IHR April 2014

YOUR HEALTH CATEGORY SOURCE

P U B L I C AT I O N S M A I L 4 2 7 0 9 0 1 3 | 6 0 B L O O R S T R E E T W E S T S U I T E 1 1 0 6 | T O R O N T O O N TA R I O , M 4W 3 B 8 | $ 6 | A P R I L 2 0 1 4

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Aecetia A fresh take on coconut oil

New Traditions

La Moisson experiences new success: St-Thérèse, QC

Drug interactions for cutting-edge ingredients

QUICK GUIDE:

HOW TO CHOOSE The Right Omega-3

EPA and DHA are important nutrients that play important roles in heart health, brain health, child and infant development, inflammation, and other functions throughout life. The graphic below shows the daily recommended amounts of EPA and DHA for special conditions and stages of life.

Pregnancy & Nursing

300 mg

Infants at least 300 mg EPA and DHA

at least 300 mg EPA and DHA

Toddlers (age 2-3)

400 mg

at least 400 mg EPA and DHA

Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events 300-600 mg EPA and DHA

Children (2-5 years)

600 mg

Children (4+ years)

500-600 mg EPA and DHA

Psychiatric Health

at least 600 mg EPA and DHA

1000 mg

Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events 900-1200 mg EPA and DHA

at least 1000 mg EPA and DHA

2000 mg

Inflammation 2000-4000 mg EPA and DHA

3000 mg

Lowering Triglycerides 3000-4000 mg EPA and DHA

4000 mg

Learn more at webbernaturals.com | 1-800-430-7898 This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment of conditions that should be interpreted and managed by a qualified health care provider.

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NEW! Fall Asleep Sooner Stay Asleep Longer Dual action release provides better, sounder sleep Maximum Strength Melatonin from webber naturals ® helps restore the natural sleep-wake cycle for better, more restorative sleep. The advanced bi-layer technology offers an immediate release of 5 mg melatonin to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, followed by a gradual release of 5 mg melatonin to improve the length and quality of sleep and reduce wakefulness.

Persistent sleep problems adversely affect the whole body as restorative sleep is necessary for healing and growth. Sleeping problems may arise due to changes in routine and diet, aging, disease, and anxiety. Shift workers, travellers crossing time zones, those with problems of melatonin synthesis, and anyone exposed to insufficient natural light may experience more frequent and severe bouts of insomnia.

Research shows that taking a melatonin supplement close to bedtime can reset the sleep-wake cycle, allowing you to return to a restful pattern of regular sleep. Unlike pharmaceutical sleeping pills, which can disrupt the critical REM stage of sleep, melatonin works with the body’s natural hormones to support REM sleep.

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Brzezinski, A., Vangel, M., Wurtman, R., et al. (2005). Effects of exogenous melatonin on sleep: a meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev, 9(1):41-50.

Herxheimer, A., Petrie, K.J. (2002). Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2:CD001520.

Kunz, D., Mahlberg, R., Müller, C., et al. (2004). Melatonin in patients with reduced REM sleep duration: two randomized controlled trials.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 89(1):128-34.

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sans gluten Š Way Better Snacks 2013. All Rights reserved.

Publisher’s letter YOUR HEALTH CATEGORY SOURCE

ISSN 1197 - 1495 | V O L U M E 1 4

A new note has been sent notifying the prime minister that border officers routinely waive duties on merchandise purchased in the U.S. when the value is below a certain threshold, though details have not yet been indicated of what that threshold is.

My understanding is this has been happening to adjust the so-called Canada-U.S. price gap. A few things have not yet been clarified, such as whether it is only affecting the Canada-U.S. border, especially when we know that out of the 55 million visits that Canadians are making south, 33 million of those are one-day trips. From another point of view on the subject, the Retail Council of Canada has no objection to the agency waiving duties on goods valued below a $20 threshold long established by the federal government, and like everyone is concerned about bigger ticket items. The first thing that comes to mind is not to worry about it as luxury goods specifically will be affected; border crossing has been an issue in our industry with smaller retailers taking part in bringing products here themselves. That is without even addressing the regulatory issue.

Lastly, the point was to reduce the price gap. So with a weak Canadian dollar, the gap will only grow as importers have to pay more to bring goods into our market. Also, we have not yet addressed the Internet cross-border sales, which in my opinion are a far bigger concern.

Please share your opinion on our LinkedIn page.

ISSUE 6

FOUNDER, PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Olivier Felicio

E D I TO R I A L A S S I S TA N T

Kavita Sabharwal

EDITORIAL INTERN

Maya Akbay

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Erin Booth

JUNIOR DESIGNER

Tamara Kelly

CONTRIBUTORS

Denise Deveau, Horphag Research, Christian Fleury, Liza Marley, Marsha Miller, Thang Nguyen, Nancy Ripton, Bonnie Siegler, Ken Vannucci

TheRGMGroup.

Toronto

PRESIDENT

Paris

Olivier Felicio GENER AL MANAGER

Melanie Seth

CREDIT MANAGER

Louise Côté

MARKETING & EVENTS C O O R D I N ATO R

Erin Poredos

Subscription Rates Canada $50 (gst included) for nine issues (one year) USA $60 Change of Address email: ihr@publicationpartners.com telephone: 416-203-7900 fax: 416-703-6392 or send your cover label and new address to ihr c/o Rive Gauche Media 60 Bloor St., W., Suite 1106, Toronto, ON Canada M4W 3B8

A DV E R T I S I N G I N F O R M AT I O N

Olivier Felicio

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Jeff Yamaguchi

Olivier Felicio Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

telephone: (416) 203-7900 x 6122 email: jeff@gorgmgo.com

Jason Cawley

telephone: (416) 203-7900 x 6134 email: jason@gorgmgo.com

Erin Poredos

telephone: (416) 203-7900 x 6128 email: erin@gorgmgo.com

TM

www.ihrmagazine.com 8

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Published by Rive Gauche Media Inc. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail 4067800 The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and any and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher.

The publisher is not liable to any advertiser for any misprints in advertising not the fault of the publisher and in such an event the limit of the publisher’s liability shall not exceed the amount of the publisher’s charge for such advertising. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in all or part, without the express written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. ©Copyright 2013 Rive Gauche Media Inc. ihr magazine is pleased to review unsolicited submissions for editorial consideration under the following conditions: all material submitted for editorial consideration (photographs, illustrations, written text in electronic or hard copy format) may be used by ihr Media Inc. and their affiliates for editorial purposes in any media (whether printed, electronic, internet, disc, etc.) without the consent of, or the payment of compensation to, the party providing such material. Please direct submissions to the Editor, ihr magazine.

CONTENTS

Cover Story photos

by Robin Kuninski

Volume 14 Issue 6

“When deciding between a mall and a stand-alone store, retailers need to determine which factors will ultimately fit their business model better.”

“The food has to be good for the health. We don’t take anything that is not 100 per cent pure in our store.”

UP FRONT Publisher’s Letter........................................................................ 8

Fighting retail shrink is a matter of common sense.............40

By Denise Deveau

Industry News............................................................................16

Expo West review ..................................................................42

Star Watch................................................................................. 20

The “location, location, location” question......................... 46

By Liza Marley

SKU Review............................................................................... 22

Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract for beautiful skin.......................................................... 50

Top Sellers.................................................................................. 30 F E AT U R E S

Company Profile Aecetia Inc: A new take on an old classic.............................. .28 Cover Story La Moisson: The Traditionalistas ............................................... 32

By Kavita Sabharwal Photography by Christian Fleury

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IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Who manages your categories, and more importantly, how do they do it?.............................................. 56

By Ken Vannucci The First Annual Best of Natural Beauty Awards............... 58 Drug Interactions with cutting-edge ingredients................ 62

By Thang Nguyen, B.ScH, CerRAP

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12

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Why Do So Many Children

Still Starve and Die in the 21st Century?

According to UN statistics, there has been a 41 per cent drop in daily deaths of children under the age of five worldwide. That is the good news. The bad news is that 19,000 children still die every day, the majority of whom live in India, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and China.

Are There Any Answers? – Natural Calm Canada and the charity it founded, Organics 4 Orphans, thinks there are. Organics 4 Orphans has four goals: to teach mothers to become self-sufficient through food security, disease prevention, nutrition and income generation.

21st century research tells us that some foods can be grown in the most challenging areas without expensive fertilizers or pesticides if people understand the principles of organic growing while increasing the ability to build immune systems up to 100 times. So not only can food be grown almost anywhere; these foods can be grown to overcome disease challenges in any area.

For the last several years, Organics 4 Orphans has empowered trainers to do five-day workshops on both organic growing and nutritional medicine in over 12 countries. Month-long seminars are held twice a year at the Organics 4 Orphans training center in Western Kenya, with an emphasis on growing disease-fighting food year round. The majority of the funding comes from the generous support of Natural Calm Canada.

The approach of solving high child mortality rates “organically” is relatively inexpensive – coaching communities on a prevention model that is locally available can cost a fraction of medical costs that are often not available.

What Can Stop It www.organics4orphans.org

Sponsored Content

Natural Calm Canada: Promoting Health and Sharing Wealth

I

television commercials that will reach over 50 million n 2004, Linda Bolton discovered Natural Calm, an ionic viewers this year alone. Many vendors have recorded magnesium supplement. After it dramatically helped the a doubling of sales as a result of promotions including insomnia, fibromyalgia and low bone density that she had weekly in-store demos and staff attending the company’s been struggling with for years, she imported $200 worth of twice-monthly training seminars. Natural Calm Canada products wholesale from Natural Vitality in the USA and invests over $100,000 per year on store-level marketing sold them door-to-door to local retail health stores. They alone, plus they provide unlimited product samples, sold so well that Linda was given the exclusive distribution marketing literature, demos, staff training, rights for Canada. In 2005, she founded “Community Natural consumer events, co-op ads and off-shelf Natural Calm Canada with very little displays. Dale and Linda also do an annual business experience.

Foods in Alberta promotional tour in Western Canada Linda and her husband, Dale, experienced a 163 per allowing remote retailers in-person attended every trade show possible and cent sales increase support. Only a small percentage of the held demos in any store willing to give Natural Calm a try. In 2010, they were in one year through retailer-centric company’s sales are directto-consumer through their website. one of the few natural health products marketing and A Nature’s Emporium store in the greater to advertise on television following their initial marketing strategy of advertising educational literature, Toronto area recorded sales that grew by over 36 per cent in one year through plus sampling and in natural health product magazines, staff training, one consumer event and mainstream newspapers and on radio regular demos” distributing samples. Community Natural shows in partnership with retailers in Foods in Alberta experienced a 163 per places such as Windsor and Owen Sound. cent sales increase in one year through marketing and As a result, many storeowners have seen a dramatic educational literature, plus sampling and regular demos. increase in sales through the use of Natural Calm Canada’s In addition, Community Natural Foods’ Kim Ryrie did an substantial sample program, staff training and nationwide

14

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Sponsored Content

“We are supporting our moringa with print ads and I am writing a book on moringa that will be available in September 2014.” off-shelf display connecting Natural Calm products with the brand’s Organics 4 Orphans charity as part of three promotions, including a visit from Dale and Linda and staff training.

Bolton is happy with what they are doing to get the word out about their new product line, moringa. “We are supporting our moringa with print ads and I am writing a book on moringa that will be available in September 2014,” she says. Linda has also made television appearances on Breakfast Television and Cityline, and the company is in the process of securing a celebrity endorsement.

Natural Calm Canada’s marketing strategy for moringa is similar to its tactics for Natural Calm, except it will not be providing product samples due to the product being more effective in the long-term, whereas the brand distributes over 150,000 sample packs of Natural Calm per year due to its instant effect. The company provides brochures and information to consumers, although they initially want to focus on building retailer awareness of the product through available channels.

Organics 4 Orphans After a year of experiencing real growth in their company, Dale and Linda wanted to use the profits to help end extreme poverty. Donations were initially used to build orphan homes, schools and drill water wells.

They started visiting Kenya twice a year, and noticed that none of the orphanages were growing their own food and kids were struggling with health issues due to a low-nutrient diet. Dale decided to spend a month at Manor House, an organic agricultural college in Kenya where he learned about organic gardening and natural medicine. Setting aside all the profits from Natural Calm was the foundation for Organics 4 Orphans, with its four goals being to teach mothers to become self-sufficient through food security, disease prevention, nutrition and income generation.

with Organics 4 Orphans in Kenya. The Boltons heard stories of moringa helping people with HIV increase their CD4 counts and provide energy and iron to women who had just delivered babies. They started using the moringa powder and noticed a difference in their energy levels and sleep patterns. Moringa contains 46 antioxidants, over 92 nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients, omegas 3, 6 and 9, 36 anti-inflammatories, and all 18 essential and non-essential amino acids.

Perfection in growing and processing

The Boltons introduced a new brand (TOP Nutritionals) to distinguish moringa from their magnesium products.

The TOP Nutritionals team source its certified organic, non-GMO moringa from the highest quality organic plants available at the number one moringa plantation in the world, cultivated under perfect growing conditions in Nicaragua.

Their supplier has been perfecting production methods for 20 years on the largest certified organic moringa farm in the world, featuring fertile volcanic land with zero traces of heavy metals and fields fertilized with moringa compost.

The moringa is harvested and packaged in four to six hours after harvesting, to lock in freshness.

