In most ways, Wellness Market in Windsor, ON is very much like a traditional health food store, offering vitamins, supplements, and some dry grocery items. However, over the eight years she’s owned her business, Kaila Seguin has shown a propensity for doing things that will give her store a little inspirational kick in the pants and offer something new to her customer base.

How can you and I influence the world for the better? It’s tempting to feel powerless—yet history and common sense remind us that making even a small difference in our local communities can ripple outward, creating real and lasting change.

“In Her Own Words” is a column that highlights outstanding female leaders and innovators in our natural health community.

Led by Ellen Wheeler, vice president of partnerships for Alive Publishing Group and publisher of CNHR, the column shines a light on industry women making a real impact.

A couple years ago, with the 50^th anniversary of his natural health food store on the horizon, Dellard Labrosse was starting to feel the weight of the five decades he had spent building and maintaining his business. But he’s not just the founder of Georgian Bay Whole Foods in Parry Sound, ON—Dellard also operated a natural food warehouse and ran a delivery service that supplied dozens of health food stores over Central Ontario.

Sometimes, you just know when it is time.

Sipology, creators of functional, sippable products that help replace unhealthy habits, is bringing its brand of wellness-focused teas and matchas to retail shelves across the country. The lineup includes products like GutBalance, Sweet Matcha, and Inflammation Fighter.

Brands looking to make a meaningful impact must prioritize the needs and wants of their target demographic. To help brands better understand what Canadian women truly need from wellness products, Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) partnered with Leger to survey over 1,500 females aged 18 and over, including 418 Wellness Superconsumers—a consumer segment deeply engaged in health and natural products—about what it is that they want. 

In this issue, Ellen introduces you to Andrea Benson, country leader at Puresource, part of NOW Health Group, where she leads a team focused on delivering trusted natural wellness products across Canada. With nearly 30 years of experience in marketing, strategy, and organizational transformation, her career spans roles at the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, the Canadian Heart Research Centre, Maple Leaf Foods, High Liner Foods, and Export Packers.

‍Elizabeth Hellebrand has been named director of operations for Nutters Everyday Naturals. Most recently, she was a regional manager for the company. In her new role, Elizabeth will play a central role in advancing Nutters’ strategic objectives and ensuring the organization continues delivering exceptional value to its customers and partners.

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At the 2025 CHFA NOW show, 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 the following pressing issues impacting the natural health retail industry: navigating tariffs and supply chain challenges, enhancing customer experience to drive sales, building and motivating high-performing teams, creating collaborative partnerships to boost growth, and innovating and adapting in a changing market.

The Nutters Everyday Naturals conference and trade show brought together a host of franchisees, managers, vendors, and other key industry experts to Medicine Hat, Alberta, between September 8 and 11.

In mid-September last year, close to 50 natural health retailers gathered in the small rural town of Barry’s Bay, Ontario, for a “Seed to Shelf Experience” at the St. Francis Herb Farm manufacturing facility. The event included opportunities to experience some of the herbs growing in the surrounding fields.

Looking back on my career, the best advice I ever received was from business guru Brian Tracy back in the early 90s. He said, “If you want to be the best at anything, study it for 60 minutes a day. One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years, you’ll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do.”

AI is transforming our lives, which also echoes into our children’s learning and leisure time. What can we do to ensure that the next generation stays close to the natural world because within it are life lessons that are harder to learn in a digital world.

On a warm sunny morning in late September, the newly designed Vita Health Fresh Market in Osborne Village welcomed customers with a week-long celebration. Shoppers enjoyed deals, demos, and events held to celebrate the location’s renovation. It’s welcome timing for the Vita Health’s marketing manager, Kelly Lyons, who notes that the store’s makeover mirrors the area’s transformation.