Thank you all so very much for being here tonight.
I have truly agonized over how to show my appreciation to all the people who have supported me, believed in me, hired me, & put up with me over the past 47 years.
There are self-made people and then there are what I would call “people-made people.” I fall into this second category, because I would not be here tonight before you without all the people who have brought so much to my life.
Leaders
I worked for some amazing leaders in this industry – many of them pioneers, original visionaries and risk-takers.
They all had the same mission: helping people live a healthy lifestyle. David Chapman, the founder of Purity Life, was fond of reminding us regularly during my time with Purity: “We make a difference in people’s lives’’.
What I’ve seen
I have seen most of the current natural health categories and brands launch.
I’ve also seen many Brands and businesses rise and fall however…there is one I would like to tell you about…the one product that stands out above the rest, launched when I was first hired at Flora in 1986 as rep out of Winnipeg.
This was when Siegfried Guersche, founder Alive magazine, the magazine which built the industry in the early years, inspired Udo Erasmus to write the book Fats and Oils together.
They introduced OMEGA 3s to the North American market. It was the first Omega 3 product – Flora Flax Oil. They were supported each step of the way by Flora’s owner, Thomas Greither, who supplied the original oil press machine. Thomas perfected the best way to produce flaxseed oil. He was an innovator and pioneer in the production of commercial high-quality organic plant-based oils, allowing them to retain the integrity of the essential fatty acids.
There were no OMEGA 3s prior to mid-80’s. Currently, Omega 3 is a top-selling supplement in Canada and the world.
Industry trivia:
While travelling with Udo on his first road trip throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta as he did trainings to retailers, consumer and local media. The support person who booked the hotel room, food, media and itineraries was Lorna Vanderhaeghe.
Retailers
I have met so many amazing retailers on my travels coast to coast the past 35 years, most were women. They taught me that caring is the strongest of all-natural medicines!
We could fill volumes with countless testimonials of people living healthier more vibrant lives once they were introduced to a natural lifestyle. We all know there is no “one-diet-or- supplement-regime-fits-all – Every person has different needs. And it’s the people in the health stores who are the ones to guide each individual’s path to good health. They have always taken the time to care, listen, understand, and suggest products that safely prevent most chronic health conditions.
The independent retailers have been servicing Canadian communities safely, with life-changing results since I came into the industry. This should never change!
What has changed in retail, mind you, is when I was first in retail I do not recall any Type 2 Diabetics, the rare Gluten Intolerance, Autism, ADHD, while environmental disorders were just starting to be diagnosed…
Experts
I have worked with many industry experts who travelled across Canada on a regular basis educating store staff, consumers and media while laying the foundation for the current $149B natural product industry.
These people worked their butts off, they often flew in late……6am media – all day store visits – 7PM lecture – last book signed 10pm – next day repeat…
Thank you, Udo, Elaine, Natasha, Sam, Lorna, Brad, Dr. Jensen, Dr. Whitaker, Dr. Cass, Mike Dean, Dr. Marita, Dr. Kate, Julie, Dr. Rona, Dr. Jen & my good friend 95 years old Dr. Ken Gifford Jones Walker.
And thank you to the many more here in the audience, who work to help raise awareness of the benefits of natural safe foods and medicine, as sold in health foods stores. Thank you for what you do!
CO-WORKERS
I have to recognize the people I worked with during my days at Flora, Purity and Preferred Nutrition. Over half my career was spent working in these dynamic, innovative, trend-setting companies.
We had so much fun, we had so much freedom to create, as no one had done it before. We had some crazy success! Crazy…so much fun, exhilarating, and risky for the owners…
The people made the companies look good. I could never say enough. The teamwork of production, order entry, purchasing, Finance to out the warehouse doors was continually improving through the efforts of hard-working dedicated people & loyal people.
I’ve been very fortunate with the sales and marketing teams I’ve worked with, led by outstanding marketing managers Shelagh/Flora, Kathleen/Purity and Lynn Zions/Preferred. Can’t say enough. I was so lucky!
To natural health PR pioneers, Beth Potter and Shelley Armstrong, thank you for booking the media for many of the experts for over 20 years. This media attention had a major impact on the sales of NHPs across Canada. Through their efforts working with media, they filled many halls across the county: some examples – 850 in Ottawa, 700 in Windsor, 450 in Prince Albert, 450 in Charlottetown and similar in many more communities from coast to coast.
