Driven by local demand, XanGo LLC last week launched a local distributor growth initiative in Bermuda for its exotic flavoured Mangosteen beverage.

Bob Freeze, XanGo Vice President Public Relations, said Xango juice, the health food drink made from an a puree of the whole mangosteen fruit, has numerous nutritional and medicinal benefits.

Mr. Freeze along with Leslie Gallagher, XanGo director of market research, and other executives of the company, including Joe Morton, one of the founders of the company, presented the initiative at the Hamilton Princess.

?This opportunity has been driven by people in Bermuda who have started to do business here with XanGo, so we were compelled to open a distribution centre here,? Mr. Freeze said.

Ms Gallagher said: ?There has been so much interest in the product and we have had a fantastic response. Having a centre here will increase their ability to do business as distributors can place an order online and within two hours pick that order up.?

?We think this a good place for launching into the Caribbean and we think there are a lot of synergies because of the interest in health and wellness here.?

While living in Malaysia ten years ago, Mr. Morton discovered the Mangosteen fruit, which was then only available in South East Asia, in a caf? .

XanGo LLC, launched in 2002, became the one of the fastest nutritional products network marketing companies to reach annual sales of $1 billion, now operating in 14 markets and will be shortly making a venture into the European market.

Ms Gallagher explained the popularity of the drink: ?It has a delicious taste different from some of the dietary supplements on the market.?