Officiating at the launch were Synergy Worldwide's Malaysian partner, Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja'afar, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Talaat Hussain and Synergy founder and president Dan Higginson.

Higginson said Synergy was first launched in 1999 in Japan. In 2000, it was ranked No. 8 in the annual Top 100 Hottest Growing Businesses by Entreprenuer Magazine and Dunn & Bradstreet.

Synergy products, which cover skincare, haircare and nutrition, were developed by award-winning scientists Dr Jack Pfeifer and Dr Ann De Wees Allen, and a team of experts in anti-aging and nutritional products.

"Ninety per cent of the companies out there focus on ingredients whereas Synergy focuses on technology and delivery systems from some of the top scientists who spend numerous years finding delivery mechanism and to give higher consumption value to the products," Higginson said.

Commenting on Synergy's performance in Malaysia, Talaat said: "This is indeed a development which is welcomed by the ministry because the direct-selling industry is expanding worldwide with some reputable companies and this could support the ministry's effort to generate growth in our economy."

He said sales in the direct-selling market amounted RM6.6 billion in 2006, an increase of 13.8% from 2004.

The ministry's target is for sales to reach about RM10 billion by 2010.