Nature's Path Foods, commonly known as Nature's Path, is a Canadian privately held, family-owned producer of certified

organic food Organic food, also known as ecological or biological food, refers to foods and beverages produced using methods that comply with the standards of organic farming. Standards vary worldwide, but organic farming features practices that cycle resou ...

s. Originally known for its

breakfast cereal Breakfast cereal is a category of food, including food products, made from food processing, processed cereal, cereal grains, that are eaten as part of breakfast or as a snack food, primarily in Western societies. Although warm, cooked cereals li ...

s, it now has a portfolio of more than 150 products. Founded in 1985 by Arran and Ratana Stephens, Nature's Path employs approximately 500 people, with manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States and sales in more than 40 countries. All of its products are

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

, certified organic, and Non-GMO Project Verified. Nature's Path is a

triple bottom line The triple bottom line (or otherwise noted as TBL or 3BL) is an accounting framework with three parts: social, environmental (or ecological) and economic. Some organizations have adopted the TBL framework to evaluate their performance in a broader ...

social enterprise and is recognized for incorporating the notion of

sustainability Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Sustainability usually has three dimensions (or pillars): env ...

into its business practices through its support of various charitable and eco-friendly initiatives. The company is regularly named one of Canada's best employers.

History

The company was founded in 1985 by Arran Stephens and Ratana Stephens in British Columbia, Canada, and its first product was Manna Bread. Previously, Stephens founded Lifestream (1971) Canada's first large organic supermarket and sold a successful line of natural products. Lifestream was sold to

Kraft Kraft Foods Group, Inc. was an American food manufacturing and processing conglomerate (company), conglomerate, split from Kraft Foods Inc. on October 1, 2012, and was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It became part of Kraft Heinz on July ...

in 1981, but in 1995 was repurchased by Stephens. In September 2018, Nature's Path announced plans to move its head office from Richmond to East Vancouver. The Stephens' son, Arjan, became President of Nature's Path in 2023.

Organic farming

The company has purchased of organic farmland in Saskatchewan that it crop shares with family farmers (Fox Valley, Legend Farms, Tompkins Landing Heritage Organic Farms) as well as in Montana (at Wild Horse, Vilicus Farms – including partnership and apprenticeship program) for a total of of organic farmland. Nature's Path serves as an outlet/processor for many independent organic family farmers representing approximately .

Non-GMO support

Since 2001, Nature's Path has been a staunch opponent of GMO proliferation, and founder Arran Stephens was an early supporter and board member of the Non-GMO Project. Nature's Path products are tested to bear the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal. In 2013, the brand sponsored the making of documentary GMO OMG by Jeremy Seifert and in March 2011, the Right2Know GMO. The company was active in supporting the failed Proposition 37, previously the California Right to Know ballot initiative, for mandatory GMO labeling in California by contributing $600,000, plus time and support, as well as supporting the Oregon and Colorado Right to Know campaigns in 2014.

Products

The company's organic products are sold under the Nature's Path, Love Crunch, Que Pasa, Qi’a, Flax Plus, and EnviroKidz brand names in grocery and specialty foods stores in more than 42 countries worldwide. All Nature's Path products are certified organic and vegetarian, many are

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...

, and a large number are gluten-free.

References

{{Vancouver Corporations Canadian brands Companies based in Richmond, British Columbia Food and drink companies established in 1985 Food and drink companies of Canada Organic farming organizations Privately held companies of Canada 1985 establishments in British Columbia Breakfast cereal companies Vegetarian companies and establishments of Canada