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CLIF ® donated $50K and joined Nature Canada to launch a one-of-a-kind outdoor event to help more Canadians access outdoor activities

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“Many youths in lower-income households have never experienced outdoor activities like camping, birding, hiking, or mountain biking due to the cost of equipment and lack of outdoor space,” says Jodi Joy, Director of Development for Nature Canada. “That is why supporting families with ways they can enjoy the outdoors is vital to both their physical and mental health. Our partnership with CLIF will help more residents of Canada experience the wonder of nature by supporting NatureHood.”

CLIF DAY CAMP will be open to three selected families in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to enjoy a day in nature, experiencing various outdoor activities and gaining the knowledge and gear needed to continue exploring the Canadian outdoors.

From October 12 to 27, Nature Canada’s NatureHood program will request entries, asking children to draw what their dream day in nature looks like to them. A total of three winners and their families will be selected by Tuesday, November 1, to bring their perfect adventure to life. An additional six families will be chosen across Canada to experience outdoor activities, including birdwatching, hiking, and nature walks hosted by Nature Canada’s NatureHood partners across the country.

“At CLIF, we know someone’s first experience in nature can be the spark that ignites a lifelong love of outdoor exploration,” said Hilary Hanley, the Senior Brand Strategy Lead for CLIF ‘s Canadian business. “We think the CLIF DAY CAMP program can be that start for a select group of families and hope that our future work with Nature Canada will help more people discover their passion for the natural world.”

Canada’s newest Walmart Supercentre opens in Edmonton

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Walmart Canada officially opened its new Edmonton Kingsway Walmart Supercentre today – the first new store in Alberta since 2015. The new Supercentre replaces the Edmonton Westmount store with the new addition of a fresh food assortment.

The community can now enjoy a modern, 149,000 sq. ft. store conveniently located at Edmonton’s Kingsway Mall. The new store is more than a third larger than the previous location and has many new features, including Walmart Grocery Pickup and Walmart Grocery Delivery.

Canada’s newest Walmart Supercentre will offer a fresh assortment of affordable groceries, including Canadian produce, beef, chicken, pork, and seafood, a bakery, an international food section, general merchandise, and convenient services at Walmart’s everyday low prices.

The Edmonton Kingsway Supercentre represents a more than $10 million investment in the community. In September, Walmart Canada announced $1 billion in infrastructure investments this year, including approximately $330 million to renovate more than 80 stores across Canada. These investments are part of Walmart Canada’s aim to make the online and in-store shopping experience simpler, faster, and more convenient.

New features and offerings

The extensive international section includes Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Italian, and Portuguese foods, plus a dedicated international frozen food section.

Walmart Grocery Pickup and Walmart Grocery Delivery – download the app here.
Walmart Pharmacy is eager to offer new and longtime patients expert advice, compassionate help on healthcare issues, and assistance with products, prescriptions, and immunizations.
Licensees located inside the store include The UPS Store and Ultracuts. Other services include Walmart Photo Centre, Walmart Wireless, and Western Union.
Sustainable features include a transcritical CO2 refrigeration system with rejected energy being reclaimed for building heating systems, an advanced building automation system for lighting and HVAC controls, LED lighting, and low-flow fixtures.
Store hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

Thrilling Foods’ Bakon™ Receives U.S. Patent For World’s First Fatty & Lean Protein Streaked Plant-Based Bacon

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In recognition of its breakthrough status as the first plant-based bacon to harness techniques providing the genuine flavour and texture of bacon, Thrilling Foods Bakon™ has just been awarded a U.S. Patent, with other U.S. and international patents pending.

Patents are a rarity in the booming plant-based meat category. Thrilling Foods’ patent specifically covers its proprietary use of “protein-bound fat” streaks that alternate with ultra-lean meaty layers and their use of the natural umami flavours found in proteins. Thrilling Foods unites those elements with a traditional salt-and-smoke cure to provide the taste and texture bacon lovers crave.

