‍Following a successful debut at CHFA NOW Vancouver in 2024, the Retailer Roundtable—hosted by Bruce W. Cole, founder of CNHR—returned to the 2025 trade show and was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from retailers.

Tucked into neighbourhoods across Ottawa, Natural Food Pantry has spent more than four decades quietly shaping how the city shops, eats, and thinks about wellness. What began in 1981 as a family-run shop has grown into a five-location destination for everything from organic groceries to specialized supplements, without losing the personal touch that defines its roots.

Research is catching up to what many independent retailers have known for years: strong social ties are consistently associated with better health and a longer life. Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognized as major public health concerns. But the deeper point is not simply that isolation is harmful; it is also that belonging is protective.

The In Conversation With … podcast has officially launched, offering a fresh and thoughtful lens into the natural health industry. Hosted by respected industry journalist Bruce W. Cole, the series features in-depth conversations with leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and emerging voices shaping the natural health space.

After nearly 49 years in the grocery business, Choices Market Chief Operating Officer Jon Janower announced his retirement, effective April 24, 2026.

There is something electric in the moment you open your store in the morning. Those familiar faces waiting at the door are often your best customers. You may know their names, families, and health goals, but these relationships go deeper than a typical transaction and can have a lasting impact on your business.

In the early 1980s, I worked at London Drugs. There I got intensive training in merchandising. I also got the best management advice.

HFA’s Industry Night Out series is on a roll, with two recent events lighting up Halifax and Calgary!

In today’s business environment, success is no longer measured by profit alone—it is also defined by purpose, impact, and community connection. Partnering with Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation offers retailers a powerful way to align financial performance with meaningful social contribution.

The Healthy Bug, situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has been the heart of its thriving natural health community for more than 20 years. But after owning the store for more than two decades, founder Lou Liberatore decided it was time for the store to enter a new era with a new owner. Enter Sandra Wiest.

The UNFI Innovation Showcase, held April 27–28, delivered an electrifying experience as retailers, suppliers, and partners came together for a reimagined, two-day event that was impossible to miss. From the moment doors opened, the show floor pulsed with energy—loud, engaging and truly energizing—fueled by incredible products, meaningful conversations, and a shared excitement for what’s next in natural, organic, and wellness.

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 converses with Beth Potter, marketing manager, Community Natural Foods & Natural Foods.

For natural health retailers, corporate wellness programs can offer a valuable pathway to expand their impact beyond the store. By educating employees of nearby companies on key wellness strategies and tools, you can make their wellness goals a reality.

My first few months as the publisher of CNHR have been incredibly special. I’ve had the opportunity to visit industry people across Canada and connect face-to-face with those who make our natural health community so vibrant and resilient. These conversations and experiences have reminded me just how community-focused this industry truly is.

Canadian natural health retailers often position themselves as resources that help people in their communities enjoy healthier lives. They provide natural, organic, and wellness products along with trustworthy guidance on natural health solutions. All such efforts are rooted in community values of supporting family, friends, and local health initiatives.