When harvested, the moringa is dried below 108 degrees Fahrenheit to keep nutrients and live enzymes intact. Their research discovered that alternative sources of moringa do not have such strict quality standards. Leaves are often sourced from multiple farms, where they are picked and left lying around to be collected by the processor.

Leaves are then sun-dried, potentially allowing insects, dirt and dust to contaminate the product while offering no control over the temperature, effectively ‘cooking’ away the nutrients. The powder is then often cleaned using gammairradiation which is an unwelcome process in the eyes of many consumers.

“The owner of the farm prides himself on producing an absolutely amazing moringa product and the unique thing about our company is TOP Nutritionals was given the exclusive distribution rights in Canada” says Bolton.

These products have been tested in Canada to pass the strictest purity regulations; TOP Nutritionals’ moringa is truly the finest quality available anywhere.

From magnesium to moringa

After researching and reading about magnesium, Linda came to the conclusion that it is the most important nutrient the body needs. Magnesium helps to regulate calcium, potassium and sodium, and it also activates 325 enzymatic processes in the body.

Magnesium is found naturally in leafy greens and unrefined nuts, grains and seeds but it is almost impossible to get enough of this important mineral in our foods because our soils are so deficient of minerals. Caffeine, alcohol, sugar, processed foods, stress, perspiration and too much calcium all contribute to magnesium depletion, which can cause anxiety, depression and insomnia, among other issues.

Although moringa has been used in certain parts of the world for centuries, this highly nutritious leaf has been a relatively unknown superfood until recently. Linda and Dale discovered moringa while doing their relief work

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

15

Industry News

Kyowa Hakko USA self-affirms L-Citrulline is GRAS Kyowa Hakko USA, an international health ingredients manufacturer and leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and food products, has confirmed the amino acid L-Citrulline is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).

L-Citrulline, an amino acid that helps metabolize and regulate nitric oxide, gets convered to L-Arginine in the body to support L-Arginine and nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide improves oxygen and blood circulation in the body through vascular dilation, among other positive effects.

The preservative-free, allergen free L-Citrulline contains no artificial flavours or colours and will be marketed by Kyowa Hakko USA as a food ingredient in the U.S., whre it will be included in beverages and beverage bases, grain products and pastas and milk products.

“We are extremely proud to announce GRAS for our amino acid L-Citrulline, and look forward to working with manufacturers to incorporate it into foods and beverages,” says Kyowa Hakko USA President and CEO Dr. Toshikazu Kamiya.

Liquid Nutrition appoints new Corporate Secretary Liquid Nutrition Group Inc., the retailer of functional beverages, fresh pressed juices, vitamins and supplements, has appointed Ms. My Linh Lam as its new corporate secretary, effective Feb. 27, 2014.

Lam has served as comptroller of the company since late 2013. She replaces Mathieu Gendron in the role.

16 IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Undefeated CrossFit releases documentary

Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Undefeated CrossFit has released a documentary called We’re All in This Together, centering around five individuals and their journey to compete in a CrossFit competition. It focuses on the mental and physical struggles of normal people competing at a physical level they never thought possible.

The 25-minute film takes place over twelve weeks and shows the gains and revelations of what happens when people take control of their fitness and health.

It also showcases the gym’s approach to functional movements, using support and camaraderie to encourage anyone willing to put in the work.

“This documentary hopes to break down the barriers that people put up for themselves and tries to remove the ‘intimidation factor’ many feel towards CrossFit,” says owner Matt Winchar.

US farm co-op CHS to buy 16 Agrium stores in Canada

Purity Life holds trade show to honour its 30th anniversary

U.S. farm co-operative CHS Inc. will buy 16 retail locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan from Agrium Inc., a wholesale producer, crop nutrient seller and specialty fertilizer maker.

Agrium also has retail operations in South America and Australia.

CHS said the operations will be part of its Country Operations division, and that they will be able to use a new fertilizer plant outside Shelby, Mont.

The sale is expected to be completed around April 1.

Purity Life, Canada’s leading distributor of natural health products, will be holding its 30th Anniversary Trade Show on June 12 .

The trade show will be held at Purity Life’s head office and eastern distribution centre at 6 Commerce Crescent in Acton, Ontario, and will feature 30th anniversary deals from over 40 vendors, a natural and organic lunch, educational seminars, preferred hotel rates for out-of-town visitors, prizes and giveaways, a warehouse tour, and the ability to meet Canada’s supermodel Monika Schnarre.

To attend the trade show, please RSVP by April 4, 2014 by going to: www.puritylifes30th.splashthat.com.

Industry News

Target lost nearly US $1 billion last year Target Corp.’s Canadian expansion contributed to a loss of nearly US$1 billion for the Minneapolis-based discount chain. Target reports its Canadian arm recorded losses of US$329 million before interest and tax in its fourth quarter, which ended Feb. 1.

The company reports sales of US$623 million at its Canadian stores, but over the past year, Target Canada lost US$941 million before excluded items on US$1.3 billion in sales. Target reports its annual gross margin rate was 14.9 per cent.

Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and CEO of the company, is positive that things will turn around for the retailer.

“While 2013 was a disappointing year financially, we’ve entered the New Year with the right plans in place to grow profitability and generate meaningful improved financial performance in 2014 and beyond.”

Target still has plans to open nine more Canadian stores this year, bringing their Canadian presence to 133 locations by the end of 2014.

Target will open its first store in downtown Toronto Target Canada is set to open its first store at downtown Toronto’s Harbour Plaza, situated between the waterfront and Union Station, aimed to open in October 2016.

Harbour Plaza, a development by Menkes Developments, will not only house the two-storey store, but also a huge new residential and commercial space, which the 145,000 square foot Target store will anchor. Harbour

Square will have 200,000 square feet of retail space in total, and will house shops, services and restaurants. It will be connected to Union Station, the PATH system, and the Air Canada Centre.

“It will be one of our largest stores in the entire country,” says Target Canada’s Chief Executive Officer Tony Fisher. “We know this is going to be successful long-term.”

The European Parliament rejects proposed nano labeling law The European Parliament’s food safety committee rejected a proposal to define and label new nano-scale ingredients for the second time.

The proposal was first rejected last month on the grounds that it exempted food additives currently on the market and only applied to new ingredients. The European Parliament voted again to reject the proposal for the same reason, leaving the Commission with no choice but to come up with a new proposal.

“Consumers have a right to know and make their own choice. They do not want the Commission to do that for

them. That is why today’s vote is important,” says Greens MEP Carl Schlyter, who was critical of the proposed law.

The Commission originally proposed that only new nano-scale ingredients would be noted on ingredient lists, but would not make mention of any nano-scale ingredients already in products on the market to avoid confusing consumers “as it may suggest that those additives are new while in reality they have been used in foods in that form for decades.” The European Parliament responded, saying that justification was “erroneous and irrelevant.”

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

17

Industry News

Nicolas Massicotte joins iLevel Management Nicolas Massicotte is the new Quebec account manager for iLevel Management Inc. Massicotte is trained in acupuncture and natural medicine, and has over seven years of experience in the natural and organic industry. He has assisted distributors, brokers and manufacturers in the development, marketing, sales and promotion of hundreds of health products throughout Quebec. Massicotte is bilingual, which helps iLevel Management to develop and maintain relations with its French-speaking partners.

Sears Canada reports a profit in its fourth quarter Sears Canada reports a $373.7 million net profit in its fourth quarter this year, which ended Feb. 1. That is a dramatic jump from its $39.9 million net profit in its fourth quarter last year. Its total revenue for the fourth quarter was around $1.17 billion, which is down 10 per cent from last year.

The company is currently downsizing, and its fourth quarter had success due to $391.5 million in pre-tax gains related to early lease terminations, but was offset by $51.2 million in downsizing costs.

Doug Campbell, Sears Canada president and CEO, says that the company has taken the steps to “right-size” itself relative to the size of the business and its focus now is on serving Canadians more effectively.

Canadian retailers could sell less for more in 2014 With rising inflation this year, Canadian retailers may be forced to sell less merchandise at higher prices while facing intense competition, setting them up to absorb most of the extra costs to keep prices competitive, say CIBC economists Avery Shenfeld and Benjamin Tal in their Canadian retail sales outlook.

Soft inflation helped increase retail sales last year, but inflation is expected to rise by two per cent by mid-2015 as the value of the Canadian dollar drops.

“The next two years will see a gradual upturn in inflation, in part a reflection of a weaker Canadian dollar, but also capturing higher energy costs and a tobacco tax hike,” say the Shenfeld and Tal. “So quarterly growth rates will see a trend towards selling less for more: higher prices, but leaner growth in real volumes.”

According to Statistics Canada, the average rate of inflation for 2013 sat at 0.9 per cent, but January 2014 saw the annual inflation rate jump to 1.5 per cent, its highest number since June 2012.

KeVita announces three new additions to its executive team KeVita Sparkling Probiotic Drink has decided to meet sales growth and demand by adding three new members to its executive team.

James Linesch is joining the company as its chief financial officer, overseeing the brand’s financial reporting and fiscal relationship management. He has previously held the CFO position at Reed’s, Inc., Adstar, Inc., DynTek, Inc., and CompuMed, Inc., where he also served as president.

Bill Lange is KeVita’s new vice president of marketing.

He brings 17 years of marketing experience to the company after serving as vice president of marketing at ZICO Beverages LLC until its full-scale acquisition by Coke.

Marc Hoopingarner joins the company as director of

18

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

sales operations, after 20 years of experience at companies such as thinkThin, Dole Packaged Foods and Patagonia.

“We’re thrilled that KeVita attracted such exceptional leaders,” says Bill Moses, KeVita founder and CEO. “Recently named one of the 25 Most Innovative Consumer and Retail Brands by Forbes, this is an exciting time for us.

Consumers are responding to our tastes and flavours like never before and are really starting to understand how important probiotics are for a balanced daily diet. We have the potential to make a huge impact in the functional beverage space and I’m confident that these new team members have the knowledge and drive that will take us to the next level.”

Industry News

Derma e celebrates its 30th anniversary Derma e, the creator of skin-friendly, earth-friendly skincare products, has announced that June 2014 marks its 30th anniversary as an innovative skincare brand. The family owned and operated company is one of the largest natural facial care brands in the United States.

“In 1984, we introduced the first topical vitamin E crème to health food stores and vitamin shops in Southern California. At that time, the health food industry was less than one per cent of the total food industry,” says David Stearn, Derma e co-founder and president. “I am proud to say that with a combination of dedication, persistence, good instincts and a handful of other like-minded individuals, Derma e helped grow and shape the natural industry into what it is today.”

The award-winning skincare company has a line of over 80 products that are all free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil and petrolatum. The line is proud to be cruelty-free and 100 per cent vegan and manufactured by 100 per cent wind power. Derma e can be found in 26 countries, as well as on the company’s website, www.dermae.com.

“People know that we really care about the goodness of our products,” says Stearn. “We take care of the earth like it’s our own backyard. We help our neighbors. We’re the same company we always were, we’re just a bit larger now.”

Loblaws is given the go-ahead on its Shoppers Drug Mart takeover Loblaws has been given approval of its $12.4 billion acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart by Canada’s Competition Bureau. The deal closed on March 28.

The federal agency has stipulated that Loblaws must sell 18 stores, consisting of 14 Shoppers Drug Mart locations and four Loblaws banners, as well as nine Loblaws-run pharmacies in order to complete the transaction.

The corporation will also be put under “behavioural restrictions” for its agreements with suppliers for up to five years.

“Loblaw is committed to supplier practices that meet the

Bureau’s objectives of maintaining competitive markets,” says the company in its announcement today.

“We are pleased the Competition Bureau has concluded its review of this transaction, and to have its consent to bring these two great Canadian companies together,” says Galen G. Weston, executive chairman of Loblaw in a statement.

“This merger uniquely positions Loblaw to meet the most important consumer trends in the country, including urbanization and health and wellness. In doing so, we will continue to deliver more choice, more value and more convenience to Canadians.”

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

19

Star Watch These celebrities are at the forefront of the newest health trends.

By Bonnie Siegler

OUR ISSUE

WITH

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Over the years the Aussie singer has learned that stress truly harms the body so she uses a few words Deepak Chopra gave her that are “just mine. I can close my eyes for a few minutes and use those words to calm myself down. But he says you can use any word to calm yourself – just keep saying that word over and over again. I like putting myself in a calmer state of mind – the awe of the possibilities nature has put together is something I think about and it helps me relax to sleep.”

Merchandise It! Deal with stress quickly and effectively with Natural Calm Magnesium Citrate Powder. This powder is the most absorbable, effective and fast-acting magnesium available anywhere. The water-soluble powder becomes ionic in hot water and is available plain or in four fruity flavours.

(8 oz, $29.99)

20 IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

MAG AZIN

vivamagonl

FO O to fu elD yo ur lif e

ions mail

HEALTH

A former VIVA cover gal and current star of The Middle, the petite actress became concerned when she could not lose six pounds even though she was dieting and working out.

She finally consulted a nutritionist who stated counting calories was useless and had her keep a week-long food diary. “He said I needed to up my fat content and lower my sugar because by eating low-fat and non-fat foods, was consuming more sugar. So he has me on a somewhat Paleo-type diet, cooking everything in coconut oil or butter but prefers the oil which is good for your brain and has very good fat content.”