Plant-Based Bacon Finally Comes of age over an 18-month period of COVID lockdowns, lifelong cook and culinary innovator David Jones created Bakon™ — the first low carbohydrate, high protein, plant-based bacon. Jones’ patented technique alternates lean protein with fatty streaks, allowing it to render and fry in its own fat like conventional pork bacon.
Salt-cured and Smoked
Just like its traditional counterpart, Bakon™ is the only dry salt and smoke-cured plant-based bacon in the marketplace. Jones says, “If it’s not cured, it’s not going to    taste right!”Healthier Than Pork Bacon
Bakon™ contains only wholesome ingredients that provide a 100% complete and healthy protein for plant-based diets. These ingredients include non-GMO soy milk; RSPO-certified sustainably-harvested palm oil (no deforestation); yeast extracts, sea salt; maple syrup; citric acid; black pepper; and natural food colours from radish and paprika. Thrilling Foods has also developed a breakthrough protein structure that holds the zero cholesterol fat within the protein structure, releasing it during cooking from the outside in, much like the way animal fats are released during cooking.

Demand Is Exploding
Thrilling Foods is scrambling to keep up with institutional and consumer demand growth. Currently sold in over 200 locations across the United States from Maine to Hawaii,  Bakon™ is already the 8th-ranked vegan breakfast meat in high-end health food markets despite only being in 3% of those stores, and has emerged as the #2 alternative protein overall at a top tier grocery chain in Southern California.

Bakon’s traditional flavour and texture are not only winning over plant-based eaters but meat-eaters as well: 75% of all consumers surveyed at a Portland area Farmer’s Market— including both meat eaters and vegetarians—agreed that the new product’s taste and texture is somewhere between an 80% to 100% match to pork bacon. Over 66% of repeat Bakon™ buyers self-identify as omnivores.

The Future of Bakon™
Thrilling Foods has experienced such strong demand for Bakon™ that the founders are already planning their third expansion facility, scaled to produce over two thousand pounds of Bakon™ per day.

Why a Sales Funnel Is the Best Marketing Opportunity

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As a health food store owner or practitioner, you know that it’s important to constantly bring in new customers. But how can you reach those consumers who are not yet familiar with your store or your clinic?

Defining a Sales Funnel
A sales funnel is a marketing term that refers to the process of attracting consumers and converting them into paying customers. It’s a system that starts with acquiring leads and ends with customers making a purchase.

There are a number of ways to create a sales funnel, but the most important thing is to make sure it’s tailored to your health food store. That means understanding your target audience, your products and your business goals.

Why a Sales Funnel Is the Best Marketing Opportunity for Your Health Food Store
There’s no doubt that a sales funnel is the key to marketing success for your health food store. So what exactly are a sales funnel?

A sales funnel is not only a strategy that takes potential customers through a series of steps, from awareness to purchase, but it is also an effective way to track your leads and make sure that you’re targeting and retargeting the right people with your marketing materials.

Additionally, it helps you to build trust and credibility with potential customers, driving them further down the funnel towards purchase. And finally, it allows you to measure the success of your marketing efforts, so you can continually improve and optimize your campaigns.

How to Create a Sales Funnel
So, you’ve decided to start using a sales funnel to draw in new consumers for your health food store. That’s a great decision! But how do you actually create a sales funnel?

There are three steps involved in creating a sales funnel:

1. Create your offer. This could be a free eBook, a discount on your products, or a free consultation.

2. Set up your landing page. This is where people will enter their information in order to receive your offer.

3. Create a series of emails that will be sent to people who sign up for your offer. These emails should introduce them to your product, show them the benefits of using it, and convince them to buy it.

What Content to Include in Your Sales Funnel
When you’re putting together your sales funnel, it’s important to include content that will appeal to your target audience. This content could be in the form of blog posts, ebooks, social media posts, or even videos. You’ll want to make sure that it’s relevant to your niche, and provides valuable information that people will find helpful.

Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that your sales funnel is optimized for SEO. This means that you’ll need to include keywords and phrases that people are likely to use when they’re looking for information about healthy food and better health. By doing this, you’ll make it easier for potential customers to find your store online.

How to Promote Your Sales Funnel
Now that you’ve created your sales funnel, it’s time to promote it! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Share a link to your sales funnel on your social media pages.

2. Add a link to your sales funnel on your website’s homepage.

3. Include a call-to-action button on all of your marketing materials, such as your store’s menus and flyers.

4. Talk about your sales funnel in-store and encourage customers to visit your website to learn more.

5. Use a sales funnel provider like Funnelfly to create and manage your sales funnel for you.

Measuring the Success of Your Sales Funnel
Now that you understand how a sales funnel works, it’s time to measure its success. The most important metric to track is how many people are entering your funnel at each stage. You can track this by setting up a conversion tracking pixel on your website. This pixel will track how many people visit your website, where they come from, and what actions they take on your site.

