G'day all, I'm seeing an influx of posts on here about the Thrive line of food from Shelf Reliance, some with various levels of misinformation. So I want to set the record straight for this wonderful product.

The Thrive line of freeze dried and dehydrated food product came into Canada about three years ago, (2009), thanks to the very hard work of those at In Case Of in Lethbridge. They secured the deal with Shelf Reliance, and worked months with the border to cross the t's and dot the i's so the product could come into Canada. Which is no easy process. In Case Of, along with their dealer network across Canada have had exclusive rights to the Thrive line in Canada ever since.

In early 2011, Shelf Reliance decided to bring their Home Party Program to Canada. This allows everyone who is interested to sign up as a Thrive food consultant and sell the Thrive line as a consultant. The consultant program didn't get up and running until December of 2011 because of government "back and forth's", and is quite different from the retail program which has been in place since 2009.

Thrive consultants have access to a large portion of the line of Thrive food products, fruits, veggies, basics, entrees, and some meats and diary. All of these products are ordered by consultants or their customers directly on the Shelf Reliance website and are shipped directly from the US Shelf Reliance warehouse to the Canadian clients home. There should be no extra duties with these products coming across the border, as this has been tested previously.

Retail operators within the In Case Of network have access to the majority of the Thrive Food line, as well as the Food rotation shelf system and various other items. Shipping is done from Canadian warehouses where the products are stocked.

Thrive consultants have a price list which gives a few percentage point discount when compared to retail, with a US shipping rate then added on. Retail operators don't have that few percent discount, but when you compare the shipping rates, the pricing for both consultant and retail comes out very comparable.

Due to government regulations, freeze dried meats and dairy products from the Thrive line are not allowed to be sold retail in Canada, and therefore must be purchased direct from Shelf Reliance via a consultant. For this reason I know that most retail stores have a position as a Thrive consultant in addition to their retail operations so that they can offer those specific products to their customers as well.

Now the golden question of "from whom should I buy?"

Well, with hundreds of Thrive consultants coming onto the scene now in Canada, it is likely that many of you will come in contact with a friend, relative or colleague who is a consultant. If you are reading this board, its likely someone you know is going to invite you to a Thrive home party. Thrive consultants should offer you great service on a great food product. If you are looking to stock your pantry or build up some food storage for emergencies, buying from the consultant program is great.

On the other hand is retail. In Case Of is the industry leader in Canada, and have passed their knowledge and experience on to many of their active dealers, including Briden Solutions. The focus in retail is to work with each client through the 8 areas of preparedness, helping people get prepared all round. With access to Thrive food, other food lines like bulk and organic, as well as all ranges of gear, that can be achieved. Retail is also able to offer you much in depth product knowledge as we have been very involved in the Thrive line, along with many other product lines, for years. If you are looking to prepare on multiple sides, or to prepare on a larger scale, retail will do you well.

Of course I’d like to see everyone in Canada buy their preps at my store, but I have complete respect and admiration for those at In Case of, and many of their other dealers. We are a very hard working group with the same goals. Similarly, I want you all to join my Thrive consultant team, but I also know that In Case of has set up a great network of consultants as well. So get your food and gear where you feel most comfortable, the most important part is that you have the food and gear. If you so choose, our team at Briden is here to help any who need guidance in their preparedness journey and we take great comfort in knowing that we are securing up other families against the unknown.