Merchandise It! Quoquos Coco Lecithin Boost is the only extra virgin coconut oil blend that helps support digestion using sunflower lecithin. It can be added to smoothies and other hot or cold drinks as a supplement, or used in place of regular coconut oil in stir fries or to sauté vegetables.

(23 oz, $19.45)

ine.com

E

t a k e m e

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Whole Food & Cleansing Herb Blend Pharma-Greens from PhD Nutrition is a super convenient source of antioxidants, herbs, enzymes, co-factors, vitamins, scarce nutrients, adaptogens, trace elements and minerals, plus prebiotics and probiotics.

Potent Full Spectrum Green Nutrition featuring 28 natural ingredients in optimal amounts that make it easy to avoid nutrient deficiencies and ensure total body health. Just one serving of PhD Pharma-Greens increases the body’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients.

Superfoods like those found in Pharma-Greens support the body's cells for optimum energy, superior well-being and peak performance.

Increases energy and reduces stress Cleanses and purifies the digestive system Promotes an alkaline environment (pH balance)

Enhances focus and concentration Enhances physical performance Enhances general well being and cellular health

Supports immune function

Equivalent nutrition value (per serving) of 6-8 servings of whole vegetables and fruits

PhD Pharma-Greens was formulated for: Serious athletes Anybody with an inadequate diet or low intake of vegetables and/or proteins Anybody looking for a performance edge Anybody who wants more energy or stress relief Anybody who wants optimal performance

Green foods increase body alkalinity. Disease thrives in an acidic internal environment. A high acid internal environment is caused by: A diet high in sugar, processed carbohydrates, alcohol, soda, coffee and animal protein Stress Free radicals High blood pressure Production of lactic acid during muscle contraction A healthier, energy promoting, alkaline environment can be created by: Consumption of dark leafy greens, vegetables, legumes and phytonutrients Exercise Stress relief Optimal vitamin and mineral intake Pharma-Greens contains: No artificial sweeteners, colours or flavours No wheat, corn, preservatives, MSG or synthetic chemicals, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, egg, cholesterol or yeast A full measurable dose of each ingredient, just like all PhD products do!

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ENERGY & PERFORMANCE

PHARMA-GREENS

SKU Review

Quoquos Coco Choco Boost

Allergex

A new and exciting natural health product based on a unique blend of 100 per cent cold pressed organic coconut oil, organic sunflower lecithin, and organic alkalized cocoa. Quoquos offers a revolutionary way to use virgin coconut oil as a bioavailable daily natural health product. This creamy, smooth energy booster emulsifies easily for shakes and works well for cooking due to its non-stick properties. Maintain your metabolism and immune system health with this USDA-certified organic natural health product!

Allergex is a homeopathic medicine that helps in preventing and relieving seasonal allergy symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, itchy nose and skin, congestion and breathing difficulties. Allergex is ideal for allergies to pollen, hay fever and any other plants or herb allergies. Ideal for the whole family, Allergex comes in an easy to use spray.

Oleavicin™

Finally, there’s powerful natural relief for cold sores, fever blisters and problem skin – without the potential side effects and harshness of conventional pharmaceuticals! Oleavicin, now available for purchase, combines the most potent olive leaf extract available with other bionutrients in a patented formula that works on contact, safely and naturally. Visit www.oleavicin.com or call 805.968.0518.

SURO BREATHE™

SURO BREATHE™ is a modern organic certified remedy formulated by a physician to help various sources of breathing difficulties. Whether you are experiencing difficulty breathing due to asthma, sinus congestion or lung congestion from pollution or various illnesses such as the common cold and flu, SURO BREATHE™ will help maximize breathing by relaxing, decreasing congestion and opening up airways. It makes you breath better and is also formulated to help soothe and heal irritated tissues from inflammation and irritation.

SURO BREATHE is a liquid remedy made of organic herbs and contains the following herbs: Nettle, Eucalyptus, Elderflower, Fenugreek, Thyme, Marshmallow, Mullein, English plantain, Sage, American ginseng, Rosemary, Elderberries, Aniseed, Spearmint, Cinnamon, Green tea, Juniper berries, essential oil of clove.

Fill out the form below clearly and completely, and fax to 1-888-849-0155 or 416-703-6392 for more details Name: Phone: Store: Fax: Address: Email: City: Province: Postal Code:

22

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

NEW!

Support Healthy Thyroid Function Introducing a targeted product for thyroid support Potassium & Iodine from webber naturals® provides an ideal 150 mcg of iodine — an essential ingredient for proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Potassium is an important human electrolyte that supports healthy blood pressure. By combining iodine with potassium, webber naturals offers an easily absorbed formula for maximum benefits.

Iodine provides the raw ingredient the thyroid needs to regulate metabolism, promote energy, lower cholesterol, support cognitive, reproductive, and immune function, and perform many other metabolic processes.

Poor thyroid function related to iodine deficiency can lead to symptoms such as excessive fatigue, reproductive problems, and weight gain.

Add iodine to your daily routine with this convenient, one-per-day tablet from webber naturals.

One-per-day convenience · Easily absorbed · Gluten-free · Vegan Want more information about webber naturals products? 1-800-430-7898 | webbernaturals

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Baskol, G., et al. (2007). Oxidative stress and enzymatic antioxidant status in patients with hypothyroidism before and after treatment. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes, 115(8):522-6.

Patrick, L. (2008). Iodine: deficiency and therapeutic considerations. Altern Med Rev, 13(2):116-27.

Zimmermann, M.B. (2009). Iodine deficiency. Endocr Rev, 30(4):376-408.

SKU Review

WN3355 Cardio Omega-3

EPA 200, DHA 100, ALA 265 | 90 Softgels Cardio Omega-3 from webber naturals® is a blend of omega-3 fatty acids designed to provide maximum health benefits to the cardiovascular system. Guaranteed to meet label claims for strength, purity, and quality. Manufactured in Canada.

Simply So Sweet Chili Tortilla Chips

Go ahead and get your fingers dirty.

These chips have all the same great nutrition as our other chips, with that finger lick’in appeal. These chips contain sprouted Flax seed, Sprouted Quinoa, Daikon Radish, Chia and Broccoli seeds.

SULMEDOL® - Eliminate Lactose Intolerance

Clinically-proven SULMEDOL® can reactivate your body’s natural production of lactase, the enzyme that digests lactose. Within weeks, you can be enjoying the unrestricted consumption of dairy foods with convenience, enjoyment and less cost.

Moringa Vegetable Capsules (90) and Raw Powder Moringa vegetable capsules made from 100% organic Moringa leaf powder.

Our Moringa powder is all natural and organically grown, without the use of binding agents, fillers or laboratory-made synthetic chemicals. No artificial sweeteners, MSG or Gluten are found in any of our products. This product is a readily absorbable superfood that can radically benefit your overall health in hundreds of ways.

We source our Moringa from the highest quality organic plants available, cultivated under perfect growing conditions in Nicaragua. Our supplier has been perfecting production methods for 20 years on the largest Moringa farm in the world!

Fill out the form below clearly and completely, and fax to 1-888-849-0155 or 416-703-6392 for more details Name: Phone: Store: Fax: Address: Email: City: Province: Postal Code:

24

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

We Make Plant-Based Nutrition Easier ™

WHOLE FOOD & CLEANSING HERB BLEND A Convenient Source of Antioxidants, Herbs, Enzymes, Co-factors, Vitamins, Scarce Nutrients, Adaptogens, Trace Elements and Minerals

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COMPLETE VEGAN PROTEIN LEAN MUSCLE SYSTEM 18g of Quality Plant-Based Protein (per 30g Serving) from Hemp, Brown Rice, Pea, Chia Seed, and Flax Seed

Contains Prebiotics and Probiotics

Only 8g of Carbohydrates per 30g Serving, Containing 5g of Quality Soluble Fibre

28 Natural Ingredients in Optimal Amounts

Zero Fat or Cholesterol

Increases the Body’s Ability to Digest and Absorb Nutrients

100% Natural! NO Artificial Flavours, Colours or Sweeteners

Increases energy and reduces stress

Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free and Lactose-Free

Cleanses and purifies the digestive system

Non-GMO

Promotes an alkaline environment (ph Balance)

OFFICIAL PROTEIN OF

PHDNUTRITION.CA

SKU Review

WN3477 High Potency Omega 3-6-9

180 clear enteric softgels High Potency Omega 3-6-9 from webber naturals® can help improve conditions like eczema and dull hair, relieve digestive disorders, support brain function and development, improve blood pressure, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and relieve PMS and cramps.

Our unique clear enteric softgel technology uses natural ingredients for improved nutrient absorption and guarantees no fishy aftertaste.

Simply Sweeet Potato Tortilla Chips

These corn chips are made of corn and piles of sweet potatoes. They also include sprouted Chia Seed and sprouted Quinoa, making these good for you chips simply sweet!

WN3483 Herbal Laxative

180 Tablets No matter the cause, constipation is an uncomfortable affliction.

Herbal Laxative from webber naturals® is formulated with stimulant laxatives senna, cascara sagrada, and rhubarb for short-term relief of occasional constipation. The gentle herbal formula promotes healthy digestive function and smooth, painless elimination in a convenient overnight dose.

Natural Calm Magnesium Citrate Powder

Natural Calm Canada’s magnesium citrate powder comes in five flavours (Plain, Raspberry Lemon, Orange, Lemon and Cherry) and is the most absorbable, effective, fast-acting magnesium available anywhere. The 100% water-soluble magnesium citrate becomes ionic when dissolved in hot water to relieve many symptoms associated with magnesium deficiency (migraines, insomnia, muscle pain, stress, anxiety and constipation to name a few) both quickly and effectively. That’s why Natural Calm is North America’s number one selling Magnesium Powder supplement!

Fill out the form below clearly and completely, and fax to 1-888-849-0155 or 416-703-6392 for more details Name: Phone: Store: Fax: Address: Email: City: Province: Postal Code:

26

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

“

“ I am coco-nuts!

Introducing a new and revolutionnary way to unlock the unique benefits of organic coconut oil with Quoquos!

Health-conscious families and dedicated athletes everywhere are discovering about the health benefits of coconut oil as a natural health product. But did you know that you have to eat 3-5 tablespoons a day to make a difference?

That much coconut oil can be hard to swallow, and digest, especially if you’re used to a low-fat diet. Unless your coconut oil is Quoquos.

We’ve added just enough of this sunny ingredient to make our 100% organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil easy to digest, even when eaten every day.

It also helps to blend completely in smoothies and other liquids for a creamy and pleasant consistency, so you can enjoy the benefits of this amazing oil without feeling like you’re drinking ...well ...oil.

And sunflower lecithin has natural non-stick properties, so it’s excellent for cooking too, just like traditional coconut oils, only better...

Gotta’ love that.

For more information about Quoquos™ natural health products, contact us at info@aecetia.com or call 1-800-583-2158. www.aecetia.com www.quoquos.com www.facebook.com/quoquos

Meet us at Booth 1850 CHFA West 2014 Vancouver Convention Center, West Building April 12-13, 2014, Vancouver, BC ©2014 Aecetia Inc. All rights reserved. Quoquos, Quoquos Coco Lecithin and Quoquos Coco Choco are trademarks of Aecetia Foods Ltd.

QUOQUOS IHR HEALTH FULL PAGE AD.INDD 1

3/26/14 4:01 PM

Company Profile

A new take on an old classic

Trial and error helped Kyrill Leutsch craft Quoquos, a natural health product that sets a new standard for coconut oil.

By Kavita Sabharwal / Photographs provided by Aecetia Inc.

K

yrill Leutsch had 20 years of experience in the fields of marketing and advertising in the pharmaceutical business where he developed an expertise to market products to both doctors and consumers. That “savoir faire” was the catalyst to creating Quoquos.

Leutsch has always had an interest in natural health products. He first read about the benefits of consuming virgin coconut oil to supplement his diet a few years ago, on the recommendations of friends who tried it. He also knew many athletes and bodybuilders often consumed it for an energy boost. Leutsch, who suffered from a sluggish thyroid, was looking for a product to provide him with natural lasting fuel.

“I had been trying to find more natural ways to enhance my health,” he says. “I wanted to try coconut oil and see if I take it on a daily basis, whether I will feel better and it will give me energy.”

After taking two to three tablespoons per day, he found plain coconut oil was difficult to swallow and hard to digest, causing nausea. He found the solution in organic sunflower lecithin, an emulsifier, and experimented with it. He started by adding a teaspoon of the sunflower lecithin into his coconut oil in a shake and he noticed an immediate change in the way his body reacted to the oil.

“I didn’t feel the same reaction of nausea, and I liked the

28

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

way it emulsified in shakes and other things, it was like the oil disappeared,” he says.

“I used it for myself only until I realized that this is really working and is something that could work for other people too, especially when this was a common problem for a lot of people, how to consume this oil more as a supplement,” he says. “I had friends trying it out, they could suddenly digest the oil much better, too; they did not have any reactions after that.”

At the beginning of 2013, Leutsch started Aecetia Inc., and began working on his certification, machinery, manufacturing, labeling and preparing the product to be sold directly to consumers, a process made easier by his pharmaceutical marketing background.

“At one point, I realized that this could be something that could solve a lot of people’s problems. There are so many people who are into coconut oil. It’s just beginning,” says Leutsch. “There is government-funded research being done in the U.S. on coconut oil’s relation to Alzheimer’s disease.

