Accentuating the positives 

This is an issue of firsts. Perhaps most notably, this is the first time to my knowledge that NFM has had an illustrated cover—and what a cover it is! This is also the first time we’ve featured four different retailers in our cover story and explored their four very diverse retail experiences in our Checkout section. Perhaps others will find inspiration, as I have, in these novel and innovative approaches to retail that range from a roving pop-up shop for emerging local brands and a crowd-funded vegan grocer, to an online retailer working to combat food waste and a one-stop convenience store for natural and specialty products.

Reimagining retail

These four stores are changing the paradigm of natural products retailing

Independent natural products retailers have always been trailblazers, dating back to when selling organic produce, bulk grains and herbal supplements was novel. Today, many are reinventing retail itself, breaking out of the traditional confines and finding innovative ways to connect with and serve consumers, promote healthy lifestyles and practice sustainability.