Once you have this data, you can use it to improve your funnel by tweaking your landing pages, ads, or email sequences to make them more effective. You can also use it to determine which marketing channels are most effective for driving traffic to your store.

A sales funnel is a great way to increase sales for your health food store or appointments at your clinic. New consumers will be drawn in by your attractive offers, and they’ll be more likely to make a purchase when they’re closer to the buying stage because they have been offered products and services they are actually interested in based on how successfully you have been able to target them through your funnel. If you haven’t done so already, begin to use a sales funnel to increase your profits and grow your business today!

Competition Bureau to study competition in Canada’s grocery sector

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With inflation on the rise, Canadian consumers have seen their purchasing power decline. This is especially true when buying groceries. Grocery prices in Canada are increasing at the fastest rate seen in 40 years.

The Competition Bureau is launching a study of grocery store competition in Canada. The study will examine various issues to recommend measures governments can take to help improve competition in the sector.

Many factors are thought to have impacted the price of food, including extreme weather, higher input costs, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and supply chain disruptions. Are competition factors also at work? To find out, the Bureau will study this issue from now until June 2023.

The study will examine three main questions:

To what extent are higher grocery prices a result of changing competitive dynamics?
What can we learn from steps that other countries have taken to increase competition in the sector?

How can governments lower barriers to entry and expansion to stimulate competition for consumers?
Interested parties are invited to provide submissions to the Bureau on these questions and any other matters relevant to retail grocery competition in Canada. The deadline for submissions is December 16, 2022.

We want to understand these issues better. The study provides an opportunity for the Bureau to highlight opportunities for change that can make it easier for new businesses to compete and innovate.

Competition benefits all Canadians. More competition means lower prices, more choices, and better consumer convenience.

Quick facts

Market studies allow the Bureau to examine an industry or business sector from a competition perspective to identify factors that may impede competition.
In conducting market studies, the Bureau is informed by publicly available information, its past work, and information provided by stakeholders voluntarily.
This study is not an investigation into specific allegations of wrongdoing. If we do find evidence during this study that someone may be doing something against the law, then we will investigate and take appropriate action.
The Bureau does not have formal investigative powers to compel information for the purpose of market studies.

After 30 Years – New guidelines for weight-loss surgery

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The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines on Indications for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery – 2022, published online today in the journals, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (SOARD) and Obesity Surgery, are meant to replace a consensus statement developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) more than 30 years ago that set standards most insurers and doctors still rely upon to make decisions about who should get weight-loss surgery, what kind they should get, and when they should get it.

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the largest group of bariatric surgeons and integrated health professionals in the United States and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) represents 72 national associations and societies throughout the world.

“The 1991 NIH Consensus Statement on Bariatric Surgery served a valuable purpose for a time, but after more than three decades and hundreds of high-quality studies, including randomized clinical trials, it no longer reflects best practices and lacks relevance to today’s modern-day procedures and population of patients,” said Teresa LaMasters, MD, President, ASMBS. “It’s time for a change in thinking and in practice for the sake of patients. It is long overdue.”

In the 1991 consensus statement, bariatric surgery was confined to patients with a BMI of at least 40 or a BMI of 35 or more and at least one obesity-related condition such as hypertension or heart disease. There were no references to metabolic surgery for diabetes or references to the emerging laparoscopic techniques and procedures that would become mainstay and make weight-loss surgery as safe or safer than common operations including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy, and knee replacement. The statement also recommended against surgery in children and adolescents even with BMIs over 40 because it had not been sufficiently studied.

New Patient Selection Standards – Times Have Changed

The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines now recommend metabolic and bariatric surgery for individuals with a BMI of 35 or more “regardless of the presence, absence, or severity of obesity-related conditions” and that it be considered for people with a BMI of 30-34.9 and metabolic disease and in “appropriately selected children and adolescents.”

But even without metabolic disease, the guidelines say weight-loss surgery should be considered starting at BMI 30 for people who do not achieve substantial or durable weight loss or obesity disease-related improvement using nonsurgical methods. It was also recommended that obesity definitions using standard BMI thresholds be adjusted by population and that Asian individuals consider weight-loss surgery beginning at BMI of 27.5.

