JSHealth founder Jessica Sepel launches legal action against Life Botanics

After months of threats on social media, JSHealth Vitamins founder Jessica Sepel has finally taken legal action against Life Botanics.

Ms Sepel is suing the low-cost vitamin brand, owned by former MasterChef contestant Jimmy Seervai, alleging copyright infringement.

Documents submitted to the Federal Court, and obtained by The Australian, list 54 occasions where Mr Seervai has allegedly ‘attacked’ her company on Instagram.

The statement of claim reads: ‘[Life Botanics has] in trade or commerce, engaged in conduct which is misleading or deceptive.

‘[JSHealth has] suffered loss and damage and will, unless such acts and conduct are permanently restrained, continue to suffer loss and damage.’

Ms Sepel is suing the low-cost vitamin brand, owned by former MasterChef contestant Jimmy Seervai (pictured), alleging copyright infringement

Mr Seervai says he simply uses ‘a common marketing tool called comparative advertising’ and that Ms Sepel is overcharging for vitamins. 

It’s the latest in a long-running and very public feud between the companies.

The rivalry exploded in March last year when Life Botanics, which is backed by actress and model Jodi Gordon, publicly shared formulation breakdowns of a JSHealth product and a similar Life Botanics product, demonstrating how the budget brand offers the same ‘premium ingredients without the premium price tag’.

This sort of comparative advertising is commonplace in many industries, but Ms Sepel took it as a personal attack and responded by publicly lashing out at Life Botanics, which she described as a ‘nasty copycat brand’.

MAFS star Martha Kalifatidis (pictured) has advertised JSHealth products on Instagram

Model and actress Jodi Gordon (pictured) is a Life Botanics ambassador

Ms Sepel and her husband, JSHealth CEO Dean Steingold, once made the Australian Financial Review’s Young Rich List with an estimated worth of $426million.

The company’s roaring success now sees JSHealth sell a bottle of vitamins every 10 seconds, and there are now plans to expand into Britain, North America and Asia. 

A JSHealth spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia last March: ‘Aside from the legalities involved in this case [with Life Botanics], what is most disappointing is the complete disregard for consumers.

‘JSHealth Vitamins is a brand built on efficacy and trust. Our formulas are completely unique, created with ingredients exclusive to JSHealth. 

‘Our JSHealth community trusts us, as is evident in their response to this blatant social media marketing campaign.’ 

Ms Sepel is suing the low-cost vitamin brand, owned by former MasterChef contestant Jimmy Seervai, alleging copyright infringement. (Pictured: one of Life Botanics’ products) 

Nadia Bartel was previously an ambassador for JSHealth Vitamins