CE B.
Deceptive Marketing of a Good Product…
Most reviewers here write about Transfer Point's beta glucan. I am reviewing the company, not the product they sell. I am a health researcher and Nutrition Consultant who used to recommend Transfer Point's beta glucan to private clients. I no longer do, because I have lost confidence in the company due largely to its deceptive marketing practices. Transfer Point sells a product called beta 1,3D glucan. According to their 2007 application to the US Patent & Trademark Office, it is manufactured for them by A.J. Lanigan. Several websites that sell Transfer Point's beta glucan say that it was created by Lanigan. The Lanigan name is important, because in many published research studies beginning in 2007, Lanigan's beta glucan (purchased from Transfer Point) stimulated the immune system, lowered cholesterol, and had other beneficial health effects, to a greater extent than did other commercially available beta glucans. This is why I recommended it. I don't think Lanigan sells its products direct to consumers. But Transfer Point and many other companies sell Lanigan's beta glucan. On their websites and/or bottles, other companies credit Lanigan with the beta glucan products they sell, and cite the comparative research studies. In contrast, Transfer Point does not say the source of their beta glucan. But they cite the same research studies on its superior activity. As a result, consumers are easily misled into thinking that Transfer Point makes it (even though the label only says they "distribute" it) and that people can't get this quality of beta glucan anywhere else. This, of course, is not true. The only thing consumers can't buy from other companies is products that contain the trademarked words "Glucan 300" on their labels-- unless the companies buy their beta glucan from Transfer Point, instead of directly from Lanigan. Transfer Point promotes "private labeling" on their website. They sell kilograms of beta glucan powder, bulk capsules, and even unlabeled bottles, for other companies to label and sell. Consumers can get the same beta glucan from other companies, which buy it from A.J. Lanigan and say so. I think smart consumers and healthcare professionals should look for Lanigan's name, not a misleading trademark, when they want the most effective beta glucan found in all the research studies. This is why I now recommend Lanigan's beta glucan, sold under other brand names, to my clients. Anyone can search for "AJ Lanigan and beta glucan" on the Internet to find these products.
Response from Transfer Point, Inc.Jan 24, 2024
“Dear Carol, We would never intentionally deceive someone, and we’re so sorry you feel you were lied to. If any company's sales pitch is “We buy the same beta glucan as Transfer Point”, that’s no different than a car company saying “we buy the same parts Toyota buys”. We don't think it's a bad thing that other companies want to compare themselves to Transfer Point's standards. In fact, we’re very proud of this. We also manage our own manufacturing, and we choose our own capsules. They are not the same capsules as you were led to believe and I am so sorry you received incorrect information. Our Glucan 300 trademark represents a minimum standard for purity. Glucan 300 will never be below an 85% purity, and that is what "Glucan 300" stands for and means. Using a trademark to delineate a standard is a common practice that many companies use to make sure consumers know they are receiving a quality product. We are certainly not trying to be deceptive by using a trademark and we are so sorry you received that impression. AJ Lanigan is our supplier, however, he is not a manufacturer as you've been led to believe. His name is on our 2007 label because he was considered Transfer Point's product manufacturer then, that's why you saw it on our product label on our trademark application. It's true, he sources the best beta-glucan in the world, but he does not manufacture it. You are potentially causing serious damage by sharing these statements in such a public manner. We also carry our own Product Liability insurance, that's why you'll find our products on the shelves of major health food stores. A lot of reputable dietary supplement resellers require this type of insurance coverage, and this is another major point that sets Transfer Point apart from other sellers of highly purified beta glucan. To our knowledge, we're the only source of beta glucan from AJ Lanigan that's also covered by product liability insurance. This is a big deal to some businesses and we're proud to offer this. We regret that we were unable to come to a mutual understanding with you as a Transfer Point reseller. You repeatedly assured us you were selling in the United States according to FDA regulations through your own nutrition consulting business, and we believed you because of your impressive credentials and connections. We were disappointed when we realized that you were being dishonest about your sales channels and had no choice but to remove your status as a Transfer Point Reseller. We removed your wholesale account privileges in November. The only yeast beta-glucan that is approved by the Korean MFDS for resale in South Korea is in powder form (not capsules) and can be purchased here: http://www.glucan300.co.kr We sincerely felt we had no choice but to discontinue your reseller account, and we believe any competent and legitimate company would take the same action. Since we discontinued your wholesale account, you've started offering a different product online in Korea and using Transfer Point photos and reviews to sell the product: https://smartstore.naver.com/betterwayhealth/products/6037902610 This is trademark infringement. Transfer Point has not manufactured the Better Way Health product or had it listed on our Product Liability insurance policy for over a year now. We’d greatly appreciate if you’d remove the Transfer Point name from your brand page (it's still in a photo) and create a new listing instead of selling a non-Transfer Point product using Transfer Point reviews. Again, we're very sorry we upset you. We wish you the best and hope you are able to find a legitimate way to share this wonderful product.”