Higher Levels of Safety and Effectiveness for Modern-Day Weight-Loss Surgery

The new guidelines further state that “metabolic and bariatric surgery is currently the most effective evidence-based treatment for obesity across all BMI classes” and that “studies with long-term follow-up, published in the decades following the 1991 NIH Consensus Statement, have consistently demonstrated that metabolic and bariatric surgery produces superior weight loss outcomes compared with non-operative treatments.”

It is also noted that multiple studies have shown significant improvement of metabolic disease and a decrease in overall mortality after surgery and that “older surgical operations have been replaced with safer and more effective operations.” Two laparoscopic procedures, sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), now account for about 90% of all operations performed worldwide.

Roughly 1 to 2% of the world’s eligible patient population get weight-loss surgery in any given year. Experts say the overly restrictive consensus statement from 1991 has contributed to the limited use of such a proven safe, and effective treatment. Globally, more than 650 million adults had obesity in 2016, about 13% of the world’s adult population. CDC reports over 42% of Americans have obesity, the highest rate ever in the U.S.

“The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines provide an important reset when it comes to the treatment of obesity,” said Scott Shikora, MD, President, IFSO. “Insurers, policymakers, healthcare providers, and patients should pay close attention and work to remove the barriers and outdated thinking that prevent access to one of the safest, most effective, and most studied medical operations.”

The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines are just the latest in a series of new recommendations from medical groups calling for expanded use of metabolic surgery. In 2016, 45 professional societies, including the American Diabetes Association (ADA), issued a joint statement that metabolic surgery should be considered for patients with type 2 diabetes and a BMI of 30.0–34.9 if hyperglycemia is inadequately controlled despite optimal treatment with either oral or injectable medications. This recommendation is also included in the ADA’s “Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes – 2022.”

SOURCE American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

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GFI announces DTC eligibility

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The company announced that its common shares are now eligible for electronic clearing and settlement in the United States through the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”). DTC Eligibility is expected to simplify the process of trading and enhance the liquidity of GFI’s shares in the United States.

The Company’s shares began trading on the OTCQX on September 28, 2022, under the ticker “PEASF”.

The DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, a U.S. company that manages the electronic clearing and settlement of publicly traded companies. Securities that are eligible to be electronically cleared and settled through DTC are considered to be “DTC eligible”. This electronic method of clearing securities speeds up the receipt of stock and cash, and thus accelerates the settlement process for investors and brokers, enabling the stock to be traded over a much wider selection of brokerage firms by coming into compliance with their requirements.

Bill Murray, Chief Financial Officer remarked, “This is an exciting and important milestone for GFI, increasing convenience to our current and prospective shareholders in the US public markets. Being DTC eligible will make the trading of our stock easier, faster, and cheaper for a wider array of investors.”

Record-Breaking Domestic Expansion for Mastronardi Produce

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“These are meaningful investments that we are so excited to bring to local communities,” says Dean Taylor, VP of Business Development at Mastronardi Produce. “The scope of this growth is unprecedented. Mastronardi Produce is absolutely committed to local, and these expansions are a solid demonstration of that.”

Mastronardi Produce has added domestic acreage in one year more than ever before in the company’s 70-year history. In 2022 alone, Mastronardi has grown its local network by more than 350 acres — nearly half of which is lit growing capacity — in the company’s ongoing commitment to increasing access to high-flavor, locally grown fruits, and vegetables year-round.
With the addition of Kentucky, Rhode Island, and Utah to its impressive CEA portfolio, Mastronardi Produce is now in eight states in the USA. Here is a closer look at just some of that extraordinary growth:

Earlier this year, the largest-ever greenhouse lettuce build was completed in Berea, Kentucky, spearheading cultivation for Queen of Greens™, the industry’s first scaled, washed, and ready-to-eat greenhouse lettuce.

In nearby Richmond, an immense 60-acre lit greenhouse has been built, catapulting production of beloved SUNSET® tomato varieties like the brand’s flagship Campari® tomato.
In June, The Utah Greenhouse Company joined the Mastronardi network and began growing SUNSET’s coveted Bombs® tomatoes in a high-tech 28-acre greenhouse set to double in capacity.
In response to the huge demand for CEA strawberries, Mastronardi recently added two new strawberry greenhouses to grow SUNSET’s award-winning WOW® Berries. Over 100 acres of lit strawberry farms are now in operation, solidifying WOW Berries’ industry leadership in a category it pioneered over a decade ago.
The company’s acceleration in 2022 guarantees it will reach more consumers and continue to meet ever-growing customer demands for its fresh, flavorful produce.