I am so happy I have this moment to recognize these unsung heroes as they drove new consumers and sales to the stores for all our benefit… I have worked with many fine sales managers. However, the one who I would like to acknowledge tonight is Deb Larocque. Not so much for being a good sales manager, though she is very gifted, no I’d like to recognize Deb for teaching me about the importance of culture in the workplace, Though I always recognized team spirit and working well together created the best results, Deb, showed me how culture is the invisible glue that holds a company together and is based on the integrity of everyone in the business. Of everything I’ve learned, this should be held most sacred above all else. I wished I had learned it earlier…
I could be up here all-night recognizing people but I will try and be brief… Kirby, Linda, Rheece, Rhonda, Bill & Lou, thank you for helping me start Preferred Nutrition, my most recent adventure in business. Heidi, Denise and entire Preferred team and Nancy Cheeseman…thanks for the memories…
Thank you, Mike Hobson, from Natural Factors for 45 years friendship and support along with Maureen Goldsmith while building Preferred.
Thank you, to my brother Dwight for loaning me $3,000 so I could buy my first store back in 1975. The store owner was having a bad day and sold me half his store (for $6,000!)
Thank you to Bruce Reid from the Vitamin Shop, here tonight with his wife Jennica and son Jonn , to Alice Chung from Alive Health Centers, we sure go back a ways, and Jason Sebeslav here with his mother Anjie Wirth who founded the Peanut Mill in St Catherines, for being here tonight. Each have supported, mentored and bought a lot of product from me since we first met in the mid-80s. And here you are decades later, still successful leaders of your own businesses, as well leaders within the entire Canadian NHP industry. Thank you!
Thank you to my long-time friend Amber Davies, who worked with me at Flora, and to my understanding, was the first female sales rep in the country. We’ve been friends for over 40 years. My heart always enjoys your company.
Thank you to Roland Gahler, the founder of Natural Factors, for being my first friend in the industry. Roland and I met in 1975 when I owned my first store. At the time, he was a sales rep for his Father’s company. Roland gave me my first sales and marketing tips when I was a new retailer. I guess he taught me well because now I am doing what he did for me all those years ago: travelling the country an Ambassador for Natural Factors & Assured, giving sales and marketing tips. Thank you Roland for your friendship throughout my career!
Thank you to my daughter Alexandra who is here tonight with her boyfriend Dion and to her Mom Brenda and my son Sean for their love, support and patience as they followed me across Canada on my next business challenge.
We could have just stayed in North Vancouver, Flora was treating me very well…North Van was pretty sweet…But if I hadn’t have gone, I would have missed the most amazing journey.
My son told me he had no interest in the health food business so now he is in Hazleton BC working with his aunt Rhonda and Mom Brenda run their local health store…
Thank you to Sandra my honey who along with her wonderful daughters Paige and Mackenzie & her Mom have welcomed me into their family, so I am loved, pampered, kept healthy and made sure to be presentable before coming on stage tonight.
To CHFA a big thank you for allowing me this moment in the spotlight for a career that gave purpose and meaning to an ordinary life. Thanks Helen, for 20 years of dedication to the CHFA cause! & Thank you, Bruce, for helping edit my speech, the friendship, travelling companion and kick in pants encouragement to begin writing in your magazine and training stores, it is something I truly love to do and have you to thank for giving me purpose!
Love for Industry
My love for the natural lifestyle began in 1973 when I realized what I ate could influence my thoughts, feelings, actions, behavior and even the outcome of my life.
On that topic, I have to tell you this one little story In the early 80s, I started a mail-order business with a friend. I drove across Canada selling vitamins & building a mailing list at big exhibitions, Red River Days, Buffalo Days, Klondike Days, Calgary Stampede, CNE and PNE.
I must have asked thousands and thousands of people, “hey do you take vitamins? are you a vitamin user?”’.
One day I was working the Victoria Home Show, which was very slow, verrrry….
The booth next to me was manned by a biker gang, doing tattoos. We played cards with the bikers during slow times…they were great guys.
One evening, a woman came to ask me what I was doing, probably feeling sorry for me.
I began to tell her about the benefits of hi dose vitamins.
She shared a sad story: she told me her husband had been sent home to die due to his heart condition. She wandered away, but returned a few minutes with her husband. I showed him the suggested program for heart disease in the book by Paavo Airolas ‘How to Get Well.’ It was the Prescription for Nutritional Healing of it’s day.
Anyway, he bought some supplements, took the book and was on his way. Five years later, I was working as a rep for Nationwide, which was founded by Aaron and Rattana Stephens.
During a sales call in West End Vancouver, at one of my all-time favorite stores, Garden Health, I was waiting to speak with the manager, when suddenly, a man came up to me and put his arms around me and gave me a huge hug.
I had no idea who he was and since I was in the West End, I thought he had taken a liking to me.