The University of South Florida is doing a clinical study about coconut oil dramatically helping Alzheimer’s patients, in cases where general medicine is no longer working and they can’t find any other solutions. They’ve already seen that it’s helped improve a lot of the patients.”

Company Profile

The research study is being conducted at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute on 65 individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s to measure the effects of coconut oil on the disease. Leutsch believes that with more research studies on the topic, coconut oil will lose any bad reputation it has and become a mainstream natural health product.

“People say it gives you high cholesterol, it’s dangerous for your heart. But again, I didn’t take the information that people say online, I just tested it on myself,” he says. “My blood pressure went down, when it was always on a higher level. My cholesterol level was even lower than before. So there are a lot of misconceptions out there where they think taking this much oil is artery-clogging; I personally think it’s just not true.” In addition, a recent test indicated Leutsch’s sluggish thyroid is now operating at a normal level without the use of thyroid treatments or supplements, which he attributes to his regular coconut oil consumption.

Although he is not the only manufacturer of organic coconut oil as a natural health product, he is the only one who provided a solution for it to be suitable for use on a daily basis. In addition to having a booth at the Natural Products Expo West 2014 in Anaheim, Leutsch will be promoting his product at CHFA West in Vancouver (booth 1850) and Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore later this year.

“For our first time at the Natural Products Expo West this year, we had a tremendous response from retailers,

distributors, from nearly everybody that came by and actually tried the product applied in a mango smoothie or hot chocolate and were amazed at how good it tasted and how easy to swallow it was. You can hardly tell that there’s oil in there,” says Leutsch. The oil has other uses as well, such as for cooking, as the lecithin lends it non-stick properties.

There has been a lot of interest in Quoquos products.

Leutsch, who currently represents the brand on his own with the help of long time natural and organic products veteran Michael Theodor, intends on full distribution and plans to have Quoquos stocked in as many stores as possible. With that, he will do in-store sampling and retailer training, which Leutsch believes is required for retailers to understand the product and explain its use to customers.

Leutsch has sold two batches of Quoquos since he started producing in October – a total of 4,000 jars. About one third of customers are repeat buyers, though Leutsch does not have a sales forecast due to the difficulty involved with forecasting sales for a new product. After about a year, he says, he can start predicting sales and where they will go.

Quoquos is available in two flavours: Coco Lecithin Boost and Coco Choco Boost, while a third flavour is currently in development. Quoquos is sold on the company’s website, Quoquos.com, as well as on Amazon.com and should be available through a Canadian distributor by summer 2014.

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

29

Top Sellers Review HEALTH BOUTIQUES STORE INFO Location Store Size Demographics Income

Optimum Health

Winterwood Natural Food

Foods For Life

Essence Of Life

Get Real Natural

Nature’s Care Health Products

Edmonton, AB

Sussex, NB

Toronto, ON

Toronto, ON

Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Ottawa, ON

1,000-3,000 sq. ft.

Under 1,000 sq. ft.

1,000-3,000 sq. ft.

3,000-5,000 sq. ft.

1,000-3,000 sq. ft.

1,000-3,000 sq. ft.

25-40

40-65

40-65

40-65

40-65

25-40

$20,000-$40,000

$20,000-$40,000

$20,000-$40,000

$40,000-$60,000

$20,000-$40,000

$20,000-$40,000

Stevia, Now, 2fl.oz.

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Filsinger’s, 1L

Goji Berries, Organic Traditions, 454g

N/A

Gluten Free Bread, Bob’s Red Mill, 680g

Liquid Seasoning, Bragg, 32fl.oz.

Coconut Oil, Nutiva, 54oz

Oatmeal, Speerville, Bulk

Chia Seed, Nutiva, 14oz

N/A

Gluten Free Flour, Bob’s Red Mill, 623g

Apple Cider Vinegar, Bragg, 1L

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Coconut Oil, Heartland, 900g

Melatonin, Preferred Nutrition, 3mg

Chaste Tree Berry, Vitex, 100mL

Maca, Now, 90 caps

Milk Thistle, Now, 120 caps

Melatonin, Now, 180 caps

Milk Thistle, Trophic, 60 caps

Glucosamine, Organika, 100 caps

Hawthorne, Flora, 60 caps

Artichoke Extract, Now, 450mg

Oil Of Oregano, Now, 1oz

Oregano Oil, Now, 90 softgels

Omega 3 Oil, Nutra Sea, 500ml

Milk Thistle, Organika, 250mg

Valerian, St. Francis, 50mL

Astragalus, Now, 100 caps

Herbal D-Tox, Wild Rose, 12 day

Garcinia Cambogia, NuvoCare, 60 caps

Fish Oil, Nutra Sea, 500ml

Calendula Soap, Weleda, 3.5oz

Peppermint Essential Oil, Aura Cacia, 5fl.oz.

Biotin B Complex Shampoo, Avalon, 14oz

Shampoo & Conditioner, Earth Science, 12oz

Deodorant, Dr. Mist, 1.69oz

Tea Tree Oil Shampoo, Desert Essence, 4 l.oz

Lavender Rosemary Shampoo, John Masters, 8fl.oz

Lavendar Essential Oil, Aura Cacia, 5fl.oz.

Moisturizing Cream, Derma E, assorted

Shampoo, Weleda, 250ml

Spearmint Toothpaste, Jason, 6oz

Haircolour, Hair Vita, 135mL

Honey and Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor, John Masters, 4fl,oz

Biotin Shampoo, Mill Creek Botanicals, 16oz

Toothpaste, Green Beaver, 2.5fl.oz

Body Wash, Weleda, 7.2oz

Tea Tree Shampoo, Giovanni, 8.5oz

Oils, Desert Essence, 4fl.oz.

Protein Powder, Natural Factors, 1kg

Hemp Seeds, Rocky Mountain, 454g

N/A

N/A

L-Glutamine, Prairie Naturals, 500mg

Glutamine, Ultimate Nutrition, 1kg

Ultimate Iso Energy, Brad King, 842g

Protein Powder, Winterwood, 1lb

N/A

N/A

L-Arginine, Prairie Naturals, 180 caps

Muscle Juice, Ultimate Nutrition, 10lbs

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Isoflex, Allmax, 2lbs

Iso Whey, Interactive, 2lbs

Probiotic, Renew Life, 60 caps

Biotin, Now, 90 caps

Omega 3, Jamieson, 200 softgels

Bone Strength, New Chapter, 120 tabs

Vitamin D, Prairie Naturals, 180 caps

Floradix, Salus, 700mL

Vitamin D, Carlson, 120 softgels

Curcumin, Now, 90 caps

Special One Multi Vitamin, Now, 30 tabs

Multi For Two, New Chapter, 96 tabs

Liquid Vitamins, Naka, 900mL

Vitamin C, Ester C, 150 caps

Immuno Multi, CanPrev, 90 caps

N/A

Vitamin D, Jamieson, 100 tabs

Liquid Vitamins, Natural Calm, 30oz

Multi Vitamins, Alive, 90 caps

Iron Supplement, Salus, 500ml

Vital Greens, Naka, 500mL

Garcinia Cambogia, NuvoCare, 60 caps

N/A

N/A

Garcinia Cambogia, NuvoCare, 60 caps

N/A

Probiotic, Garden of Life, 3.4oz

N/A

N/A

N/A

Rapid Cleanse, Renew Life, 7 day

N/A

Super Greens, Sun Warrior, 454g

N/A

N/A

N/A

Raspberry Ketone, Purity Life, 100mg

N/A

TOP THREE PRODUCTS

FOOD

Top Three ProductsFOOD

TOP THREE PRODUCTS

Top Three ProductsHERBS HERBS

TOP THREE PRODUCTS

PERSONAL CARE

Top Three ProductsPERSONAL CARE

TOP THREE PRODUCTS

ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

TOP THREE PRODUCTS

VITAMINS/ SUPPLEMENTS

TOP THREE PRODUCTS

NEW PRODUCTS Top Three Products- NEW PRODUCTS

30

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Top Sellers Review Pharmacies Bins & Bins

Food For Thought

Happy House Healthy Foods & Supplements Ltd.

North Bay, ON

St. John’s, NF

St. Paul, AB

Kenora, ON

Toronto, ON

Doyles, NF

Kingston, ON

Toronto, ON

over 5,000 sq. ft.

1,000-3,000 sq. ft.

under 1,000 sq. ft.

1,000-3,000 sq. ft.

1,000-3,000 sq. ft.

3,000-5,000 sq. ft.

Under 1,000 sq. ft.

under 1,000 sq. ft.

40-65

25-40

25-40

40-65

40-65

40-65

40-65

40-65

$40,000-$60,000

$40,000-$60,000

$20,000-$40,000

$20,000-$40,000

$40,000-$60,000

$20,000-$40,000

$20,000-$40,000

$40,000-$60,000

Gluten Free Bread, Udi’s, 396g

Tea, Now Foods, 24 bags

Shake & Go Smoothies, Sequel Naturals, 300g

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Lara’s Rolled Oats, Cream Hill Estates, 1lb

Coconut Oil, Nutiva, 15oz

Only Oats Cereal, Avena Foods, 1kg

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Hemp Hearts, Rocky Mountain Grain Products, 454g

N/A

Seed Power, Organic Traditions, 454g

Hemp Seed, Manitoba Harvest, 56g

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Milk Thistle, Herbal Natural, 60 caps

Oil of Oregano, Hedd Wyn, 25mL

Passion Flower, New Roots, 50mL

Flax Oil Liquid, Herbal Select, 300mL

Iron Supplement, Spatone, 28 daily sachets

Flaxseed, West Coast, 100 soft gels

Astragalus, New Roots, 90 caps

Milk Thistle Complex, Sisu, 120 caps

Glucosamine Sulfate, Swiss Herbal, 135 caps

Milk Thistle, Naka, 100 caps

My Top, SierraSil, 180 caps

Vital Greens Liquid, Naka, 500mL

Fast Joint Care, Genuine Health, 30 caps

Garlic, Jamieson, 500mg

Gandha, AOR, 120 caps

Melatonin, Sisu, 5mg

Gingko Biloba, Now, 120 caps

Ginger, The Ginger People, 3.5oz

Prostate Perform, New Roots, 90 caps

N/A

Nutra Sea, Ascenta, 100mL

Echinacea, Jamieson, 300mg

Fenugreek, Nature’s Way, 100 caps

Valerian, Jamieson, 3mg

Lavender Pure Castille Soap, Dr. Bronner’s, 236mL

Pure Castille Soap, Dr. Bronner’s, 16oz

Amaze Cream, Viva, 60mL

Hold Hair Spritz, Giovanni, 147mL

Omega Lotions, Kalaya, 250mL

N/A

Body Lotion, Alba Botanica, 350mL

N/A

Toothpaste, Green Beaver, 75mL

Ayurvedic Soap, Auromere, 2.75oz

Aromatherapy Milk Cleanser, Viva, 240mL

Lip Balm, Burt’s Bees, 4.25g

Shampoo & Conditioner, Prairie Naturals, 500mL

N/A

Frequency Shampoo, Druide, 250mL

N/A

Olive Oil Soap, The Soap Works, 1 bar

N/A

Tamanu Oil, Alpha, 30mL

Tea Tree Shampoo & Conditioner, Giovanni, 8.5oz

Liquid Castille Soap, Dr. Bronner, 944mL

N/A

Cell Food Gel, Lumina Health Products, 59mL

N/A

Whey Protein Powder, Now, 1.2 lbs

N/A

Performance Protein, Vega Sport, 810g, chocolate

Vega Sport, Sequel Naturals, 18g singles

Perfect Whey, Perfect Nutrition, 908g

Whey Isolate, Six Star Pro Nutrition, 907g

ISOWhey Protein, Interactive, 910g, vanilla

N/A

Amino Acids, Swiss Herbal, 90 caps

N/A

Whey Protein Powder, Dymatize, 940g

Heed, Hammer Nutrition, 32 servings, lemon lime

N/A

Meal Replacement Drinks, Boost, 237mL

Performance Protein, Vega Sport, 827g, vanilla

N/A

Creatine, Now, 100 tabs

N/A

N/A

Hammer Gel, Hammer Nutrition, 26 servings, raspberry

N/A

Meal Replacement Drinks, Ensure, 235mL

Micronized Creatine, Precision, 600g

N/A

Glutamine, Swiss Herbal, 30 caps

Maca, Now, 90 caps

Liquid Ionic Magnesium, Advanced Theory, 480mL

Iron, Naka, 500mL

D Drops 1000 IU, D Drops Company, 5mL

Omega-3, Terra Nova, 120 caps

Gaba, AOR, 60 caps

Vitamin C , Jamieson, 100 caps

Vitamin D 1000, Now, 90 caps

Pysillium Husk, Now, 200 caps

B Complex, AOR, 90 caps

Nutri-Flex, Naka, 500mL

Strong Bones, New Roots, 360 caps

Multi Vitamins, Centrum, 60 tabs

Methyl B12, Trophic, 90 tabs

Vitamin D 1000, Sisu, 90 caps

Vitamin C 1000, Now, 100 tabs

Krill Oil, Naturally Nova Scotia, 100 caps

Vitamin D, Sisu, 200 caps

Greens+ Powder, Genuine Health, 255g

Ester C, Sisu, 150 tabs

Calcium with Vitamin D, Jamieson, 100 tabs

Vitamin K2, AOR, 60 caps

Calcium, Jamieson, 100 caps

Bana Krisp, Tutti Gourmet, 80g

N/A

N/A

Granola Bars, Taste of Nature, 32g

N/A

Redfeather Pain Spray, Bio Nuclear Diagnostics Inc., 4oz

Garcinia Cambogia, NuvoCare, 60 caps

Facial Care Line, La Roche Posay, variety

Premium Dried Fruit, Solar Gold, 120g

N/A

N/A

Skinny B Breakfast Cereal, Holy Crap, 225g

N/A

Osteo Joint Ease, Webber Naturals, 90 caps

Raspberry Ketones, Sunn Herbal, 500mg

Muscle & Joint Formula, Thentix, 3 pack

N/A

N/A

N/A

Salad Dressings & Syrups, Walden Farms, assorted

N/A

N/A

Magnesium Malate, Sisu, 100mg

N/A

Tilley’s Pharmasave

Hooper’s Pharmacy

Valley Pharmacy

Green Door Vitamins

Margis Pharmacy

Gluten Free Crackers, Mary’s Gone Crackers, 12 pack Coconut Oil, Nutiva, 15oz

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

31

The Traditionalistas La Moisson grew from an inspired idea, quickly becoming a beloved family business.

