CHFA NOW Toronto returns in 2026 with a brand-new program designed to help retailers discover the newest in natural, organic, and wellness (NOW). Launching for the first time, this new show floor destination spotlights emerging Canadian brands ready to earn a place on tomorrow’s shelves. 

I recently began working as a stock clerk and cashier in a small, independent natural products store in Hazelton, BC, owned by my friend Rhonda. I’ve noticed several similarities and differences between retailing today and 50 years ago, when I first served customers at a store I co-owned in North Vancouver.

We spend a lot of time talking about protein, fibre, magnesium, omega-3s, and vitamin D—real nutrients that matter, and nutrients that can absolutely move the needle. But there is another daily human need that modern life keeps stripping away, one that may be just as foundational to long-term health and flourishing as anything we put on our plate.

CHFA NOW Vancouver 2026 kicked off at the Vancouver Convention Centre on February 20, with a full day of educational offers, trainings, and seminars.

In my last article, I looked at how businesses can consciously build their communities by keeping their goals and values central throughout the hiring, training, rewarding, and modelling processes.

 Now, I ask: how can retailers extend that same sense of community to the brands on their shelves and the brokers and suppliers who help put them there?

Most businesses don’t use the word “love” in their employment strategy—but the owners of Homesteader Health Foods do. And it’s working. They’ve been in business for 37 years, operating five stores in northern Alberta and British Columbia. Being in remote, smaller urban centres—Prince George, Fort St. John, and Quesnel, BC and Grande Prairie, AB—presents multiple challenges for the retailer.

‍The alive Executive Summit once again attracted leading figures in Canada’s natural health industry by offering a slate of inspiring presentations and essential business insights.

On the Friday evening of CHFA NOW 2026 weekend in Vancouver, Alive Publishing Group co-hosted its annual retailer dinner with TallGrass Natural Health. The event brought together industry leaders and retailers for an evening of connection and conversation amid a bustling trade show weekend.

Led by Ellen Wheeler, vice president of partnerships for Alive Publishing Group and publisher of CNHR, this column highlights outstanding female leaders and innovators in our natural health community.

In this issue, Ellen introduces you to Stacey Kravitz, president at UNFI Canada.

Following a successful debut at CHFA NOW Vancouver in 2024, the Retailer Roundtable—hosted by Bruce W. Cole, founder and former editor of CNHR—returned to the trade show and was met with an overwhelming response from retailers.

This issue of CNHR marks a new chapter for both the magazine and myself. I’m honoured to step into the role of publisher and carry forward the work and vision that Bruce Cole has so passionately led.

At CHFA, our focus has always been simple: create the most valuable, inspiring, and business-building experiences for our community of retailers, manufacturers, brokers, and distributors. After all of our incredible years at CHFA NOW Toronto, the momentum has only continued to grow, and we’re carrying that energy into the 2026 show with even more opportunities to learn, connect, and celebrate together.

Everywhere I looked, there were smiling faces, excited conversations, and the easy embraces of old friends. It could’ve been a scene out of a wedding or a family reunion—instead it was one from the opening of Community Natural Foods’ new Seton, Calgary store.

Carolyne Côté had never run a business before, but in 2019, she was handed the keys to one. After 15 years at the helm, Sandrine Guérin, founder of Verveine et cie, was ready to move on, and Carolyne—an employee since 2016—was intrigued by the prospect of carrying this legacy forward. Her passion for supporting healthy living helped her overcome the doubts of first-time ownership.

The release of Canada’s Organic Action Plan (OAP) set the stage for members of the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) to meet in Ottawa from November 2 to 4, 2025 to urge the federal government to increase support for the organic industry.