The following is a letter from CHFA president Helen Long.  Please read it and take appropriate action.

If you were at CHFA East, you were probably hearing a lot of buzz on the show floor about #NHPsAreNotDrugs, our latest campaign in support of the natural health product industry. If you weren’t in attendance, this is a critical issue for our entire industry and we need everyone to help.

CHFA presentation of Bruce Cole accepting the John Holtmann Award in Vancouver.

Sangster’s Franchise has started the year off with a bang and the announcement that three new stores are scheduled to open before July.  “We’re excited to be going into some new markets for us, where the choice of a good selection of natural remedies and organics has been lacking,” explained Wanda Wilson, vice-president of Sangster’s Franchise head office.  One store is opening in Alberta in April, while the other two stores open in Ontario: one in May, and the other tentatively set for June.   

Sangster’s 45th anniversary celebration started off in January and continues with great sales and prizes given away throughout the year.  sangsters.com 

Grocery Headquarters Magazine has again selected Eden Foods as a winner of the magazine’s Selling Wellness Trailblazer Award for 2016.

The awards recognize innovation within the wellness category and are designed to honour those companies and organizations that have had the most impact on the industry. Grocery Headquarters’ editorial team used a number of criteria in reviewing candidates by selecting companies that value and exhibit a strong commitment to innovation, creativity, transparency and sustainability.

This is the sixth time Eden Foods has been awarded a Trailblazer Award by Grocery Headquarters. 

Although the annual CHFA West conference and trade show is being held a bit later in the spring this year, the industry can be assured of one thing; it will be well worth the wait.  The tagline – Showcasing Innovation, Inspiring Retailers – sets the stage for what you can expect. And with the show floor already more than 90 per cent sold, retailers can be assured that there will be lots of new and exciting products to explore. The conference portion runs May 12 and 13, while the trade show floor is open May 14 and 15.

New this year, CHFA has partnered with the Rising Stars Leadership Group to bring an executive education forum to the conference program.  This forum will feature content developed specifically for retail managers in the natural foods industry and will be an exclusive offering for CHFA members.  In addition to the forum, which will run on May 12, the conference program on May 13 has incorporated a robust line-up of speakers and topics that will help retailers to excel in a very competitive marketplace. Topics will include customer service, merchandising, employee performance management and so much more. 

Watch for more details in the CHFA West show issue coming in the May-June issue of CNHR.  Until then, regular updates on the conference and trade show are available at chfa.ca and, if you are not already receiving the show email promotions, send your contact information to info@chfa.ca to get on the list of subscribers. 

For the past two years, Organika has supported Fundamentals for Change (FFC) with donations of supplements, school supplies and clothing.  Most recently, the village of Riverton, Jamaica was the beneficiary of FCC’s efforts to make a difference. 

The 35th Annual Guelph Organic Conference & Trade Show (Jan. 28-31, 2016) will connect hundreds of like-minded individuals again this year.

“It’s a wonderful showcase of organic foods – many Ontario based,” says Almut Pfenning of Pfenning’s Organic & More in St. Agatha, Ontario.  “It’s so awesome, it gives me goose bumps.”  For over 18 years, Almut, her husband Wolfgang and their children have had a booth at the event.  “We are educators in food.  We want to convey the message that it is possible to heal yourself with food and to use food as medicine.  It can be possible to lose touch with food when you are also selling creams, supplements and other items,” says Almut.

“The people at the conference understand the value of good food.  You look at them and their faces have colour and rosy cheeks.  They know how to cook and appreciate the vegetables that we sell at our booth,” notes Almut. 

Not only does the conference draw hundreds of consumers, like those shopping with Almut, it also attracts many other key players in the organic category such as retailers, growers, market garden producers, suppliers, advocates and others.

“We see a lot of our own growers and get a chance to talk with them in person,” says Almut.  “We have also made connections for our store.”  For example, “we have found suppliers of meat and apples through the conference.”

 “It’s a real cross section of people who come to the conference,” notes Tomas Nimmo, Conference Manager.  “From government representatives to certifiers to growers, to movers and shakers – we’ve got them all attending.  That’s a lot of knowledge and resources gathered in one spot.”

“Organics is in an upswing right now, but it’s important the sector really solidifies its position,” says Tomas.  “Like any expanding business model, there are challenges.  By having strong connections, the sector will be better prepared to deal with whatever comes its way,” he emphasizes.