Now, the next generation shares their insight on the growing organic movement.

By Kavita Sabharwal Photography by Christian Fleury

La Moisson started as an idea by Patrick Grohman to integrate organic foods into people’s daily lives. Founded in 1990, Patrick and his wife Lise were ahead of the curve when they chose SainteThérèse, home to 27,000 citizens, to house their natural health food market.

“He decided that he wanted to go into a health food market.

That was the future in the years to come. He was really looking far ahead, but at the time it wasn’t very popular,” says current co-owner Stéphan Tremblay. “He started with a really small place. It was a big risk and year-to-year he started growing until what we are now.”

Patrick has since retired, and the store’s operations have been taken over by the next generation of his family: his daughters Kathleen and Marie-Claude Grohman, along with Stéphan, MarieClaude’s husband.

Kathleen, who has worked at the store since its inception, supervises the food department and cashiers, and manages the store’s website. Marie-Claude supervises accounting, administration and the store’s computer systems, and Stephan manages the beauty and cosmetics section, the store’s publicity and supervises store maintenance.

La Moisson is a family business in more ways than one, as Stéphan says that he and his family eat organic as much as they can.

“We endorse the organic lifestyle. That’s why we have so much success, because our mission is to teach people as much as we can how to take care of themselves, how to discover organic and why they should eat organic.”

Though the 16,500 square-foot market may be large in size, it manages to maintain a homey feel. The owners are very selective about what they put in-store, but have one stipulation: everything must be 100 per cent natural.

“The food has to be good for the health. We don’t take anything that is not 100 per cent pure in our store,” says Stéphan, a fact that has earned the store two prestigious awards: the Brock Elliott excellence award from CHFA Quebec in 2013, and a Consumer Choice Award for Montreal in the category of Health Food Store in 2014.

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

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Spreading the word

Making changes

The store employs 60 people and boasts the most specialists and health food consultants for every issue under the sun in their food, supplement, and beauty and health departments, alongside homeopaths and naturopaths.

“They’re here for when people want information, to answer every question on the floor every day. You name it, we have it,” says Stéphan.

Stéphan was initially brought on board for La Moisson to handle the publicity of the store, and has built up their publicity budget over the last seven years. This year, the company has set aside a budget of $300,000 for newspaper flyers, radio advertisements and television commercials in Montreal.

“It has been very expensive but very good for the store, because there are a lot of stores like us. It’s been very good for us,” he says.

In order to keep things fresh, La Moisson often makes changes to the market’s set-up. When the store first opened it was only about 2,000 square feet, so they have moved locations four times to accommodate their growing merchandise and client base.

This January, they opened a large auditorium-style conference room with a capacity of up to 70 people to hold training sessions for employees.

“We hold conferences that are done once a month, a whole day of training for naturopaths that keep them up to date,” says Stéphan, mentioning the other departments also undergo monthly training days. “We’re working a lot on the formation of our employees. It’s important for us that everybody is up to date and once somebody comes here they have the answer for these people who need help.”

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IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

“There are people to answer every question on the floor, every day.

You name it, we have it.

”

The store also offers information sessions for customers on any number of topics including cancer, health food and beauty, to name a few. They also hold free weekly seminars for customers to see specialists and ask questions.

“Our mission is to teach people what they want to know, what we can teach them to help them set a better lifestyle,” says Stéphan.

Despite La Moisson’s popularity, the owners currently have no intention of opening another location. “We have one location and its working great because it’s a family enterprise.

All three of us are here every day and we give 100 per cent of our time here so I guess that’s the secret of our success,” he says. “We don’t want to extend ourselves and try to get the same ambience we have here because we started as a small family store and although now we’re up to 60 employees, it’s important that the family experience is there.”

Stéphan is proud of how much the employees love to come to work. “It’s important for us when somebody works

here, they’re happy in the morning and they can’t wait to come to work,” he says. “If we start opening up other stores, it may be a problem to have the same vision that we have here. Not only for the money, but also for the quality of life that we have working here. It’s exceptional and you don’t get that everywhere.”

As for the store’s succession plans, Stéphan says that the next generation of the family, his two sons and nephew, may take over the store one day.

“We’ll see what is going to happen,” he says. “We’re really going day by day with the evolution of the store.”

At the root of everything they do, La Moisson has one goal: to teach people how to care for their health. Whether that is through offering excellent organic food choices or providing them with experts to answer all their food- and health-related questions, the storeowners will keep this goal at the forefront of their minds for generations to come. IHR

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

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“Our mission is to teach people as much as we can how to take care of themselves, how to discover organic and why they should eat organic.

”

AT A GLANCE

TOP-SELLING PRODUCTS:

Name: La Moisson

Food: gluten-free products, raw foods

Owner: Kathleen Grohman, Marie-Claude Grohman and Stéphan Tremblay

Vitamins & supplements: omegas, probiotics, meal replacements

Location: 360 rue Sicard, Sainte-Thérèse, QC

Cosmetics: face creams, hair colour

Website: lamoisson.com Store Size: 16,500 square feet Staff: 60 APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

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Sponsored Content

A Sprouting New Snack Company Live Better Brands, maker of fast-growing Way Better Snacks

L

aunched in the fall of 2011, Live Better Brands produces all-natural snacks under the Way Better Snacks brand name and is guided by the simple premise to make products that people can feel good about eating and sharing with others. This is done by sourcing high quality ingredients and germinating (sprouting) as many of them as possible.

Our Story

It all started with a simple vision to create a better snack. We wondered, wouldn’t it be great to go back to a time when the food we ate was actually nutritious and good for you, before decades of environmental harm and mega food conglomerate processing wiped out most of the nutrients which used to be abundant in the food your grandparents ate. We wanted to make products you could feel good about eating again and sharing with others. With that in mind, we decided to do just that, and we were led to the miracle of germination (you might know it as sprouting). We knew that nutritionists and naturalists have been touting the incredible nutritional benefits of sprouting for years. We knew how sprouting unlocked all the “good” that is inherent in all grains, seeds and beans and brings them back to life (nutritionally speaking). So we thought, why couldn’t we combine the powerful benefits of sprouting to a great tasting snack? You know, sort of like those old TV commercials with that guy and girl tripping into each other with their chocolate and peanut butter. Anyway, you get the picture.

So, supported by the memories of simpler days gone by,

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IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

we began to craft our products. And after many tries, we can say we’re proud to share Way Better Snacks with you. All are high in omega 3’s, antioxidants and other vital nutrients, and all are low in sodium and saturated fat. Way Better Snacks!

They pretty much named themselves.

Live Better Brands are represented by PTM Marketing in Canada and run by Peter Mulherin. Way Better Snacks are available in five delicious varieties such as Sweet Potato, Sweet Chili, Black Bean, Multigrain and Unbeatable Blues, and are distributed by Tree of Life, Ontario Natural Food Coop and Horizon Distributors.

So grab a bag of Way Better Snacks, sit back, kick your feet up and think about some great old memories of simpler days gone by. And Enjoy!

A Simple Promise

It’s a simple promise, but it’s what we’re all about. Nothing makes me happier than creating great tasting, wholesome foods to fuel my family and yours. We do that by remembering to always be better.

This promise guides us to maintain a higher quality and keeps our head above the crowd. Better is a way of life and it’s how we’ll create everything at Live Better Brands. Ok, enough serious stuff. Let’s eat!

Our initial snack line, Way Better Snacks Simply Sprouted Tortilla Chips, is a first-of-its kind snack to incorporate sprouted ingredients like flaxseed, chia seeds, quinoa, black beans, broccoli seeds and daikon radish seeds.

Sponsored Content

Jim Breen, Live Better Brands CEO & Founder:

Jim Breen is a former Twin Cities, Minnesota resident. He received a degree in Business from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul.

His first job out of college was with the Minneapolisbased Creamette Company as a sales representative for grocery stores that spanned from St. Paul to Western Wisconsin. He has been in the packaged food industry ever since, eventually becoming a Senior Vice President of Sales for The Hain Celestial Group, which is the largest natural food manufacturer in the world.

After a decades-long stint in natural foods sales with the Hain Celestial Group, Breen decided to make the leap and develop his own, unique brand. Looking to create a product that was differentiated and ‘way better,’ he discovered the benefits of sprouted grains, seeds and beans and quickly realized sprouting was going to be an important food trend.

And, here we are today.

More about Way Better Snacks Simply Sprouted Tortilla Chips:

In addition to featuring sprouted ingredients, the tortilla chips are also Certified Gluten Free, Non-GMO Project Verified,

Kosher, vegan, an excellent source of whole grains, and low sodium. Also, they are made with simple, whole, healthful ingredients and contain no trans fats, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They are nutritious, “on trend,” and have received high praise from consumers for tasting way better than they could imagine.

The line is currently offered in six varieties - Simply Sunny Multigrain, Simply Sweeet Potato, Simply Beyond Black Bean, Simply So Sweet Chili, Simply Unbeatable Blues and No Salt Naked Blues - at numerous fine retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

More about the benefits of sprouting:

Sprouting seeds, grains and beans increases their nutrients and the natural inhibitors that protect them from digestion are greatly reduced or eliminated, resulting in improved bioavailability and better nutritional absorption. In essence, sprouting unlocks all the “good” that is inherent in grains, seeds and beans and brings them to life, nutritionally speaking, which is why Way Better Snacks added them to these great-tasting and better-for-you snacks.

For more information about our products and the many benefits of sprouting, visit: www.GoWayBetter.com.

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

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Fighting retail shrink is a matter of common sense

By Denise Deveau

According to PwC’s 2012 Canadian Retail Security Survey conducted in conjunction with the Retail Council of Canada, Canadian retailers lose about $4 billion a year to shrink, a number that equates $10.8 million per shopping day. Overall, the average shrink rate was 1.04 per cent of net sales for all respondents.

Theft is something all retailers have to contend with, both from an internal and external standpoint. And while shrinkage numbers haven’t changed significantly since 2008, there has been a sharp increase in the use of closed circuit TV/DVR recording systems, observation mirrors, 1-800 tip lines and alarms on merchandise.

Those measures do appear to have had an effect on external theft (e.g. shoplifters), which has actually decreased to 43 per cent from 65 per cent since 2008. Unfortunately, internal theft has gone the opposite direction, increasing from 19 per cent to 33 per cent.

Beyond the technology and mirrors, there are some things that retailers can do to keep their eye on the ball. Part of that is staff training, in terms of briefing them on the consequences of internal theft and how they manage customer behavior in store.

Here are some basics that can help: •Acknowledge customers when they come into your store - If an employee makes eye contact and says hello to a shopper, it shows you have noticed them. This can help to put potential shoplifters on their guard.

•Don’t judge a book by its cover – A teenager with a bad attitude and tattoos might seem an obvious surveillance target, but thieves come in all shapes and sizes, from employees to business professionals.

•Make it look like you’re doing something else while watching them – It’s easy to keep an eye on things while being engaged in other activities, such as stocking shelves or having a phone conversation.

•Keep the conversation with co-workers to a minimum – If workers are talking with their cohorts when a store is busy, it’s easy for anyone to get away with taking an item or two without being noticed.

•Avoid chatty customers – Sometimes when the store is busy, a person that buttonholes you with lots of questions may be there to distract you while their friend is taking merchandise. Be as polite and courteous as you need to be, but remember to not get too caught up in a lengthy discussion.

•Keep things in view – Your layout should be optimized to ensure that everything is in plain view. Having your cash station at the back of the store for example opens up too many opportunities for people to steal sight unseen.

•Keep your inventory in the picture – There are lots of tools you can use to track the flow of merchandise from your warehouse to the shop floor. If you can keep tabs on that movement, the chances of inventory theft in transit will be greatly reduced. In a worst case scenario, you can at least find out where the security breach is and possibly pin down the suspect. IHR APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

41

Expo West IHR Magazine was at the Natural Products Expo West 2014, which took place from March 6 to 9 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Here’s a look at the people IHR Publisher Olivier Felicio met and the products he saw.