He took a step back, looked up at me and said “You do not remember me! You saved my life!” I looked again and realized:
It was the man from the Victoria home show who had been sent home to die.
Think of this for a minute: by stopping by my booth in Victoria – during one of my failed business ventures – I was able to help guide him to a healthy lifestyle, so he could regain his life when he was given up for dead. That had a real effect on me and showed me that even though the business failed, its purpose succeeded.
I have been so blessed to have a career that surrounded me with people whose sole intention was making a difference in people’s lives with clean, safe, effective foods and medicines.
People just like each one of you.
We are all blessed to work in a business where what we do makes a positive difference in the health of the plants, all creatures, people and the Planet.
What a wonderful business we find ourselves in…truly!
He also has an 18,000 square foot warehouse with a 4,000 square foot organic food processing facility and 400 Rainbow Acres products. He also does private label productions for other stores, including Cheryl Hughes and The Whole Wheatery in Lancaster, California. We spoke with Howard for the Natural Health Movement Project.
I’m Cheryl Hughes on the owner of The Whole Wheatery and I started my journey in the natural products industry in 1979 when I went to work for a company that actually pioneered nutrition in California. And that was Gladys Lindberg and I worked for Lindberg Nutrition.
Lindberg Nutrition
At the time they had 13 stores and they were really right there in the forefront with Adele Davis, Linus Pauling, Carlton Fredericks — all of those girls and boys were the ones that really got this industry to another level.
Mrs. Lindberg was actually the person that founded the pack a day because she had customers that were blind and they needed some of the supplements so she put them together in a little baggie for them at the time. There was only like vitamin A, vitamin C, lecithin, and brewer’s yeast.
But her story was so amazing and that when she started feeding her children well, they became rosy-cheeked and healthy and other parents wanted her information. So they birthed this company Lindberg Nutrition.
Nature’s Best
Lindberg Nutrition actually founded a warehouse distribution center called Nature’s Best which today is known as KeHE.
So there is a great evolution of history in the natural products industry.
When I first worked for Lindberg’s, I used to go to the trade shows all the time and I got the opportunity to meet the people that founded these companies.
Natural Health Trade Shows
I mean there was Rachael Perry, who was the queen of cosmetics at the time. I actually did shake the hand of Linus Pauling and Jeffrey Bland. Linus Pauling, as you know instituted and pioneered all the work in vitamin C.
Dr. Wilfred Shute did all the work in vitamin E. He was there.
And from the Merv Griffin Show, there were the people that did Life Extension – Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw.
The founder of Arrowhead Mills, Frank Ford.
These people walked the store floors.
It was like going to Hollywood of the natural products industry. So those trade shows were absolutely filled with a plethora of people and information and they were so exciting to attend and they still are natural products. Expo East and Expo West is full of the same kind of energy.
It’s almost a tangible energy.
People inventing and creating and coming up with new products all along. So fast forward I decided to start my own business and figured that Lindbergh was a great groundbreaking way to get in the natural products industry and I learned what I needed to learn and opened my own store in 1983 and I’m still here it’s 36 years later.
The Whole Wheatery, Lancaster California
And it was a great experience because we started out with a little cafe a few sit down seats. We did soup and sandwiches and shakes and smoothies which we still do today soups and sandwiches shakes and smoothies. But in a much larger format, we had three or four people that worked for us.
Now we have almost 50, but the other thing that I would say about the interesting parts of the early days is I had the opportunity to go back to school actually and get my degree in nutrition counseling. The National Institute of Nutritional Education was an online course that allowed us to be able to counsel and talk to people about nutrition.
Howard Pollack, Nature’s Best, Rainbow Acres
The other thing that was really great is that I decided that I wanted to be part of the industry and I met retailers like Howard Pollack from Rainbow Acres who actually was the original founder of Nature’s Best buy selling it over to the Lindburg Nutrition family.
And Howard said to me if you really want to get involved in this industry you need to sit on a board. And I go “board of what?”
Natural Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA)
He said a board of directors that serves the natural products industry. And so I sat on the NNFA which was the Natural Nutritional Foods Association at the time.
I served there for probably 12 years during that time we had several experiences that changed the face of the industry.
Natural Labeling and Education Act (NLEA)
We had the in NLEA, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, which was the first major fight to make sure that we protected consumers’ rights for advocacy of nutritional supplements and their ability to buy them over the counter.
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)
Ten years later we went back in 1994, and we did that to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
I was actually very prominent in working for that because we helped to create something called the blackout which we showed consumers and customers across the United States what it would be like if they did not have access to dietary supplements if they had to go to their doctor and they couldn’t just walk into a natural product store and buy it off the shelf.
