The MLM industry just saw one of its biggest shake-ups in years: Zinzino has officially acquired ItWorks in a $30 million all-share deal. This acquisition includes ItWorks’ US operations distributor agreements, customer contracts, inventory, and intellectual property. In other words, ItWorks has been fully absorbed into Zinzino’s global structure.

For distributors, customers, and industry watchers, this raises major questions about stability, transparency, and the long-term viability of MLMs in a declining market. Because of this, we need to break down what the acquisition means, who these companies are, and the controversies that have followed both brands.

What Is ItWorks and Who Created It?

ItWorks was founded in 2001 by Mark Pentecost, a former high school teacher who turned to entrepreneurship. The company exploded in popularity during the 2010s thanks to its infamous “Ultimate Body Applicator” — a so-called “skinny wrap” marketed as a body-slimming, tightening, and toning product. You may have heard of it referred to as “The Crazy Wrap Thing.”

Over time, ItWorks expanded into:

  • Weight-loss supplements
  • Skincare
  • Collagen products
  • Essential oils
  • “Superfood” powders

The company built its empire on social-media-driven marketing, often encouraging distributors to post dramatic before-and-after photos and recruit aggressively.

ItWorks has faced years of criticism for:

  • Misleading health and weight-loss claims
  • High distributor turnover
  • Aggressive recruitment tactics
  • Ethical concerns around social-media marketing
  • Declining sales and relevance in recent years

These struggles likely contributed to the decision to sell its US operations to Zinzino.

What Is Zinzino and Who Created It?

Zinzino is a Swedish multi-level marketing company founded in 2005 by Örjan and Hilde Saele. The company originally sold coffee pods before pivoting into supplements and wellness products — a move that dramatically expanded its global footprint.

Zinzino is best known for:

  • Omega-3 supplements
  • Polyphenol blends
  • Weight-management products
  • Skin serums
  • The controversial Zinzino Balance Test, a dried blood spot test marketed as a personalized health assessment

The company now operates in over 100 markets and has aggressively expanded through acquisitions, including Multiple MLM Companies Since 2019.

Zinzino has faced criticism for:

  • Questionable health claims, especially around the Balance Test
  • Recruitment-heavy income structures
  • High distributor turnover
  • Aggressive international expansion through acquisitions
  • Consumer complaints and scam acquisitions on forums and review sites

The company’s rapid acquisition strategy is often interpreted as a sign of instability within the MLM sector.

The Acquisition

On January 26, 2026, Direct Selling News posted An Article announcing what they called:

“a merger of It Works! into the Zinzino family of businesses.”

This isn’t a partnership or a collaboration — it’s a takeover. And for distributors and customers, the ripple effects are significant.

The article went on to state:

“Per the agreement, Zinzino will pay $30 million, 100% of which will be settled through newly issued Zinzino shares. Additional purchase prices will be based on future sales development, estimated at $4 million, which will also be settled through newly issued Zinzino shares.”

What This Acquisition Means for ItWorks Distributors

Distributors are often the most vulnerable group during MLM mergers. When an MLM is acquired, distributors are often the last to know and the first to feel the consequences. With Zinzino absorbing ItWorks, here’s what distributors can expect:

  1. Your Contract Now Belongs to Zinzino
    All distributor agreements have been transferred. This means new rules, new compensation structures, new compliance expectations, and even new leadership. Distributors have no control over this transition.
  2. Compensation Plans May Change
    MLM mergers often lead to reduced commission, new rank requirements, pressure to buy new product lines, and restructured bonuses. Zinzino’s compensation plan differs from ItWorks’ model, and distributors may struggle to adapt.
  3. Downlines May Be Reorganized
    Because Zinzino now owns all distributor data, downlines may be reshuffled to fit their compensation structure — potentially destabilizing income for many, especially distributors who rely on rank maintenance.
  4. Pressure to Promote New Products
    Zinzino’s catalog is supplement-heavy and includes the Balance Test, which distributors may be pushed to promote despite controversy. Distributors may also be pushed to purchase new starter kits and promote unfamiliar supplements.

With all these changes, it will be up to each distributor if they want to stay with this company now that it will be under the Zinzino branding. In other words, ItWorks is no longer the brand. This can feel like whiplash to distributors who have been with the company for a long time.

According to Direct Selling News, the CEOs of both companies are excited about the news:

“Individual advice and tailor-made solutions are the future, and not just in health and wellness,” said Dag Bergheim Pettersen, Zinzino CEO, and Mark Pentecost, President and Founder of It Works! “Together, we have many years of combined industry experience and everything it takes to drive the modern, personalized shopping experience through direct sales.”

What This Means for Customers

Customers will also feel the impact of The Acquisition. This is what customers can expect:

  1. Product Changes
    ItWorks products may be discontinued or replaced with Zinzino’s offerings.
  2. Auto-Ship Adjustments
    Zinzino may alter pricing, shipping schedules, and subscription terms.
  3. Data Transfer
    Customer data — including purchase history — has been transferred to Zinzino.
  4. New Marketing Approaches
    Zinzino is known for aggressive recruitment-based marketing, which may influence how customers are approached.

Why This Acquisition Matters

This merger highlights several ongoing issues within the MLM industry:

  1. MLMs Are Struggling
    Declining sales, shrinking distributor pools, and public skepticism have pushed many MLMs into mergers or closures.
  2. Distributors Have No Stability
    When companies merge, distributors lose income stability, product consistency, leadership structure, and control over their own businesses.
  3. Customers Are Treated as Assets
    Customer data and contracts are transferred without meaningful consent.
  4. Acquisitions Are Used to Mask Decline
    Zinzino’s acquisition spree suggests a strategy of absorbing failing companies to maintain the appearance of growth.

In Conclusion

The Zinzino-ItWorks acquisition is more than a business deal — it’s a reflection of the MLM industry’s ongoing instability. For distributors, it means uncertainty. For customers, it means change. For the industry, it’s another sign that the traditional MLM model is losing traction.

As always, education is the best protection. Understanding how these companies operate — and how mergers impact the people at the bottom — empower consumers and distributors to make informed decisions.

By Beth Gibbons (Queen of Karma)

Beth Gibbons, known publicly as Queen of Karma, is a whistleblower and anti-MLM advocate who shares her personal experiences of being manipulated and financially harmed by multi-level marketing schemes. She writes and speaks candidly about the emotional and psychological toll these so-called “business opportunities” take on vulnerable individuals, especially women. Beth positions herself as a survivor-turned-activist, exposing MLMs as commercial cults and highlighting the cult-like tactics used to recruit, control, and silence members.

She has contributed blogs and participated in video interviews under the name Queen of Karma, often blending personal storytelling with direct confrontation of scammy business models. Her work aligns closely with scam awareness efforts, and she’s part of a growing community of voices pushing back against MLM exploitation, gaslighting, and financial abuse.