the customers forming their own distributing business, Hansen said, "Oh we're in tens of thousands. We do business in over 60 countries."
Some of their strong markets where people are either selling the products or consuming them are China, Korea, Japan, the European Union, and Mexico. Reaching into all corners of the world gives Kyäni an opportunity to see all types of people, and some in rough places.
Kyäni's humanitarian nonprofit is called Caring Hands. It also utilizes one other product called the Potato Pak, grown in Idaho Falls at Taylor Farms. Hansen said this Caring Hands effort sets them apart from other multi-level marketing companies.
"We may go in and build a feeding station or build a school or upgrade a school to also be an online university. But often we end up noticing that many of the students are malnourished, that they may be only eating one meal a day in the evening. And so we now institute a feeding program frequently in the schools that we build. They're being fed the Potato-Pak, which is a story in itself -- a wonderful story -- a product right out of Eastern Idaho, but it was created with the right balance of nutrients to helped malnourished children and we're very proud of that," said Hansen.
Hansen said the effort is growing all around the world. He's proud that the little company in Idaho Falls is based on sound principles and is having such impact and changing lives.
"People love helping other people and that's really the business that we're in," said Hansen.
Kyäni consistently ranks in the top few multi-level marketing companies in Idaho depending on the metrics. It has about 350 employees globally. A little more than half of those are in the United States with about 80% of those in Eastern Idaho.
Kyäni's current founders are the Kirk and Jim Hansen families, and the Carl Taylor family.