So we had to lobby Congress. We had to get petitions. We had to blackout sales for a day and this was an amazing event that went all across the United States. And retailers participated and that’s how we gathered enough signatures to actually get that really in front of Congress and really go after Congress and say look we need access to this. We met with Congressmen we met with Senators we advocated on Capitol Hill.
We did a lot of work and we finally got DSHEA passed. Now DSHEA is still the law that’s in existence today that protects the dietary supplement industry and allows us to continue to sell dietary supplements over the counter without a prescription.
It also has all the regulatory backbone that’s necessary for the FDA to do anything that would be a problem with a dietary supplement. You know that adverse effects and adverse events are reported so the FDA knows what’s going on. They get the opportunity to look at a product to see if that product can go to market. So all the regulatory promotions. I mean regulatory backbone is still in DSHEA today.
Organic Trade Association (OTA)
So back up a little further and even during that time I was able to participate in something called the Organic Trade Association which was just being birthed and OTA is what actually started to work within NOSB, the National Organic Standards Board, at the USDA and develop standards for organic retailing.
I served on the board that did the Organic Retailing Standards and there how you do organic handling of products. So that was a fabulous experience I’ve been a member of OTA and still am today. They’re back looking at that.
Good Organic Retail Practice (GORP)
GORP, which is the Good Organic Retail Practice part of the organic legislation. So how they can upgrade and maybe make that a little bit more available and known to all retailers across the United States. So we keep and maintain the integrity of organics from farm to table.
So that was a wonderful foray. I served on that for several years.
Food Market Institute (FMI)
Then I got involved with FMI, which is the Food Market Institute, which is the big grocery conglomerate. And I served on the Natural Products Board for them and that was a whole different experience because we’re talking about stores that in those early days didn’t have anything but standard grocery items. And what we found was they were starting to bring in natural products.
Well, fast forward and take a look today baby because natural products are at every supermarket, every 7-Eleven, everywhere.
Natural Foods Everywhere
And I remember one of the wishes of the industry, as I heard it in the early days, was to make natural foods available and affordable for everybody and it seems like that’s becoming truer and truer every day.
So those experiences of getting involved in the industry serving on boards was just an incredibly fertile ground for me to continue to embrace the industry that I love and that I serve.
Independent Natural Foods Retailers Association (INFRA)
And then along came an organization called INFRA, the Independent Natural Foods Retailers Association.
Competition got tighter and tighter, Big Box carried more and more natural products. Independent stores had to look for a way to band together and to be able to work as a virtual chain so that we can have leveraged buying power so that we can have an availability for products so that we could become a player in the arena with the Whole Foods, the Albertsons, and the Costcos.
So INFRA was born out of that idea to serve the independent retailer as a virtual chain and give us access to products at a fair and reasonable price so that we could compete on that level.
It’s been an amazing journey. I ended up serving on that board too.
I absolutely love the opportunity to see how we can feed the planet and make a difference.
Look at the climate control issues that we’re having.
Work with climate collaborative work with the non-GMO project work with the Organic Foods Association.
Integrate all of these things and be the messengers because it is the independent natural foods retailers that carry this story forward.
We are always the voice. We launch new products.
We stand at the forefront of protecting consumers’ right to be able to have products and the natural foods industry available. We encourage those entrepreneurs that create these incredible products and we bring these products to market with the story behind them.
What companies do they support?
How do they think?
Who do they stand behind?
Who do they make alignments with?
Who do they give money to?
How can we make the planet better?
How can we serve by telling people stories of the great products that they make?
Power of Independent Retailers
And that’s what the independents do all day long because we have the opportunity to one-on-one service our customers.
So in my journey and the natural foods industry from the late 70s until currently it’s an ever-evolving role of learning, of being able to embrace something new and pass on that information to change people’s lives to encourage them to support organics and biodynamic farming to be able to understand why that’s important to understand the difference that we can make in climate.
Sustainability
The difference that we can make in sustainability a product like supporting something like sustainably harvested palm. I mean for years and years harvesting palm destroyed the orangutan population.
Now we have a way to sustainably harvest palm and at the same time support the people in these countries that need supporting because they’re getting paid fair market wages.
So we have been an industry that has created Fair Trade.
We’ve created fair pricing. We have supported and advocated for that and actually taught consumers the importance of looking for these kinds of labels.
Non-Genetically Modified Organisms (Non-GMO)
We’ve stood behind the Non-GMO. We’ve proposed and supported and really actually told people the story of why organic integrity is so important in standing behind USDA organic and the certifications that go into it.
These stories are stories that need to be told and independent retailers do that the best of anyone. So I’m really proud to be a part of them.
