Let’s face it—life is more complicated than ever. Many of us feel pressed for time, overstimulated by digital media, and undernourished both physically and emotionally. We seem to have lost our buffer against stress, and, at the same time, our sense of connection has slipped away. When that happens, our well-being—mental, physical, and even environmental—suffers.

Cristina Guglielmi, CanPrev’s national director of sales, health food, shared, “We all gathered for a Customer Appreciation Day event at Good Health Mart in Hanover in November 2024. It was a wonderful event with lots of great customers and reps coming together to support the store.”

We’re thrilled to celebrate a major milestone—10 years of providing natural health products to our valued members! Since 2014, Calgary Co-op’s Natural Choice has been dedicated to offering healthy, high-quality, and pioneering natural health products that support the well-being of our community.

In 1992, Elite Nutrition began its journey of promoting health and wellness as Golden Health Food Centre in Golden, BC, before eventually evolving into one of the community’s most trusted destinations for their health needs.

In 2004, under the leadership of Mike and Linda Pecora, the store was rebranded as Elite Nutrition with a refined focus of providing supplements and natural body care. In 2024, Elite Nutrition celebrated its 20th anniversary.

There are only two ways to increase sales:

• Attract more customers.

• Sell more to your current customer base.

Simple to say! Harder to remember.

It’s official: Nutters Everyday Naturals has a new store, this one in Creston, BC.

At the 2024 CHFA NOW, held in Vancouver, retailers were encouraged to participate and share their experiences in an idea exchange during a retailer roundtable.

 Attending retailers were split into five groups and each group was asked a question about a pressing issue impacting the natural health retail industry—rent inflation, vendor relations, supply chain, consumer education, and ethical initiatives and sustainability practices.

Community Natural Foods has announced the launch of its new membership program, delivered through a new app, designed to enhance consumers’ shopping experiences and promote healthy choices.

Spring is coming and, as an ongoing goal to nurture young minds, the Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation continues to offer its educational resources to Canadian primary grade students from kindergarten to grade 3.

One of the two big news items to come from Nature’s Fare Markets in BC recently is the announcement of a new store, set to open in 2026. This new location will be in Chilliwack, about two hours east of downtown Vancouver, in the Fraser Valley. It will measure a robust 24,000 sq. ft., making it the largest of the group’s eight stores. It edges out the 21,000 sq. ft. Kamloops location, which opened in 2023. 

In this column, Ellen introduces you to Brenda Kirk, senior vice president of operations and merchandising at Pattison Food Group. During her 45 years in the grocery industry, Brenda has honed her reputation as a dynamic, strategic and committed leader who’s focused on achieving results and doing what’s right for her team and customers.

The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) hosted a Parliamentary Day on November 19, 2024, garnering strong support from Members of Parliament (MPs) and senators to advance the organic sector.

Trade show season is the perfect opportunity to discover new trends, connect with key partners, and fine-tune your store’s strategy. Are you prepared to make the most of it?

Canada’s largest trade show dedicated to natural, organic, and wellness (NOW) products is back in Vancouver, BC, this year from April 25 to 27.

During the 2024 CHFA NOW in Toronto, two very successful natural health retailers told me that they wished they were making more sales in their stores. I guess all retailers feel this way—who doesn’t want more sales? What made this different, however, was that these two are among the most astute retailers I know. If they are having concerns, it’s likely that many, or most, or all even others are too.