Mastronardi will be showcasing its love for local at the upcoming IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show in Orlando, Florida, where attendees can expect to be wowed by the company’s selection of exceptional, locally-grown produce and seasonal items. Stay tuned as Mastronardi Produce announces exciting product innovations and company news this year.

Loblaw hits the brakes on food inflation by freezing prices on 1,500 no name products

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The company announced a price freeze on more than 1,500 no-name brand items to provide grocery-bill predictability to Canadians facing the highest food inflation in decades. With a range of grocery and household essentials, no name is Canada’s second-largest food brand, already offering average savings of 25% against comparable name brands.
Available within minutes of most Canadians, the brand is sold in more than 2,400 stores, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Real Canadian Superstore, no frills, T&T, Atlantic Superstore, Maxi and Shoppers Drug Mart. The no-name brand has a wide assortment of essentials, including apples, potatoes, butter, eggs, cheese, rice, pasta, toilet paper and paper towels.

Effective today and until the end of January 2023, no-name product prices will be frozen.  Food prices have risen rapidly over the past year, with increased suppliers’ costs due to fuel, labour, weather and global conflict, which are passed to retailers, and reflected on grocery shelves.

In an email to millions of PC Optimum members, Loblaw President and Chairman Galen Weston said the following:

Anyone who regularly visits the grocery store knows that over the past year, the cost of food has increased rapidly. Maddeningly, much of this is out of our control.

That’s why, to help Canadians hit the brakes on food inflation, we are focusing on what is in our control. Starting today, we’re freezing prices of all no-name products — more than 1,500 grocery essentials sold in stores across the country – until January 31, 2023.

In the weeks ahead, we’ll continue to lower prices [through PC Optimum], in our flyer and across our stores, all designed to provide immediate relief from escalating food costs.

The price freeze announcement complements the company’s ongoing efforts to bring value to Canadians. This year, the PC Optimum program is on track to provide members with well over $1 billion worth of loyalty points, more than ever before.

In addition, Loblaw has increased its support for food charities this year, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to food banks and food recovery programs.  Routinely, the company raises and donates more than $50 million to food charities, including the company’s own President’s Choice Children’s Charity as it works to feed one million children annually.

Loblaw Bolsters Employee Mental Health Support and Wellbeing Education Program with LifeSpeak

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LifeSpeak, an integrated, whole-person- well-being platform for employers, health plans, and insurance companies, announced that it has been selected by Loblaw Companies Limited to provide bilingual, expert-led digital mental health and well-being education to its workforce of more than 200,000 colleagues and their families. This new support initiative gives users unlimited and confidential access to the LifeSpeak solution.

The LifeSpeak platform will play an integral role in Loblaw’s enterprise-wide mental health program. LifeSpeak enables access to a curated library of expert-led education that includes mindfulness, building resilience, and other mental health topics.

In addition to the wide range of micro-learning videos, podcasts, tip sheets, and blogs from hundreds of the world’s leading experts, LifeSpeak also empowers Loblaw team members to confidentially participate in monthly “Ask the Expert” interactive web chats. Loblaw will also be able to enroll employees in LifeSpeak iQ, an online training solution.”Research has shown that three in four workers across all organizational levels will experience at least one symptom of a mental health condition. However, the tremendous stigma associated with mental health challenges prevents many people from acknowledging, accessing, or accepting support resources,” said Michael Held, CEO and founder of LifeSpeak. “Loblaw is destigmatizing workplace mental health and providing its employees and their family members with the tools that meet their individual needs. We’re proud to support Loblaw in its efforts and augment the exceptional wellness program it offers its team. We are seeing an increasing number of organizations recognize the need for various mental health solutions. We hope that seeing another market-leading organization adopt a holistic approach to employee mental health and wellbeing will encourage others to follow suit.”

“Our company’s purpose is to help Canadians live life well. And to do that, we need to make sure our colleagues can do the same,” said Siobhain Andreasen, Senior Director of Benefits at Loblaw. “Through our mental health program, our goal is to demonstrate to our team members that it’s okay to need support and that resources are available. This is an ongoing journey, and by working with Lifespeak, we can help to make mental health support acceptable and accessible, demonstrating the important role their wellness plays in the organization.”

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