Kyrill Leutsch, president at Aecetia Inc. (right) Quoquos Coco Lecithin Boost and Coco Choco Boost Natural Health Product Nathalie Bohn, senior director of sales and customer relations at Andalou Naturals (right) Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses with Alpine Rose Stem Cells Line

(Left) Goddess Garden Organics Sunny Body Sport Spray SPF 30 Garrett Adrian, digital marketing manager, Nova Covington, CEO and founder, and David Sorely, marketing manager of Goddess Garden Organics

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IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

(left) Susie Hewson, vice president of marketing and Theresa White, senior executive officer at Natracare Natracare Natural Panty Liners

(left) Sibu Sea Buckthorn seed oil Peter McMullin, president at Sibu

(left) Merrilee Pack, vice president of marketing and sales operations at Earth Science Naturals (centre) Janet Choa, marketing at Parissa Labs Parissa Wax Strips for Face & Bikini

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

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(left) Ted Campdesuner, director of client services at North American Herb and Spice (centre) Jean Colas, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Dermolab Pharma and Lotus Aroma Lotus Aroma Day-Night Firming Cream

(left) Pamela Dunn, Denise Fleming and John Larson of Lafe’s Natural BodyCare Fardad Moayeri, chief esthetics officer at Parissa Labs

(Left) Oleavicin Rapid Relief Formula Cindy Makela, chief executive officer at Oleavicin

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IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

A Face Every Mother Will Love G um m y Multi

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U-Cubes™ are pectin-based gummies, made with non-GMO ingredients and everything else you look for in a children's multivitamin. What’s more, they’re naturally coloured, naturally sweetened, contain no beef or pork gelatin, and are made in small batches to ensure the highest quality and freshness. They’re also rigorously tested for safety and potency… but never animal tested. The result? A great-tasting multivitamin that U can be sure is great for your children.

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Mall or stand-alone store, which is best for natural health product retailing?

By Liza Marley

In

a world where you constantly hear the all-toopopular phrase “location, location, location,” it’s ironic that there is no ‘best’ when it comes to location. What works for one retailer simply doesn’t work for another. Some retailers swear by stand-alone stores, others stay strictly within the malls. While you’d think there would be a clear preference for locating a natural health food store, the fact is, the distinction really is based on the type of store and its business model.

There are a lot of variables to choosing a location, and each has its benefits, or we wouldn’t see thriving businesses in both environments. When deciding between a mall and a stand-alone store, retailers need to determine which factors will ultimately fit their business model better. It takes a thorough understanding of the formula they’re following, including merchandise, marketing strategy, clientele base, staff and a solid understanding of the time and financial commitment.

While the customer conversion is dramatically different between the two location models, the mediating factor is foot traffic. The Toronto Eaton Centre claims 50 million visitors each year. The West Edmonton Mall gets over 30 million visitors. Vancouver’s Metropolis at Metrotown lists

46 IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

their visitors into the millions too. Few stand-alone stores will have as significant traffic. And while smaller malls have scaled-down numbers on visitors from these mega-malls, the bottom line boils down to how the number of visitors can be converted into buyers. The targeted ones are likelier to buy while the right retailer can capture sales from the passive shopper.

“There is no comparison in traffic between the two.

Malls draw huge traffic because they are the destination.

In the case of a stand-alone store, the store becomes the destination,” says Wayne Parent, president of Nutrition House Canada.

It should be noted that foot traffic comes at a price.

Mall rent is significantly higher than in a stand-alone store.

“The rent depends on the mall and the store,” says Maureen Atkinson, senior partner at J.C. Williams Group. As a member of the Retail Council of Canada, they specialize in consulting and advising to the retail sector. “Base rent with an escalator clause based on sales – percentage rent,” Atkinson explains, can put a hefty price tag on each square foot the retailer rents from the mall. “The idea is, if the mall is producing for you, and you’re producing well, both your store and the mall benefits.” Plus, she explains, you

Mall photos courtesy of Markville Mall, The Cadillac Fairview Group. Nutrition House photos courtesy of Nutrition House Canada.

The “location, location, location” question

want to be in a key area. “You want to be in the highest traffic location – but with prestige as well. You want a corner location that leads to the main aisle of the mall.” Of course prime real estate is always at a premium, but a corner, with the ability to showcase more product and more access to the store, gives you greater odds that visitors will come in and give you the opportunity to convert them to buyers.

The expense doesn’t end at the monthly rent cheque.

Malls expect merchants to maintain, renovate, upgrade and update – and it’s not cheap. In many cases, malls expect retailers to renovate at renewal time, which can ratchet up costs for specialty stores.

“From what I know, malls also dictate when you should renovate and how much money you should spend on renovations,” says Sanjiv Jagota, president of Nature’s Source, a natural health and wellness store with four strip-mall locations in Ontario. “When you and I go into a mall, the stores are constantly renovating and there's a lot of moving chairs. I don’t honestly know who pays for that cost.”

The investment is justifiable in two ways: 1) A beautiful store attracts customers and speaks to the retailer’s sense of knowledge of style. 2) It gives the retailer the assurance that all the stores around them have to maintain the same high standards too. The nicer the mall, the better the traffic and clientele.

That’s not to say that a stand-alone store doesn’t have to maintain a style or update their store – but they generally aren’t under the same obligation to do so. Stand-alone stores may be in a small plaza, grouped with a few other stores, they may be in a block of street shopping or they may be in a more isolated location. The landlord isn’t focused on maintaining the integrity of an entire mall; they’re focused on keeping a small number of rentals occupied. The rent is significantly lower. The landlord may want renovations, but they may also be willing to offset some of the expense. “You get some landlords who are still very actively involved and even though they're getting rent they're still actively looking at improving their place,” says Jagota. “The landlord really matters.”

It’s a dramatic difference in overhead, but there’s a lot of added value included in the rent in a mall location. It’s not value that a stand-alone landlord will be able to offer their tenant. “A retailer benefits from being in close proximity to other strong brands and being able to leverage marketing opportunities to promote their brand in print and digital offered by the shopping centre,” says Diana Pitassi, marketing manager, Markville Shopping Centre for The Cadillac Fairview Corporation. “Markville, for example, recently completed a $111 million transformation, and attracts customers near and far because of its strong mix of world class retail brands…

Markville’s relaunch campaign incorporated several new stores in print and digital ads, radio and TV in order to develop awareness in the centre’s primary and secondary trade area.”

As well as the heavy benefit of additional marketing reach, the infrastructure to support the retailers is extensive.

Ambient seating, food and restrooms all offer comforts, while the indoor space provides protection from the elements and the mall security adds an additional layer of safety and protection. From marketing to security, the mall retailers still have to invest in their own as well, but this added layer being afforded by the mall is quite advantageous.

“A mall is more secure, just when you're doing bank deposits and things like that, there's a lot more security.

Whereas when you're outside, someone can easily track

The question of ‘location’ is not just relevant to health food retailers. Here, jewellery retailers weigh in.

“Stand-alone or ‘street-level’ stores have proven very strong to the retail model,” says Haigo Derian, vice president of L’Oro Jewellery. Having been both a stand-alone and mall retailer, he’s gained insight on both sides of the coin. He lists the type of clientele each type of location gets as one of the most significant differences between the two models. At a stand-alone store, the customer has arrived at the store for only one reason: to shop for jewellery.

In contrast, with a mall location, while there may be significantly more foot traffic, he explains, “the intention to buy jewellery is not there.” The shopper may come in and browse because they enjoy window-shopping, something may catch their eye, but most didn’t come to the mall with the intent to buy a luxury item. In a stand-alone store, “three come in, two buy, versus 10 walk in, one buys,” in a mall location, explains Derian.

And, within that segment of traffic that may be converted – retailers have competition within the mall. There may be several similar retailers, plus the department store jewellery counters all vying for that same customer who is not just shopping, but comparison-shopping the competition, all under one roof.

One huge benefit to being a stand-alone jewellery retailer – the store can be more responsive to the ebb and flow of traffic. Malls strictly dictate the operation hours, while standalones are generally able to set hours to match the demand. It’s a huge savings on overhead – especially labour. A stand-alone retailer can target an area that has complementary retail, while being selective about how much competition is in the neighbourhood. They may choose an option with dedicated parking, great tourist presence and regular foot traffic – or based on the reputation of the community.

“Absolutely with retail it’s location, location, location,” says Atkinson. Toronto’s Bloor Street neighbourhood, the part of Yorkville known as the Mink Mile, Atkinson points out, delivers the right traffic to high end luxury jewellery retailers like Tiffany & Co., Birks and Royal de Versailles.

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what time you do deposits, what time you close the store if somebody wanted to do that,” says Jagota. Since his stores are all in outdoor locations, he has extra measures in place to ensure the safety of his employees and customers. “Knock on wood, we've never had an issue with safety or security, but we have panic buttons and silent alarms in each of our locations and we make that mandatory whenever we build a store. Not everybody does that, so I think that is how we've avoided it, we give security to ourselves and our staff.”

A stand-alone store doesn’t benefit from that kind of major marketing or overall massive investment in infrastructure. But what a stand-alone store does have is its place in the community. A long-term stand-alone store builds up a strong and loyal community-based clientele, where trusted word-of-mouth referral drives business, often through generations.

“In a strip mall, you get more of a dedicated customer, whereas in a mall you get more impulse shoppers. I think in a strip mall you get more of a community feel than you do at a mall. I think people get to know you better locally and you're there in their community as opposed to being in a destination in the middle of a mall and they have to search you out,” says Jagota. “It’s also easier on people because they drive in and drive out. They park in front of your store, get what they want and they’re gone. It’s convenient.”

Upping the marketing budget may be necessary, but a stand-alone retailer would be creating targeted advertising as opposed to the mall’s marketing, which is developing traffic for the mall as a whole, not directed at the specific store.

“The mall itself is working on marketing on your behalf to draw people into the mall. The big anchors do that as well, whereas in a strip mall or stand-alone, you have to generate the traffic yourself, you have to create that awareness. A lot of our emphasis is trying to get people to know where we are,” says Jagota. “Rarely will you see a natural health retailer in a mall advertising for having a sale, whereas retailers outside the mall would have to advertise a lot. I don't know what the cost difference would be if you factor in our marketing compared to mall rent if we're at the same place or not, but I also know being outside, you're also not under the scrutiny of someone else and how your business is being run. There's a lot more independence and a lot more flexibility being on your own outside as opposed to being in a mall where you're restricted in what you can carry.”

A new retailer may find that a stand-alone location is not just the better option, but also the only option for starting out. While traffic in the millions may seem quite lucrative, only the bigger brands can access those leases.

Malls vet merchants before allowing them to rent. The busier, upscale malls won’t rent to a one-off, unknown store.

They want the brand power of each retailer adding to the panache of the mall’s identity – it’s a relationship where both sides need each other. A retailer who isn’t performing up to expectations will likely find their lease won’t be renewed.

Ultimately, the two different types of locations suit two different business models. With different overhead, a different type of clientele, different security concerns and a definite difference in competition, the chains tend to fare better at malls, especially the bigger ones, while the specialized and committed retailer may find their niche really is in the stand-alone. With room for crossing over – from stand-alone to mall or from mall to stand-alone – a strong understanding of the demands of the business is the key to success, and to finding the perfect location. IHR

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High in Iron and Antioxidants!

Beet(root) juice has long been recommended in India and parts of South Asia as a tonic for expectant mothers. North American nutritionists are now making similar recommendations for Canadian women during pregnancy, in part because of the high iron content of beet juice. One 250 mL glass of Just Juice beet juice contains 5 mg of the 27 mg of iron that Health Canada recommends during pregnancy. Just Juice also provides pregnant women with peace of mind as our beet juice is 100% organic and pasteurized to optimize its safety for you and your baby.

Not just for expectant mothers

The deep, ruby red colour means that it is loaded with natural plant compounds called antioxidants. Beet juice as part of a diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer. So, whether beet juice represents part of a healthy start in life or part of your plan for life-long health maintenance, the delicious and refreshing taste of Just Juice ‘Not from Concentrate’ Organic Beet Juice will be a welcome addition to your diet.

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Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract for beautiful skin

By Horphag Research

How Pycnogenol® helps from both inside and out

Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract is widely used in topical and oral applications for various dermatological indications. A unique combination of pharmacological functions of Pycnogenol® provides an unmatched variety of health benefits for skin health.

Human skin absorbs Pycnogenol®

Pycnogenol® was tested for the ability to be absorbed by human skin [Sarikaki et al, 2004]. A Pycnogenol® solution was applied to a viable human skin patch and molecules penetrating the skin were identified. Smaller constituents such as phenolic acids were already identifiable 30 minutes after application. Many constituents, including catechin, showed the highest concentration after four hours. Many constituents of Pycnogenol® were measurable in significant quantities only 23 hours after application.

Wrinkles

Pycnogenol® binds with skin proteins collagen and elastin, and protects skin from various harmful enzymes helping to rebuild elasticity, essential for a smooth, younger look. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study with 62 women, a complex formulation with Pycnogenol® as lead active ingredient was shown to significantly increase skin elasticity after six weeks oral treatment by 9 per cent as compared to placebo [Segger et al., 2004].

Hyper-pigmentation and brown spots.

