In the age of the big-box store, independent natural products retailers weigh in on how their stores grow and change to stay in the game.

With stores like Whole Foods opening up all over the country and superstores like Walmart and Target focused on the natural health game, independent natural products retailers adapt to not being the only “natural” game in town. Vitamin Retailer (VR) asked independent natural products retailers to weigh in on the changing industry, and how they not only survive, but also thrive in the age of the big-box store.

The participants are:

Ramona Billingslea
Marketing Manager
Betsy’s Health Foods
Two stores in Houston, TX
www.betsyhealth.com

Michael Kanter
Chief Visionary Officer & Co-owner
Cambridge Naturals
One store in Cambridge, MA

Ken El-Talabani
COO
Sunrise Health Foods
Three stores in Lansing IL, Flossmoor IL & Valparaiso, IN

VR: What is the secret to your success?

Billingslea: Being willing to be flexible, being willing to fail, and being able to capitalize on the strengths of each of your team members seems to be a really winning combination in this highly competitive market in which we all currently operate.

Kanter: Never giving up. Having a larger mission than just selling products. Finding and nurturing the best staff. Doing awesome customer service.

El-Talabani: We were founded back in 1961. Our founders got into this business as a necessity to fix their own health. Sunrise has always taken the approach to customers to have them strive to reach their optimum health. Being honest, consistent and fair has built trust in the Sunrise brand.

VR: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Billingslea: The survival of the independent retailer may be the single most important challenge facing the health foods industry today. Without us, where will customers really learn about products? Where will consumers find people who have a real passion for helping people get the most nutritional support possible? We may be small in numbers, but the manufacturers who are really playing the long game are the ones who realize that the survival of the health foods industry as a whole relies heavily on the success of the independent retailer.

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