Steve Hollingsworth has been hired as CEO of Nature’s Emporium; Joe D’Addario named board chair
When Nature’s Emporium announced the appointment of Steve Hollingsworth as thes new CEO in August 2025, it marked the first time in the company’s 32-year history that it would be led by someone whose last name is not D’Addario.
Company co-founder, former CEO, and newly named board chair Joe D’Addario laughs when told this fact. “That is absolutely 100 percent true. It is a first. But really, that is a testament to how far our business has come. To me, it’s a positive thing.”
After more than three decades at the helm, Joe thought the timing was right for the change. “I started doing this at 28 years of age, so I felt it was time for me to step back from the responsibilities of the day-to-day action and look toward growing the company for the long term.
“We have built a strong foundation, so the timing was right to bring someone like Steve in. He is a young, high-energy person. He has great business acumen: he was president of Genuine Health, and before that, he spent a lot of time with Loblaws on the health-related side. He is experienced, and passionate about our business. His personality fits our culture, so really, we felt he was the right fit.”
Joe says the search for a new CEO started in October 2024. “I turned 60 in May, so that was kind of a milestone for me personally, and it made me look at what we needed for the future. We needed a strong strategic, operational person to come in as CEO and we found that with Steve.”
In his new role as board chair for Nature’s Emporium, Joe says he is looking forward to going back to his “sweet spot” and re-igniting his entrepreneurial spirit. “Over the years, as the company got bigger and had to focus more and more on the operational aspect, I was pulled away from focusing on the visionary role more than I wanted, which I felt was always a strength for me.
“Also, a big part of my new role is governance, making sure things are being done correctly, meeting our culture and ethics. I’ve also been introducing Steve to all our major stakeholders, sharing all the relationships I have built over the years with him. I want to be Steve’s compass, providing direction and mentorship as he needs it.”
While Joe will no longer be involved in day-to-day operations, the D’Addario family remains active stakeholders with a vested interest in the company’s continued success.