In Conversation With Bruce W. Cole

In this episode of “In Conversation With,” Bruce Cole sits down with Johnny Larocque, Director of Sales at St. Francis Herb Farm. Following CHFA Toronto, they reflect on the brand’s Brand Excellence Award win and the family roots, commitment to quality and dedicated team behind it. Johnny Larocque shares his journey from Fortinos’ Nature’s Treasure department to roles at Renew Life, Health First N...

What does it take to lead Canada's largest distributor of natural and organic foods? In this episode of In Conversation with , host Bruce Cole speaks with Stacey Kravitz, President of UNFI Canada. Fresh off UNFI’s recognition as the CHFA Distributor of Distinction, Stacey reflects on her transition from a 20-year career at Kraft Heinz to guiding UNFI through a major corporate turnaround. Stac...

In this episode of In Conversation With , host Bruce Cole sits down with Amanda Kenny, founder and Chief Merchandiser of Hive Retail Solutions, to explore what really happens after a product earns its place on the shelf. Drawing on her unconventional path from sales and brand brokerage to building a nationwide merchandising company, Amanda shares how she identified a critical gap in the industry:...

In this episode, host Bruce Cole sits down with David Nelson, award-winning co-owner of Inside U, a natural health retailer in Woodstock and Norwich, Ontario. David shares his unconventional journey from writing video games and personal training to studying naturopathic medicine and developing supplement formulations. He also reflects on receiving the Health First Network Brock Elliot “Solid as a...

In this episode of In Conversation With , host Bruce Cole sits down with Lynsey Walker, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, and Scott Sulz, Director of Business Development and Member Experience at the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), for an inside look at CHFA NOW Toronto. Taking place September 25–27 at the Enercare Centre, CHFA NOW Toronto is Canada’s largest natural, organi...

In this episode of In Conversation With, Bruce Cole sits down with Norm Wingfield, Key Account Manager for LeBeau Excel. Norm reflects on his 32-year journey in the food and retail sectors, starting as a clerk at the local Barn Fruit Markets chain in 1991, moving up to store manager, and later transitioning to corporate logistics. He discusses spending 18 years managing Ontario grocery inventory a...

In this episode of In Conversation With, Bruce Cole speaks with Tia Loftsgard, Executive Director of the Canada Organic Trade Association. Celebrating her tenth year with the organization, Tia shares her journey from studying human justice to advocating for global food security and fair compensation for farmers. She also explains how COTA’s small team supports the organic sector through government...

In this episode of In Conversation With , host Bruce Cole sits down with Trevor Sibanda, widely known across Canada’s natural health and CPG industries as “the storytelling guy.” Having worked behind the scenes with innovative brands including Mid-day Squares, Mitsoh, Cedar Valley, Nuts for Cheese and Gingerbug, Trevor explains why strong products can still struggle at retail and how the right com...

In this episode of In Conversation With , host Bruce Cole sits down with Caterina Swartz, a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN) and the chief executive officer of Well in Hand Holistic Nutrition Store located in Port Elgin, Ontario. Growing up immersed in the natural health community, Caterina shares her unique journey of practically being raised at industry trade shows. She discusses moving fr...

In this insightful episode of In Conversation With , host Bruce Cole sits down with Caroline Farquhar, Medical Advisor and Chief Educator at CanPrev, for an inside look at the rewarding and fast-paced world of natural health education. Caroline shares how her own health challenges inspired her to leave the corporate travel industry and pursue a career in natural nutrition. Drawing on more than 20...

In this episode, Rebecca Dyck, CEO and owner of Dad's Organic Market, drops insights on how independent natural health stores can successfully stand their ground against multi-billion-dollar giants like Costco and Loblaws. Rather than worrying about price-matching massive competitors, Rebecca outlines a powerful mindset shift: independent retailers must compete where scale simply doesn’t matt...

In this episode, Bruce Cole sits down with Caitlyn Vanderhaeghe, the President and CEO of KidStar Nutrients . Growing up under the influence of her mother, Lorna Vanderhaeghe, a legendary figure and Hall of Fame member in the natural health industry, Caitlyn originally pursued non-industry career paths like urban planning and teaching before ultimately returning to her roots. Her venture into chil...