Pycnogenol® helps promote ‘glow’ and reduce over-pigmentation for a more even complexion (brown spots). In vitro experiments have suggested that Pycnogenol® inhibits

tyrosine kinase in melanocytes and thus lowers generation of skin pigments [Yasumuro et al., 2006]. A clinical study has demonstrated that Pycnogenol® is effective to lightenup over-pigmented areas of the skin in humans. These brownish spots or patches often develop particularly in the face of women, much less frequently on other parts of the body. This type of hyper-pigmentation of certain areas of the skin is known in dermatology as chloasma, or melasma.

Oral supplementation of 30 women with Pycnogenol® for one month reduced the size of skin affected by hyperpigmentation significantly by 37 per cent [Ni et al., 2002].

And, more importantly, the average pigmentation intensity of women taking part in the trial was lowered by about 22 per cent. In this study Pycnogenol® was found to be effective to achieve a fair skin without any side effects.

acid hydroxy-proline, which is present exclusively in matrix proteins collagen and elastin. In consequence, Pycnogenol® (and also its metabolites) protects these proteins from free radical damage and enzymatic degradation. Recent research identified enhanced collagen synthesis with Pycnogenol® in skin of human volunteers. Pycnogenol® further increased synthesis of hyaluronic acid in women‘s skin, corresponding with better skin elasticity and water retention.

Pycnogenol® has a high affinity to proteins rich in the amino acid hydroxyl-proline. These are predominantly the matrix proteins in the skin, collagen and elastin. When Pycnogenol® is added to collagen or elastin, a high amount remains tightly bound. In consequence, Pycnogenol® also tightly binds to the skin. To other proteins such as albumins Pycnogenol® has little affinity [Grimm et al., 2004].

Scar Formation

Several clinical studies have shown that Pycnogenol® protects the collagen matrix and increases skin stability during healing. In a pharmacological study the ability of skin to heal wounds was investigated [Blazsó et al., 2003].

Wounds were inflicted by heat treatment followed by topical application of Pycnogenol® gel once a day until healing. In absence of treatment the healing process took 15.3 days and application of gel without Pycnogenol® had no effect on the healing time. Gel with 1 per cent Pycnogenol® was found to accelerate the healing process by 1.6 days as compared to gel without Pycnogenol®. Pycnogenol® was found to dose-dependently shorten the period required for wound healing. Furthermore, scar size was lowered with increasing Pycnogenol® concentration.

UV damage and photo-aging

Sunburn is an inflammation caused by free radical induced tissue damage. By neutralizing these free radicals, Pycnogenol® helps protect skin from the stress and damage of sunburn and photo-aging.

Exposure of the skin to UV-light generates reactive oxygen radicals and triggers pro-inflammatory processes which may cause sunburn. Pycnogenol® was shown in preclinical studies to effectively counteract sunburns [Sime at al., 2004]. The skin thickness was evaluated after exposure of the skin to UV light for three consecutive days, which serves as measure for the skin sunburn reaction. As compared to baseline, the UV exposure almost doubled the skin thickness, reflecting a significant reaction of the skin to the UV radiation.

Pycnogenol® was applied to skin after UV-exposure because the procyanidins in Pycnogenol® absorb UV light.

Application to the skin subsequent to UV-exposures ensures that exclusively the anti-inflammatory properties of Pycnogenol® are active. Pycnogenol® was also shown to potently counteract the systemic immuno-suppressive effects of UV-radiation. Application of 0.1 per cent Pycnogenol® lotion to exposed skin post irradiation restored the UV-affected immune response (evaluated as contact hypersensitivity to chemical irritants) to 87 per cent of non-irradiated levels [Sime et al., 2004].

Pycnogenol® binds and protects collagen and elastin Pycnogenol® protects elastic tissue proteins and stimulates genesis of new collagen and hyaluronic acid in human skin. Pycnogenol® has a high affinity to the amino

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

51

acne had dramatically improved.

Pycnogenol® was suggested to improve acne as a result of its anti-inflammatory activity, its anti-microbial activity as well as the improved wound healing properties.

This study suggests that Pycnogenol® may be beneficial in a variety of skin conditions involving inflammatory and infectious components.

Pycnogenol® is a potent antioxidant

Pycnogenol® enhances blood micro-circulation in the skin

Pycnogenol® enhances generation of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) which is the key mediator facilitating arterial relaxation and consequently allows for optimal blood flow.

Oral Pycnogenol® supplementation was found to increase blood perfusion of the skin and oxygen partial pressure increased and, conversely, carbon dioxide concentration decreased. This study demonstrated an improved healing of wounds (ulcers) in individuals with micro-circulatory disorders. An improved blood perfusion of the skin warrants optimal supply with all-important nutrients as well as better hydration to support skin vitality.

Pycnogenol® is effective for acne treatment

Pycnogenol® has been clinically tested in 40 women suffering from adult acne. A 0.5 per cent Pycnogenol® lotion was applied twice a day after washing the face. The symptom severity was investigated at baseline and after one month of treatment using an established symptom severity grading standard [Seki et al., 2006]. The results showed that the majority of women experienced an improvement of their acne. One in four women did not experience any effect of the treatment. 75 per cent of the women found an improvement and five per cent felt their

52

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Pycnogenol® was demonstrated to be a very potent antioxidant with the ability to neutralize every naturally occurring oxygen radical species [Rohdewald 2002].

Pycnogenol® can recycle oxidized (spent) vitamin C to restore its activity. This supports the availability of vitamin C as co-factor for the enzymatic activity of prolyl hydroxylase, which synthesizes functional collagen and elastin.

Pycnogenol® represents a very potent cosmetic ingredient which offers a broad range of clinically substantiated health benefits: •

Antioxidant potency

•

Increased skin elasticity

•

Improved skin health and collagen renewal

•

Anti-microbial activity

•

Improved skin micro-circulation

•

Anti-inflammatory activity

•

Anti-photo-aging and sun-protection

•

Lowered skin pigmentation

Pycnogenol® is most effective for healthy skin when it is applied topically as well as taken as supplement. Each delivery form has unique advantages. Both delivery forms in combination provide optimal supply with nutrients from within and warrant highest efficacy particularly for photoprotection and improved skin elasticity. IHR

VISUAL AID Five clinical studies have demonstrated that Pycnogenol® improves the vascular system of the eyes to preserve healthy eyesight.*

LOOK, FEEL AND LIVE BETTER

To place an order now, call

Toll-free 877-369-9934 or visiT

www.pycnogenol.coM

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

*For a complete list of scientific research and further information visit our website at www.pycnogenol.com Pycnogenol,® French maritime pine bark extract, is a registered trademark of Horphag Research, Ltd and its applications are protected by U.S. patents and other international patents. © 2012 Horphag Research USA, Inc.

Sponsored Content

The newest nutraceuticals

EastGate Pharmaceuticals applies highly efficient modern pharmaceutical technologies to nutraceutical and natural products to improve biological action and consumers’ quality of life.

By Kavita Sabharwal

E

astGate Pharmaceuticals is the trailblazer in Canada using state-of-the-art Sub Micron Enhancement (SME) technology to give consumers a choice of alternative treatments to conventional pharmaceuticals. The team of a highly experienced professionals works with herbal components, plant extracts and essential oils, applying scientific technologies to natural compounds.

The process of SME places active components such as vitamins, herbal extracts and other nutrients to particles that are 200 to 1,000 times smaller than a human red blood cell.

The small size allows these particles to penetrate the cell with greater ease and dramatically increase the absorption rate of active compounds. Currently only few other processes can attain the kind of absorption rate EastGate’s team can produce, and a very limited number of products on the market can prove such highly efficient absorption rates.

By improving the delivery method, the company improves the efficacy of the nutraceutical products, and provides consumers with a better value.

Common technological approaches used to overcome low solubility may result in absorption problems ranging

54 IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

from low and erratic bioavailability to undesired effects such as local irritation.

The improved formulations may be used to alleviate various specific symptoms and results in lower dosing, fewer side effects, increased effectiveness and new methods of nutrients delivery with significantly higher absorption. This is a major breakthrough for the supplement industry and it requires a high degree of scientific knowledge to formulate these products.

The products

EastGate is coming out with three innovative new products that will work on the concerns of obesity: an as-yet-unnamed green coffee bean extract, Glucorgent, and Urban Power.

The company is in the planning and start-up development stages for green coffee bean extract. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid, quinides, lignans and trigonelline, all of which are ingredients that have shown an improvement in glucose metabolism in animal studies. Other studies have proposed that chlorogenic acid slows the absorption of fat and activates the metabolism. The extract will be prepared

Sponsored Content

with EastGate’s superb SME technology, providing a much higher absorption rate than other similar products on the market, hence a much more effective green coffee bean formula than exists now in any current format.

Glucorgent SME capsules, based on extract of tropical plant Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) along with lipoic acid and a chromium complex, is the safe and natural way to help regulate blood glucose levels and prevent fat deposition. The capsules contain Banaba extract and alphaLipoic acid and increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which can thereby be useful in the pre-diabetic or diabetic stage. Clinical research suggests that alpha-Lipoic acid supplements may have a variety of potential health benefits, including a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Recent laboratory research has also shown that alpha-Lipoic acid markedly reduces the incidence of obesity in obesityprone rats. Glucorgent is expected to help convert fat to muscle. This treatment helps in weight control, suppresses appetite, diminishes fat accumulation, facilitates muscle growth and improves glucose metabolism and energy regulation. With the recent published data on the profound increase in pre-diabetes and diabetes, this is a product that will help thousands of Canadians.

Urban Power SME is made for body builders and athletes. Usually the body converts excess glucose into fat, but this product contains active components, which instead translates it to muscle mass. This product is expected to be in the production stage by late 2014, and EastGate is in the planning stages of obtaining an NPN (Natural Product Number) from Health Canada.

Other products by the company include UTIDrops, a urinary tract antiseptic; Essential-D, vitamin D3 nanoemulsion drops; Warts X, a natural antiviral wart removal treatment that works quickly; Puralen, a natural herbal cleanse; V-Cleanzz, an antibacterial natural wash for fruits and vegetables; and CleanEzze, a hand sanitizer.

UTI-Drops, formerly known as E-Drops, are the company’s best-selling product. The letter ‘E’ in the retired title stands for E.Coli, the bacterium that causes 85 to 90 per cent of all urinary tract infections. These drops, which were originally created by Dr. Enes Hasanagic, are more effective than any other natural health product on the market, including cranberry-based products, for urinary tract infections and related issues.

EastGate Pharmaceuticals is currently distributed in Europe. Their marketing approach for North America will entail advertorials, training videos, in-person retailer education, and anything else necessary to educate consumers and retailers about the technology the company uses.

The company

The EastGate team believes in providing a label design and concept that confirms the story of the company. The products contain plant-derived extracts that are made of basic elements that are associated with specific colours. The labels reflect the assigned colours of the elements that are uniquely combined in the products. This is meant to pass on visual and emotional information to stimulate people to react.

EastGate’s Chief Executive Officer, Anna Gluskin, has over 30 years of experience in discovering and developing opportunities in biotechnology pharmaceutical and consumer health products. Gluskin, who holds a Masters Degree in Microbiology and Genetics from both Moscow State University and the University of Toronto, has a number of patents for innovative pharmaceutical drugs in her name.

Vedran Hasanagic, son of E-Drops creator Dr. Enes Hasanagic, is married to company president Mira Hasanagic.

Both Vedran and Mira are Alternative Medicine M.Ds. As president, Mira is in charge of the company’s marketing, budgeting and accounting, purchasing and inventory control and staff supervision. Prior to her position with the company, Mira has held executive positions with pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

The two doctors at the helm of EastGate Pharmaceuticals are Dr. Michael Weisspapir and Dr. Joseph Schwarz. Dr. Weisspapir, chief medical officer of the company, has 20 years of experience in experimental medicine, including research and development in immunipharmacology, toxicology, neuroscience and experimental pharmacology.

Dr. Schwarz, EastGate’s chief science officer, has researched the development of controlled drug release and drug delivery systems for many years. He is an expert in colloidal and microcorpusculate drug delivery systems, sub micron emulsions, biodegradable micro and nanoparticles and topical and systemic transdermal delivery.

EastGate is also assisted in Canada by Michael Theodor of MT Consulting, an award-winning natural products veteran with close to 40 years of experience.

EastGate Pharmaceuticals was recently listed on the NASDAQ OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker symbol ESAQ. The company is working toward expanding its product portfolio through targeted investments in pharmaceutical research and development. In early March, it announced completion of private equity investment financing of $1.1 million from the sale of units to selected investors.

The company’s research and development scientists have more than 60 years of combined experience, and are dedicated to providing the best nutraceutical products for comfort, health and well being.

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

55

Ken’s Kool

Who manages your categories, and more importantly, how do they do it?

By Ken Vannucci

I

have read many articles in the last six months or so around the topic of category management: what it is, who does it and why it is important in today’s retail. I have also been in numerous conversations with others in the industry and I am amazed at the way many view the idea and practice of category management.

A lot of the time, conversations start with the usual small talk and then work into the “so, what do you do?” question.

Most buyers and merchandise managers will inevitably say that one of the key functions of their job is category management. When pressed, I find it very interesting as to how they define that particular concept or part of their duties. What I generally find out more often than not is that most of the self-proclaimed category managers are really just buyers. They really do not perform the duties of a category manager at all, at least in my most humble of opinions.

