Dr. Hauschka, the natural beauty and skincare giant, has partnered with a new Canadian distributor. Masson Agencies Ltd., located in Quebec, will be handling the brand’s Canadian ventures.

With over 50 years of experience, Masson is fully equipped to manage the company’s Canadian operations. With clients like Gucci, Givenchy, and Esthederm, their team has a wealth of familiarity with the high-end skincare market.

“We are honoured and blessed to be working with such an established brand,” says Jacques Masson, president of Masson Agencies. “We look forward to working with Dr. Hauschka and furthering the brand’s Canadian presence.”

Effective January 2, 2017, Natural Organic Food Co-op will have a few new changes to their team.

Chris Williams, has accepted the challenge of Brand/Category Management, and will become their Sr. Brand Manager. Chris will also continue to help the team with yearly and quarterly sales planning duties. Chris’s 10 years of ONFC Retail/Marketing experience and understanding retailer needs will prove very valuable as they progress into 2017 and build Vendor Programs with all customers and vendors. Chris will continue to report John Landsborough.

Ha Le has accepted the challenge of their In-take Role (New and Line Extensions), and will become the New Listing Co-ordinator.  Ha has proven herself very valuable in assisting their team with various brands as a Junior Brand Manager and will be able to use her extensive Supply Chain Management and other management experiences at ONFC. Ha will now report to Jamie Fedorko.

Larissa Ahlborn has accepted the challenge of Brand/Category Management, and will become ONFC’s newest Brand Manager. Larissa has made so many in-roads and improvements in her two years with ONFC from their In-take processes and with her previous Brand Management experiences will enhance and strengthen their Brand Management Team. Larissa will now report to Chris Williams.

Monica Walker will now focus on managing the Outside Sales Team as Outside Sales Manager and building and supporting their dynamic sales team. Monica has been very instrumental in the building the Brand Management Programs while utilizing her Broker, Vendor and Retailer experiences at ONFC. Monica will fully focus on a very challenging and dynamic marketplace of being on the road and building the sales of the Top 300 Accounts for ONFC. Monica will continue to report to John Landsborough.

Congratulations to Chris, Ha, Larissa and Monica on your new roles.

Longo’s has announced that it will triple the size of its Grocery Gateway facility in a bid to meet rising demand for the service. The company, which delivers groceries, wine and beer to consumers, will be upsizing its warehouse from 50,000 square feet to 150,000 square feet.

The company has experienced speedy growth in the past few years, reaching double-digit percentage growth since the June relaunching of its website.

“Online grocery shopping has officially come of age in the Greater Toronto Area,” says Anthony Longo, president and CEO of Longo Brothers Fruit Markets. “We’re investing in our infrastructure to meet shopper demand. Our success builds upon consumer insights from nearly 20 years of online grocery delivery. These expanded facilities, increases in delivery vehicles – including energy efficient hybrids – and the newly redesigned Grocery Gateway site, makes it even easier and more convenient for shoppers to get all their groceries, wine and beer delivered.”

Currently, the facility stocks more than 10,000 frozen, grocery, refrigerated and produce items. The new renovation will allow inventory to expand to around 16,000 units.

This convenient, online service presents another challenge to independent retailers looking to attract customers. With Millennial consumers’ spending power on the rise, independents must strongly consider the ways in which they cater to this growing market. Whether it’s through e-commerce or novel service expansions, these retailers must consider adopting new, consumer-friendly ways of conducting business—before it’s too late.

This quarter, Walmart Canada marked its 10^th consecutive quarter of growth. The retail giant reported same-store sales growth of 1.1 per cent, propelled by a 0.2 per cent gain in customer traffic and a 0.9 per cent gain in average basket size at checkout.

Despite this, Walmart’s gains and market takeover are slowing down: according to the Financial Post, traditional Canadian grocers have strategically lowered their food prices in a bid to entice customers drawn to price cuts at discount chains like Walmart.

According to a news release, the company’s total quarterly revenue rose by 3.3 per cent.

Currently, Walmart Canada has 408 stores, around 325 of which contain a full discount grocery store.

“We view it as positive (for Canada’s other retailers) that same-store sales growth at Walmart Canada is slowing, and that the supercentre roll-out is about 90 per cent complete, assuming some stores will not be converted to supercentres,” retail analyst Keith Howlett of Desjardins Securities told Grocery Business. “Walmart Canada and Costco Canada have achieved significant market share in grocery in Canada. This has, in our view, put significant stress on conventional grocers.”

Howlett’s point is valid: with Walmart’s growth slowing, Canadian independents will have a much better chance at regaining lost market share. Consider revamping marketing techniques and offering deals where applicable to attract Walmart’s price-savvy shoppers.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued an Enforcement Policy Statement on homeopathic products.

The agency now notes that it will hold efficacy and safety claims for over-the-counter (OTC) homeopathic drugs to the same standard as other medicines. As such, any health-related claims these products make must be backed by scientific evidence.

“For the vast majority of OTC homeopathic drugs, the case for efficacy is based solely on traditional homeopathic theories and there are no valid studies using current scientific methods showing the product’s efficacy,” says the FTC. “Accordingly, marketing claims that such homeopathic products have a therapeutic effect lack a reasonable basis and are likely misleading in violation of Sections 5 and 12 of the FTC Act.”

As such, the organization now requires manufacturers of homeopathic medicines to put disclaimers on their products. In particular, these disclaimers must convey that:

• There is no scientific evidence that the product works; and
• The product’s claims are based only on theories of homeopathy from the 1700s that are not accepted by most modern medical experts.

This new development follows in the footsteps of Health Canada. As of July, the organization requires the manufacturers of homeopathic cough, cold and flu remedies to remove any labelling that suggests these products are appropriate for children 12 years of age or younger.

Industry professionals note that this new development reflects a power struggle between the FTC and FDA for control over the homeopathic market.

At this time, any Canadian manufacturers of homeopathic drugs that sell in the U.S. should check their labels to ensure that they are still suitable for the changing market.

With Ayurvedic medicine heating up in the Canadian market, now’s a great time to look into stocking and using ancient Indian ingredients with customers and patients. Neem, a tree local to India, has been used for centuries for its health-care advantages.

In Ayurvedic medicine, neem oil was therapeutically used as folk medicine to control leprosy, intestinal helminthiasis, respiratory disorders, and constipation. Its use for the treatment of rheumatism, chronic syphilitic sores, and indolent ulcers has also been evident. Additionally, the bark, leaf, root, flower and fruit work together to cure blood morbidity, biliary afflictions, itching, skin ulcers, burning sensations and pthysis.

Modern day consumers and patints, however, are more interested in its applications as a beauty product. Neem contains a wide variety of antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antipyretic and antiseptic properties that are excellent when used in skincare products.

If you’re a manufacturer, retailer, or health-care practitioner looking to hop into the Ayurvedic market, neem is a great place to start. Mindful, health-conscious consumers will flock to its natural beauty-boosting properties.