Canadian Food Business
Text by Lekha Kanagasabai
A pioneer in the organic and non-GMO movement, Nature’s Path has remained a proudly Canadian, family-owned and operated company for 30 years. Arran and Ratana Stephens, the husband and wife team behind the organic empire, have dedicated their lives to supporting sustainable and regenerative agriculture, as well as creating cereals and snacks that are certified organic, natural, and of course, delicious. Producing its first flakes in 1985, the company has since broadened its range of products to a multitude of snacks and cereals, with products meeting mouths in more than 42 countries worldwide.
Starting out as a small husband and wife operation in the back of their vegetarian restaurant, Arran says that they “hadn’t a clue how to make ready-to-eat breakfast cereal.” Now celebrating their 30th anniversary, Nature’s Path is still run by the duo, along with their three children. Nature’s Path has grown into an empire with a wide range of products to meet customer demands. “Regardless of changing trends in food, be it low sugar or high protein, our dedication and passion for making quality, organic foods always remains true,” Arran says.
With their driving philosophy aiming to “always leave the earth better than we found it,” Nature’s Path strives to provide quality organic foods in every home with a triple bottom line to be socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and financially viable.
Arran cites innovative product ranges like Qi’a Superfoods and programs like Bite4Bite, a fund which donates up to $1 million annually to food banks, to illustrate how they have survived for 30 years amongst a sea of larger companies. Arran says that while some of the bigger food giants within the industry are buying up organic brands to add a healthier halo to their portfolio, his company’s independence has kept it passionate and inspired to create better products for consumers. The increasing interest in organic foods also keeps the Stephens on their toes, producing newer and better innovations for organic eaters.
“We don’t just make delicious organic cereal because it is good for business,” says Arran. “We make cereal because it allows us to do good things, like protect organic farmland and keep toxic chemicals out of our environment and off your plate.”
