About Us

Helping families get prepared, the right way, the first time.

It didn’t start as a business. It started as a father trying to protect his family. When Marcello Surjopolos became a husband (and later a father), something shifted. Suddenly, preparedness wasn’t just a personal interest, it was a

responsibility.

Like so many others, he turned to the big-name brands, spent thousands of dollars, and followed the mainstream advice. He even became the go-to guy among friends and family, researching for over 1,000 hours, obsessing over products, and trying to do everything “right.” But what happened next changed everything.

Food that was supposed to last about 25 years failed after just 1 year. Emergency meals turned out to be mostly filler, not freeze-dried nutrition. Companies he trusted, the kind everyone talked about highly on the Internet, let him down. And worse, he had encouraged his family and friends to trust them too.

“I felt deceived. But even more than that, I felt responsible. That’s when I decided: I wouldn’t trust clever marketing anymore. I would learn the science behind what actually works.”

That decision led Marcello down a different path. He became a firefighter and EMT, gained over 20,000 hours of real-world emergency preparedness and survival experience, and eventually built what are now some of the most respected brands in emergency preparedness:

Food Storage Depot, the largest preparedness superstore in Utah.

Ready Harvest Foods, one of the highest-rated long-term food brands.

Puravai Emergency Water, the longest-lasting emergency water in the world.

And Thrivalist, the top preparedness training program on the planet.

But Thrivalist is more than a brand. It’s a mission. A mission to help families get truly ready, without fear, confusion, or wasted money. That means products that hold up under pressure. That means top-quality food that’s nutritious, natural, and shelf-stable. That means training that turns overwhelm into confidence. And that means a team that’s tested everything, so you don’t have to.

Since launching in 2011, Marcello and the Thrivalist team have helped tens of thousands of families, churches, hospitals, and even elite organizations like FEMA, the Navy SEALs, Apple, Swedish Military, and Fortune 100 companies prepare for the unexpected. But what matters most isn’t the name-dropping, it’s the ripple effect.

The real win? Helping one family feel peace of mind. Then another. Then thousands more. That’s why we set a goal:

Inspire millions of families to prepare for emergencies the right way. Today, the world is full of fear-mongering, overpriced gear, and “emergency” food that won’t last when it matters. Thrivalist cuts through the noise. We offer the highest-quality, scientifically validated, best-of-the-best solutions, and a clear path to real readiness.

We don’t want you to just survive.

We want you to thrive, no matter what comes.