Fredericton’s Vertiball signs deal with QVC

Months after launching its first muscle-care product, Vertiball in Fredericton has signed a deal to sell its goods on the U.S. home shopping channel QVC, which has scheduled the product for an April broadcast.

The company was founded three years ago by University of New Brunswick engineering student Curtis Kennedy. He and three collaborators generated initial sales through a campaign on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter and are planning to expand sales this year through a range of channels, including QVC.

“It’s a really tremendous opportunity for any product company,” said Kennedy in an interview.

“It’s regarded as one of the highest-volume sales channels in North America.”

The Vertiball product is a portable, wall-mounted device that people can use to massage their backs. Users position it at the perfect height for their bodies and use it to relieve back pain.