Idaho Falls-based Kyäni acquired by mental wellness company Amare Global
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IDAHO FALLS — Kyäni, Inc., an Idaho Falls-based wellness company, has been acquired by Amare Global, a mental wellness company headquartered in Irvine, California.
The acquisition was announced Tuesday and is effective immediately.
“As we’ve been searching for the right next step for Kyäni, I wanted to make sure the vision of Kyäni could continue forward and set our business partners up for optimal success,” Kyäni Co-Founder Carl Taylor said in a news release. “It’s no mistake we ended up at Amare Global, whose name translates to ‘love.'”
Kyäni was founded in 2006 by Taylor, Kirk Hansen and Jim Hansen who “set out to create a company that would bring hope and wellness to as many people as possible,” the news release says. The direct-selling business operates in over 50 countries and more than 20 languages.
The Hansen brothers, along with seven other family members, died in a plane crash following a 2019 hunting trip in South Dakota.
“Myself, Kirk and Jim never wavered on our values of integrity, loyalty and hard work,” Taylor said. “I believe this strategic partnership with Amare will help propel Kyäni forward into an exciting new chapter and further fulfill our mission of bringing hope, health, and wellness to the world.”
Amare Global was founded in 2018 by Hiep Tran and focuses on creating products that “support mental wellness through the gut-brain-axis.” The company takes a holistic approach to wellness that includes products, programs, and people.
“Today we welcome the incredible Kyäni community into our Amare community with open arms,” Tran said in a release. “Our full company name is Amare Global, and this acquisition and strategic partnership will allow us to fulfill the global vision I’ve always had for Amare at a more accelerated rate. It was also imperative that Kyäni’s values and mission aligned with our own, and we feel confident they do.”
Approximately 6% of Kyäni employees from around the world, including some in Idaho, were let go as part of the acquisition, company spokeswoman Andrea Neipp confirms to EastIdahoNews.com. Those affected received severance packages.
It’s unclear how eastern Idaho operations will be affected by the acquisition, but Neipp says office locations and employee needs are being evaluated during the transition process. With the acquisition, Amare will employ 360 people worldwide.
“I truly believe this strategic partnership with Amare will help achieve the vision Kyäni founders set out to fulfill. We look forward to this next evolution of growth and are energized to align forces with a like-minded partner whose team brings unmatched industry leadership and expertise,” said Kyäni CEO Katy Holt-Larsen.
Taylor and his wife Linda, along with Rebecca Hansen and LeAnn Hansen, Kirk and Jim Hansen’s widows, will continue as shareholders of Amare. Taylor will also serve on the company’s board of directors.