News

Independent health food store crowned top of Mary’s shops

A health food shop in Wales is celebrating after it rated an impressive 100 per cent in Mary Portas’ mystery shopper initiative.

Even more impressive is that Health and Herbs, in Swansea, is among only five independent retailers to ever achieve that mark, providing recognition for its standards of customer service.

Around 59 shops were assessed, with Health and Herbs scoring above average for a range of criteria, including customer service, the shop layout, and staff.

Health and Herbs is owned by Vernon Lloyd-Jones and David Slatter, and dates back some 50 years. The store is managed by Tim Rusbatch, who himself has been in the trade for more than 20 years.
Tim told Health Food Business: “We knew nothing about them coming in. We knew we were offering good service but to have it recognised in such a way is something different.

“Service is a big thing for us and we are all passionate about what we do. We give good service every day, to every customer, but it’s really nice to get that recognition. We are very proud, not solely for us but also happy that we have shown that our industry is thriving and our service is second to none.”

* Staying on the Mary Portas theme, the retail guru is searching for independent retailers for a new show. She is looking for independent stores who may be struggling to survive or expand to come forward to feature in the new Channel 4 series. If you’re interested, email maryp@optomen.com

Bio-Health expansion

The year of 2012 is set to be an exciting one for Bio-Health as it settles into brand new premises.

The company planned and designed new offices to be built on its own land next to its existing factory in Kent. The team moved in at the end of last year, with the new office being christened The Herb Place.
“We were all excited and delighted to be based among the scrubs and wild grasses in our herb garden,” said Sales and Marketing Director, June Crisp.

However, these things don’t always go to plan, and phone lines and communication were disrupted after the move, causing what Crisp described as “customer chaos for a few weeks”.

“All is now well and we are all settled in among the plants and the wild life it supports,” she added.

The move coincides with Bio-Health’s ongoing efforts to secure Traditional Herbal Registrations (THRs) for a number of products. Its latest THR was for Silamarie, a milk thistle product, which was granted in December making the range eight.

“With the new offices, new licenses and new look packaging, Bio-Health are excited about the New Year and wish all customers health and happiness for 2012,” Crisp added.

Nutritional therapy under fire in new report

The latest Which? report has leveled criticism at nutritional therapists.

An investigation by the consumer group suggested that six out of 15 consultations its researchers went to were ranked ‘dangerously fails’, which, it said, meant the advice given could potentially endanger the health of the researcher. Eight consultations were rated as fails and one as a borderline pass.

It also criticised the British Association of Nutritional Therapy (BANT), which, it says, is not effectively regulating practitioners.

A statement posted on the website of the Nutritional Therapy Council says that it had not seen the details of the report, nor had it been involved in the investigation. It added that it had not been asked by Which? for its input in the assessment of practitioner performance.

The statement said: “We hope to find that the report was prepared in an unbiased manner and that information collected was evaluated by a panel that included qualified and experienced nutritional therapists, who could assess the performance of the targeted practitioners against the National Occupational Standard, which was prepared by Skills for Health, the sector skills council for healthcare.”

Also commenting on the report was the British Dietetic Association, which was also critical of the practice of nutritional therapy.

Sian Burton, BDA Vice Chairman and Chairman of its Communication and Marketing Board, said: “In a nutshell, members of the public should be aware that anybody, overnight, can set up shop as a nutrition therapist, with no qualifications and no regulatory body to monitor their work. Dietitians interpret the science of nutrition into practical evidence-based advice for people while nutrition therapist do not use evidence in a robust fashion and their advice is often based on personal opinion.”
BANT had not responded to requests for a comment at the time of going to press.

Panda party for Chinese New Year

Two new pandas from China celebrated their first Chinese New Year in Scotland with a little help from Panda Liquorice.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang came to Edinburgh Zoo at the end of last year, supported by the natural confectionery brand, which launched its Strawberry Bears range to raise money for the pandas’ care during their 10-year stay.

And so to mark Chinese New Year, Edinburgh Zoo put on a special two-day celebration for the bears.

Karl Morris, spokesperson for Panda Liquorice in the UK, said: “It’s the first time for over 17 years that we’ve had pandas in the UK so this first Chinese New Year is very special for everyone involved and on behalf of Panda Liquorice Iʼd like to wish them a very happy year of the dragon. Weʼre delighted to be able to offer our support to the duo whilst they are in the country and we’ve got our fingers crossed for baby pandas this year.”

Two new magazines to support natural products

Target Publishing, the publisher of Health Food Business, is pleased to announce the launch of two new magazines supporting natural products.

Natural Pharmacy Lifestyle and Natural Pharmacy Business will educate pharmacists and their customers about the benefits of natural products on their health. Edited by experienced and qualified, natural health writers, Susie Perry Debice and James Harrison with contributions from Technical Editor, Esther Mills, Natural Pharmacy Lifestyle and Natural Pharmacy Business are the only natural pharmacy magazines to work directly with specialist wholesaler with a dedicated sales team, BR Pharmaceuticals.

For more information about Natural Pharmacy Business and Natural Pharmacy Lifestyle, telephone 01279 816300 or e-mail ruth.gilmour@targetpublishing.com.

Health Food Business and Natural Lifestyle are now iPad friendly

Target Publishing, the publisher of Health Food Business and Natural Lifestyle, have invested heavily to ensure the digital editions of each magazine are fully iPad and iPhone compatible.

To view, log on to www.healthfoodbusiness.co.uk or www.nat-lifestyle.com.

Health Food Business celebrates 25 years

This March sees the special anniversary issue of Health Food Business magazine.

Celebrating 25 years of supporting the independent health food trade, the April issue of Health Food Business magazine will be a special commemorative issue. In addition, we will be giving away over £1,500 worth of product to one lucky retailer at this year’s Natural & Organic Products Europe show. Look out for more details of how to win in the next few weeks.

Health Food Business social network

Health Food Business is on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. So make sure you follow @HFBmagazine and like Health Food Business to keep up-to-date with all the latest news and views from the industry.

Natural Lifestyle Retailer of the Year Awards 2012

This year sees the launch of the brand new Natural Lifestyle Retailer of the Year Awards, sponsored by Bio-Kult Probiotics.

These awards have been designed to celebrate all that’s good about the health food industry by encouraging customers to vote for their local health food store as the best in the country.

For more information about the awards and to download your press pack including poster and flyer, log on to www.nat-lifestyle.com/voteforme

Industry to converge for annual HFI event

The Health Food Institute’s annual lecture and lunch is just around the corner.

Held on February 9 at London’s Royal Overseas House, the events attracts more than 100 industry faces from across retail, manufacture and supply.

On the line-up this year is Corinne Lowe, who is Joint Lead Officer Food and Nutrition at the Trading Standards Institute. She will be presenting the Jack Noah Memorial Lecture, focusing on the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation from a trading standards perspective.

Corinne will be followed by Craig Sams, who is the after lunch speaker. A well-known industry character, Craig and his wife were the founders of Green & Black’s as well as being an organic baker and wholefood retailer. The event is also the opportunity for the HFI to announce the winners of its various awards and fellowships.

To find out more about attending, email enquiries@healthfoodinstitute.org.uk