I’m not in the world of academia, so my best business definition of what category management would be having an individual (merchandise manager or a buyer) oversee the procurement, marketing, and merchandising strategies that span entire product lines, made up of single items and brands, and determining the global direction these will take within the company. This is based on their knowledge as to what their consumer wants, as opposed to managing just those individual items or brands on a granular level with little continuity or respect to the whole; the latter being what I would consider a typical buyer.

From an artistic angle, a good category manager is like the author of a great book or the artist of a great painting – they are storytellers, if you will. A good category manager will take you on a shopping journey. You won’t be bored and time will move quickly and effortlessly. You will walk out of the store feeling fulfilled and satiated, emotionally, physically and hopefully monetarily, just like a great book or a great painting can make you feel.

So what? Why the distinction, and does it really matter

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IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

in today’s retail? The challenge for a retailer, when your business is being built around a buyer’s vision and direction versus a category manager’s, is you may buy well and execute well, and the buys may be tactically brilliant, however you may end up with just the latest and greatest items or opportunity buys and will not be telling that great story. You will have a very disjointed feel and thus a lackluster shopping experience for your customer.

When you look at the items you buy as a collective, and when you put all the pieces into a box (the physical store or your online store) and line them up on your shelves in their respective planograms, you start to tell your story. I can see what you are trying to show me, I can see what you are trying to get me to buy and why. I just get it and I will appreciate it because you made it easy and entertaining.

That is the same thing that good category management does in retail when most people view shopping for clothes and food as a chore and boring, as everyone really just sells the same stuff. A box of crackers here is the same as a box of crackers anywhere…

What changes that mentality and attitude is when your buyers and your so-called category managers actually start looking at their categories like the second agent. Don’t just look at the product in front of you as a single entity; look at how it sits within its entire set and how it fits within your needs.

When you are getting ready to make that listing decision, ask yourself: what else will our customers look at when they are buying that product? That one item is part of a much greater picture; are your category managers seeing that?

By getting to know your customer, you grow customer loyalty, your baskets and ultimately your profitability. Proper category management is crucial to the long-term success of any retail business today. Step back and see what your buyers and category managers are actually doing and ask if what they are doing is really best for the long-term success of your retail establishment. IHR

THE FIRST ANNUAL BEST of Natural Beauty AWARDS 2013

Viva Magazine is recruiting its readers to help test out products and find the best beauty products nature has to offer. See the holiday 2014 issue to see what comes out on top. The first ever Best of Natural Beauty Awards in 2013 proved it. We tested creams, oils, soaps, shampoos and more to find products that deliver, without any harmful additives.

Why our readers loved it:

Nova Scotia Fisherman Extreme Skin Care Sea Kelp Soap Avalon Organics Lavender Nourishing Shampoo The ultimate moisturizer for dry hair, this shampoo makes hair shiny and smooth without any added ingredients.

A 100 per cent natural, hand-poured bar of soap, made using olive, palm, coconut, and organic castor oils, this bar gives skin an ultra-soft feel.

Avalon Organics Lavender Nourishing Conditioner Light and moisturizing without weighing hair down, this all-natural conditioner is a must.

Tashodi Japanese Peppermint & Lemongrass Argan Hair Oil The key ingredient argan oil will beautify, strengthen and add shine to hair.

Thursday Plantation 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil Sourced from Australia, this tea tree oil is a natural alternative to benzoyl peroxide for reducing acne with fewer side effects.

Natracare Intimate Wipes Many wet wipes contain harsh foaming agents and parabens; these wipes are free from alcohol, detergents, parabens and other toxins.

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

59

Natracare Natural Panty Liners These panty liners are made with certified organic cotton and are soft, absorbent and breathable.

Derma e Pzorzema Crème This blend of herbal extracts and vitamins is a safe way to address dry, scaly, flaky and itchy skin.

Avalon Organics Vitamin C Rejuvenating Oil-Free Moisturizer This weightless, oil-free moisturizer will firm skin and replenish moisture without greasiness.

60

IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Tints of Nature Conditioning Permanent Colour Free of ammonia, parabens and resorcinol, this hair dye product will nourish and protect hair during the colouring process, making it feel healthier than ever.

Derma e Hydrating Night Crème with Hyaluronic Acid Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Cream This age-defying cream helps rehydrate and rebuild skin’s support structure, providing smoother, suppler skin.

It delivers long-lasting hydration while helping to plump the skin overnight in order to diminish fine lines and wrinkles.

APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

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Drug interactions with cutting-edge ingredients We explore drug interactions with cutting-edge natural health product ingredients.

By Thang Nguyen, B. ScH, CerRAP (Scientific Regulatory Associate of Dicentra)

There has been a surge of interest in ingredients derived from natural sources with benefits to human health. The ingredients particularly gripping the public eye are those with associations to heart health, blood sugar balance, weight management and antioxidant properties. These ingredients include green coffee bean, raspberry ketones, garcinia cambogia (Malabar tamarind), resveratrol and moringa. The demand for these ingredients is high, as consumers increasingly desire to treat and maintain their health using natural means. However, as they may also be taking pharmaceuticals, it is crucial that consumers are aware of the drug interactions possible with these ingredients.

Ingredient Green Coffee Bean

Green coffee bean extracts are recognized by Health Canada to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels, support cardiovascular health, provide antioxidants and complement a healthy lifestyle that incorporates a calorie-reduced diet and regular physical activity for individuals involved in a weight management program. As green coffee bean demonstrates hypotensive effects, combined use with anti-hypertensives such as beta-blockers has the potential to lower blood pressure to undesirable levels. The hypotensive effect of the green coffee bean’s primary constituent ferulic acid has been neutralized in animal studies when administered in combination with anti-cholinergic drugs like atropine. Care is warranted if green coffee bean is used in combination with iron supplements, as the chlorogenic acids in green coffee bean are potent inhibitors of iron absorption.

Raspberry Ketones

Though Health Canada does not recognize raspberry ketones for any official health benefit at this time, it has been licensed as a source of antioxidants. Though often advertised as a weight management ingredient, the fatburning effect, while supported in cells and animals, has not been demonstrated clinically in humans. Nonetheless, as raspberry ketones have demonstrated lipolytic effects in human cell lines and a favourable cholesterol profile when administered to animals, consumers should exercise caution in using raspberry ketones in combination with anti-lipemic and anti-obesity drugs where the additive effect could be deleterious to human health.

There has been some clinical evidence that raspberry ketones decreases the international normalized ration (INR) of warfarin, a common anticoagulant, where its blood-clotting properties were weakened.

58 IHRMAGAZINE.COM • APRIL 2014

Drug

Health concerns

(who takes these drugs?)

Anti-Hypertensives (beta-blockers): Acebutolol, betaxolol, levobetaxolol, nadolol, propanolol

Patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) or heart disease taking anti-hypertensives

Anti-cholinergic Drugs: Atropine, benztropine, dicyclomine, diphenhydramine, scopolamine, tolterodine,

Patients taking beta-blocker medication for anxiety

Iron Supplements: Iron multivitamins, Prenatal multivitamins containing iron

Anti-lipemic drugs: Ezetimibe, cholestyramine, clofibrate Anti-obesity drugs: Orlistat, sibutramine, phendimetrazine Anti-coagulants: Warfarin, heparin, dicumarol

Patients taking anti-cholinergic medication for insomnia, dizziness, and respiratory disorders like asthma Patients taking iron supplements for iron deficiency and anemia

Patients with high levels of lipids in the bloodstream (hyperlipidemia) taking anti-lipemic drugs for weight control, loss or management Patients taking anti-obesity drugs Patients taking anticoagulants for cardiovascular disorders (heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis) lipids in the bloodstream (hyperlipidemia) taking anti-lipemic drugs

Ingredient Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia cambogia (also known as Malabar tamarind) could help to temporarily increase satiety and feelings of fullness. As the satiety effect of garcinia cambogia may lead to reduced dietary intake, this could lead to reduced blood sugar levels which discourages the concomitant use of other hypoglycemic agents. As well, the active constituent in the ingredient, hydroxycitric acid, when administered with statins (commonly used to lower blood cholesterol), could potentially lead to rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition where muscle tissue is broken down and could possibly lead to kidney failure.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is an excellent source of antioxidants. Resveratrol is also demonstraed in diabetic patients to increase insulin sensitivity, leading to lowered blood glucose.

This warrants caution when using other antidiabetic drugs. Resveratrol’s ability to suppress drug metabolism pathways mediated by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes could lead to altered drug efficacy and increased adverse drug reactions for the numerous drugs metabolized by CYP. Currently, Health Canada requires health products containing resveratrol to have a caution statement to consult a healthcare practitioner prior to use if the customer is taking prescription medication.

Moringa

No official recommended uses are stated for moringa by Health Canada, but it has been licensed to help lower total cholesterol levels, help support healthy glucose levels, and be a source of antioxidants. As with the previous ingredients that help with blood cholesterol and blood glucose management, interactions with anti-lipemic and anti-diabetic drugs are possible. As moringa has exhibited antibiotic effects against several microorganism strains commonly used in probiotics, it may reduce the effectiveness of the probiotic if used in combination. Moringa is known in traditional Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine as an abortifacient and has demonstrated abortive properties in rats.

Consumers using fertility or who are pregnant or intending to be pregnant, should avoid taking moringa for these reasons.

Drug Hypoglycemic Agents/ Anti-diabetic drugs: Metformin, acarbose, miglitol Statins: Atorvastatin, cerivastatin, fluvastatin, simvastatin

Health concerns

(who takes these drugs?)

Diabetic patients and patients taking hypoglycemic agents to lower blood sugar when suffering hyperglycemia Patients who are taking statins to lower blood cholesterol and mini mize risk of cardiovascular disease

Hypoglycemic Agents/Anti-diabetic drugs: Metformin, acarbose, miglitol

Diabetic patients and patients taking hypoglycemic agents to lower blood sugar when suffering hyperglycemia

Drugs that undergo metabolism by CYP: Amobarbital, budesonide, rifampicin

Patients taking Cytochrome P450-metabolized agents, which is often used in a variety of conditions (ex. anxiety, asthma, infection)

Anti-lipemic Drugs: Ezetimibe, cholestyramine, clofibrate

Patients with high levels of lipids in the bloodstream (hyperlipidemia) taking anti-lipemic drugs

Anti-Diabetic Drugs: Metformin, acarbose, miglitol

Diabetic patients and patients taking hypoglycemic agents to lower blood sugar when suffering hyperglycemia

Probiotics: Products containing live bacteria/ microorganisms (ex. lactobacillus, saccharomyces, bifidobacterium) providing protective benefits when consumed.

Fertility Drugs: Clomiphene, follitropin, menotropins

Patients taking probiotics for improved gastrointestinal health Consumers attempting to become pregnant

Though a majority of consumers are aware of the possible interactions between different pharmaceuticals, there is less understanding about the potential interplay between drugs and natural health products. This may be attributed to the public persona that these ingredients are natural and do not present any health safety issues. Nonetheless, as pharmacological interactions are possible, public awareness is important. Retailers, being the contact between consumers and these ingredients, can play an important role in consumer awareness. It is in the best interest of retailers to inform consumers of the potential drug interactions to avoid having unintended adverse reactions with the health product and not have a negative impression with the retailer from where it was purchased. Having this responsibility of educating consumers increases the public trust in the retailer and the health product industry in general. IHR APRIL 2014 • IHRMAGAZINE.COM

59

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“

“ Hallelujah!

A new and exciting natural health product based on a unique blend of 100% cold pressed organic coconut oil and 100% organic sunflower lecithin, Quoquos offers a revolutionary way to use virgin coconut oil as a bioavailable daily natural health product.

• Sunflower lecithin is formulated to help breakdown fats for normal oil digestion • Maintains metabolism and immune system health • Soy Free, GMO Free • Certified USDA Organic by QAI • Packaged in glass jars

• • • • •

Used it like a food… with the benefits of a natural health product!

Very creamy and smooth A great energy booster Easy to emulsify in nutritional shakes Has natural non stick properties when used for cooking A great source of lauric acid and choline to support brain function

For more information about Quoquos™ natural health products, contact us at info@aecetia.com or call 1-800-583-2158. www.aecetia.com www.quoquos.com www.facebook.com/quoquos

Meet us at Booth 1850 CHFA West 2014 Vancouver Convention Center, West Building April 12-13, 2014, Vancouver, BC ©2014 Aecetia Inc. All rights reserved. Quoquos, Quoquos Coco Lecithin and Quoquos Coco Choco are trademarks of Aecetia Foods Ltd.

QUOQUOS IHR HEALTH FULL PAGE AD.INDD 2

3/26/14 4:01 PM

A Natural Evolution in Skin Care Aubrey®’s Calming Skin Therapy Skin Care Line Specially formulated to soothe and firm sensitive skin types.

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Every product in the Calming Skin Therapy skin care line is all-natural and NEVER tested on animals.

Key Ingredients: • Organic Aloe Vera – Hydrates and soothes skin, combats dryness • Sea Aster Extract – Clinically proven to reduce redness and sensitivity when used 2X daily for 28 days

• Beet Root Extract – Clinically proven to lock in moisture for 8 hours

In better natural product retailers throughout Canada For more information, call Purity Life at 1-800-265-2615 or New Age Marketing at 1-888-868-0127

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• Prickly Pear Extract – Clinically proven to firm and protect skin when used 2X daily for 14 days