The column is led by Ellen Wheeler, vice president of partnerships for Alive Publishing Group and associate publisher of CNHR. In this column, Ellen introduces you to Deb Larocque, national sales manager at Assured Natural Distribution with 26 years in sales and marketing.

For years, the Organic Council of Ontario (OCO) has been a vital advocate for organic farmers, building public trust, promoting transition, and advancing sustainable agriculture. But despite these efforts, the organic movement in Ontario is facing a troubling trend: fewer farmers are staying certified organic. Even with rising climate concern, consumer demand isn’t keeping pace with supply.

Since 2002, Pure Lab Vitamins has led the way in effective, Canadian-made magnesium supplements. Their trusted magnesium glycinate line now offers excipient-free selections that meet today’s growing demand for cleaner, more natural supplements.

Imagine strolling the aisles of your local natural health retailer and spotting foods and supplements proudly displaying a “feeds your microbes” badge. I believe if that were to happen, chronic-disease curves would finally begin trending downward.

You can help kids across Canada experience the wonder of the seed-to-table cycle, one garden at a time.

Until November 30, 2025, the Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation will match your donation up to $1,500 per school garden.

A.Vogel had the pleasure of hosting a lovely dinner in Montréal, Quebec, with some of the Health First retail partners from across Canada.

This is a big anniversary year for Lifestyle Markets in Victoria, BC. It was 30 years ago—in 1995—when Lifestyle Markets first opened on Victoria’s Douglas Street with the goal to offer natural and organic produce and groceries, supplements, vitamins, and bodycare products.

The Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) has announced Randy Whittaker as the recipient of the 2025 CHFA Willie Pelzer Hall of Fame Award. Over a remarkable, four-decade career, Randy’s leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment have helped shape Canada’s natural, organic, and wellness industry.

The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) champions the growth and integrity of organic trade from farm to marketplace. As a national voice for organic, COTA works at the intersection of policy and trade, advocating for enabling regulatory environments for organic businesses, protecting the organic logo, and driving market opportunity.

Prairie Naturals’ chair and CEO Jewel Tran and company president and CFO Dennis Fong are thrilled to announce that they have officially acquired Healthology International Inc. in July 2025.

After another extremely successful event in 2022, the alive Executive Summit is back in February 2026, bringing together top-level decision makers from across North America for a one-of-a-kind experience.

CHFA NOW Toronto is back this September 19 to 21, and we’re gearing up for our biggest show yet! As Canada’s largest trade show dedicated to natural, organic, and wellness (NOW) products, this is the can’t-miss event that has the entire industry talking.

While attending the Health First Network (HFN) annual general meeting (AGM) in Montréal, Quebec, this past spring, I made it a point to try and connect with people I’d never met before. It was very encouraging to meet some first-time AGM retailer attendees, folks who in many cases are brand new to our industry.

Canada, the world’s fifth-largest organic market, remains at the forefront of environmentally responsible practices. According to a 2023 survey conducted by the Government of Canada on consumer perceptions of food, 87 percent of surveyed Canadians reported purchasing organic “sometimes” to “always.”

Organic Month is the perfect opportunity to connect with customers, support organic producers, and showcase a commitment to sustainability.

Nature’s Signature, a leading health and wellness retailer, opened its newest location in May 2025—inside the Metro grocery store—at 640 Mapleview Drive East, Barrie, Ontario.

This is the 18th store under the Nature’s Source and Nature’s Signature brands.