In this episode, host Bruce Cole sits down with Randy Whitteker, a foundational figure in the Canadian natural health industry who recently retired after a remarkable 38-year career. Whitteker shares his unique journey from a suburban upbringing to becoming a leader in the cooperative movement, eventually transforming the Ontario Natural Food Company (ONFC) from a $1.5 million distributor into a $...

In this episode, Mid-Day Squares co-founder and "Chief Rainmaker" Jake Karls explores how storytelling serves as a vital competitive advantage in the modern business landscape. Jake details the brand's "build out loud" strategy, which involves documenting every aspect of their entrepreneurial journey, including the "good, the bad, and the ugly" to foster deep hum...

Like so many across our industry, we were deeply saddened by the passing of Deane Parkes. But as we reflected on his life, one thing became abundantly clear, Deane meant something different to everyone he touched. He was a mentor, a teacher, a marketer, a leader, and above all, a friend. He had a remarkable gift for sharing his ideas, wisdom, and encouragement so generously with others. To honour...

In this special edition of In Conversation With , Bruce Cole is joined by Lorrie Ingram for a look back at some of the people, events, and moments that have shaped the natural health industry over the past several weeks. The conversation begins with highlights from the Health First Network Annual General Meeting in Whistler, British Columbia, where retailers and vendors came together for networkin...

In this episode, Bruce sits down with Alice Chung, founder and owner of Alive Health Centre, for a remarkable conversation about nearly five decades in the natural health industry. From a single 700-square-foot store to a network of 21 locations across British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, Alice reflects on the decisions, values, and relationships that helped shape one of Canada's most resp...

In this episode of "In Conversation with," host Bruce Cole welcomes Davide Viola, President and CEO of the Health First Network, to discuss the organization's mission and its evolving role in the natural health industry. Davide describes Health First as a mission-driven, non-profit support organization dedicated to empowering nearly 120 independent retailers, representing approximat...

In this episode of In Conversation With , host Bruce Cole speaks with Stephanie Skalic, the Senior Merchandising Manager for Nature's Treasure at Fortinos Supermarket Limited. Stephanie shares her inspiring transition from a career in finance to becoming a leader in the natural health industry, a journey sparked by her own health challenges and the encouragement of a "guardian angel&quot...

In this episode of In Conversation With , host Bruce Cole sits down with Julie Drapeau, Senior VP of the Wellness Division at Purity Life Health Products. Julie shares her unconventional career journey, transitioning from the "dark side" of non-natural beauty brands to becoming a powerhouse leader in the natural health industry. She discusses her early experiences managing major stores f...

In this episode of In Conversation With, host Bruce Cole sits down with Sanjiv Jagota, the visionary founder and president behind Nature’s Source and Nature’s Signature. With over 28 years of experience in the retail health sector, Sanjiv shares his unique journey from a career in pharmaceutical quality control and sales to becoming a leader in the natural health industry. He discusses the initial...

This episode explores the 39-year legacy of Neal Brothers, tracing its evolution from a small kitchen operation in Aurora making croutons to a national leader in the natural food industry. Peter Neal shares the grit required to build a distribution network from scratch when traditional distributors wouldn't take a chance on a small brand. Peter discusses the strategic 2023 merger with Jon Luc...

In this episode, Jason Sebeslav, owner of the Peanut Mill Natural Health Food Store in St. Catharines, Ontario, discusses the remarkable 50-year journey of his family business. Originally founded by his mother in 1976 and supported by his grandmother, the store grew from a "fringe" counterculture shop into a community staple. Jason shares his personal transition from a background in Engl...

In this episode, Matt LeBeau , the President of Lebeau Excel , shares his extensive journey through the Canadian grocery and natural health sectors. Matt provides a breakdown of the vital role a broker plays as a "bolt-on sales department" for small to medium-sized enterprises, allowing them to establish a national presence at a fraction of the cost of an internal team. He also discusses...

This episode features Nadiya Raphael, General Manager and Vice President of New Chapter Canada, sharing the unprecedented business story of how a leading natural health brand voluntarily "paused" its entire Canadian operation. In November 2022, despite experiencing record growth, the company halted distribution to address regulatory documentation requirements with Health Canada. Nadiya d...