“What always strikes me about the conference, and the organic sector, is the willingness of people to give information and share,” notes Tomas.  “I always say ‘never stop promoting.’  I’ll rest a little easier when organic is more than 10% of market share.  That’s when it will be really big,” says Tomas.

This year’s conference will feature over 150 exhibitors including Pfenning’s Organic (both the farm distributor and Almut’s store),  Ontario Natural Food Co-op, Nature’s Path, Crofters, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods, Sunshine Pickles, Organics Live and dozens more.  The workshop schedule is jam packed with 42 program offerings covering a diverse range of topics including certification, pollination, urban gardening, organic crop & livestock production, biodynamics and much more. 

The Guelph Organic Conference takes place January 28 to 31, 2016.  Registration, maps & details can be found at www.guelphorganicconf.ca.  For those interested in exhibiting in 2017, contact Tomas Nimmo at 705-444-0923 or organix@auracom.com to be added to the waiting list.  •

United Biopharmaceuticals Inc. (UBI) has introduced cold­Q enhancement, an all-natural oral spray, free of pesticides, heavy metals and preservatives.  This unique herbal formula was used by hospitals in China to save the lives of many people during the SARS epidemic of 2003, and was registered for
sale in Canada by UBI, a wholly owned
Canadian company. cold­Q is available in a small countertop six pack bilingual display.  Available through Purity Life.   www.coldq.com

Preferred Nutrition is now distributing VegiDay and SeaRich Omega-3.  The VegiDay line provides “energy from the ground up” with raw, organic plant based proteins and organic coconut snack food.VegiDay is part of a growing movement that encourages everyone to welcome and sustain life by reducing consumption of animal protein.

SeaRich Omega-3 is made using the highest quality omega-3 fish oil. To create a truly delicious family of products, fish oils have been blended with natural, non-GMO flavours to create formulas every member of the family can enjoy including grapefruit punch, coconut-lime and lemon meringue.

 For more information on the VegiDay and SeaRich Omega-3 lines call your Preferred Nutrition account manager or 888/826-9625.  •

One a recent road trip, I made my first-ever visit to St. Francis Herb Farms, a family-owned business that has been operating for 27 years. St. Francis is situated in the beautiful Madawaska Valley, a unique, remote, cottage country region, two hours northwest of Ottawa, and three and a half hours northeast of Toronto. Paul Rivett-Carnac is the company president.  His parents – Monique and Jeremy – are the company founders, and today, Paul is a co-owner of the business, along with his wife Caitlin.

The big news at St. Francis during the visit was the announcement of the company’s recent purchase of a 50 acre farm.  “This will take us back to the early days of the company,” explained Paul, “when my parents grew and harvested many of the herbs.  On our new farm, we will grow many of the herbs we use in St. Francis formulations.  Over the years, we have grown so much, and seen multiple expansions to our manufacturing facilities, we have contracted local organic farmers to help augment herb supplies.  The new farm will allow us to – along with our current farming partners – further source as many herbs locally as possible.”                          Story/photo: Bruce W. Cole

Three Ontario retailers walked away with hardware during the annual CHFA East Awards on September 19 in Toronto.

Kardish Health Food Centre in Ottawa was named winner of the Brock Elliott Memorial Award for Excellence in Retailing.   Eamonn McKay of  Fiddleheads Health and Nutrition in Waterloo was presented with the CHFA Excellence in Retail Sales award.  Foodsmiths in Perth captured  the CHFA Sustainability Award – Retailer category.  The only non-Ontarian to win a retailer award was Story Sheidow of The Turning Point, in Montague, PEI., who took home the Gordon Storie Memorial Bursary.

Summer may be winding down but the industry is just gearing up for what is sure to be the best CHFA East to-date.

Aura Cacia is pleased to be supporting consumers with easy ways to make safe and natural personal care at home using essential oils.

The long-awaited Bio-K Plus Vanilla Probiotic arrived in stores as of August 1st. 

Alice Chung, the owner of Alive Health Centre in British Columbia, recently won the RBC Top Entrepreneur Award.   Alice, who also owns Supplements Plus in Toronto and Morning Sun in Alberta, was also recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 Immigrants for 2015.