Nature's Path
{{short description|Private organic food company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Nature's Path Foods, Inc.
| logo = Nature's Path logo.png
| image = Nature's Path vegan "flax plus" toaster waffles.jpg
| image_caption = Nature's Path vegan toaster waffles
| type = Private
| traded_as =
| genre =
| fate =
| predecessor =
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| foundation = {{Start date and age|1985}}
| founder = Arran Stephens; Ratana Stephens
| location_city = Richmond, British Columbia
| location_country = Canada
| location =
| locations =
| area_served = 42 countries worldwide
| key_people = Arjan Stephens, President; Jyoti Stephens, Vice-President; Arran Stephens, Co-Founder and Board Member; Ratana Stephens, Co-Founder and Board Member
| industry = Organic food
| products = Breakfast cereal; granola, oatmeal, tortilla chips, toaster pastries, waffles
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
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| owner =
| num_employees = 700
| parent =
| divisions = EnviroKidz, Love Crunch, Que Pasa, Qi'a
| subsid = Anita's Organic Flour
| homepage = {{URL|https://naturespath.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}
Nature's Path Foods, commonly known as Nature's Path, is a Canadian privately held, family-owned producer of certified organic foods. Originally known for its breakfast cereals, 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.{{cite web|last=Heimbuch |first=Jaymi |url=http://www.treehugger.com/culture/arran-stephens-of-natures-path-on-independence-in-the-fast-consolidating-food-industry.html |title=Arran Stephens of Nature's Path on Independence in the Fast-Consolidating Food Industry |publisher=TreeHugger |date=2008-10-31 |access-date=2013-04-02}} All of its products are vegetarian, certified organic, and Non-GMO Project Verified. Nature's Path is a triple bottom line social enterprise and is recognized for incorporating the notion of sustainability into its business practices through its support of various charitable and eco-friendly initiatives.{{cite web|url=http://www.enn.com/business/article/41454 |title=Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability News: Nature's Path: A Quirkily Beautiful Shift Towards Sustainable Branding |publisher=Enn.com |date=2010-06-21 |access-date=2013-04-02}} The company is regularly named one of Canada's best employers.{{cite web|url=http://www.canadastop100.com/bc/ |title=BC's Top Employers |publisher=Canadastop100.com |date=2013-02-06 |access-date=2013-04-02}}
History
The company was founded in 1985 by Arran Stephens and Ratana Stephens in British Columbia, Canada, and its first product was Manna Bread.{{cite web |url=http://tilth.org/education-research/in-good-tilth-magazine/articles/2007/18v/pioneers-of-organic-processing |title=Pioneers of organic processing — Oregon Tilth |publisher=Tilth.org |access-date=2013-04-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130226202045/http://tilth.org/education-research/in-good-tilth-magazine/articles/2007/18v/pioneers-of-organic-processing |archive-date=2013-02-26 }} Previously, Stephens founded Lifestream (1971) Canada's first large organic supermarket and sold a successful line of natural products. Lifestream was sold to Kraft 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.{{Cite news|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/natures-path-foods-vancouver-headquarters-relocation|title=Nature's Path Foods' moving headquarters to Vancouver|last=Chan|first=Kenneth|date=12 September 2018|work=Daily Hive Vancouver|access-date=12 September 2018}} The Stephens' son, Arjan, became President of Nature's Path in 2023.
Organic farming
The company has purchased {{convert|2,880 |acres}} of organic farmland in Saskatchewan that it crop shares with family farmers (Fox Valley, Legend Farms, Tompkins Landing Heritage Organic Farms) as well as {{convert|2,760| acres}} in Montana{{Cite web
| url = http://civileats.com/2015/01/28/growing-organic-cereal-from-the-ground-up/
| title = Growing Organic Cereal From the Ground Up
| last = Clark
| first = Leilani
| date = 2015-01-28
| website = Civil Eats
| access-date = 2016-02-25
}} (at Wild Horse, Vilicus Farms – including partnership and apprenticeship program) for a total of {{convert|5,640 |acres}} of organic farmland. Nature's Path serves as an outlet/processor for many independent organic family farmers representing approximately {{convert|100,000 |acres||adj=pre|organic}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.organicgardening.com/naturespath |title=Nature's Path Gardens for Good |publisher=Organic Gardening |access-date=2013-04-02 |archive-date=2014-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517124306/http://www.organicgardening.com/naturespath |url-status=dead }}
Non-GMO support
Since 2001, Nature's Path has been a staunch opponent of GMO proliferation,{{cite web |url=http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0620-04.htm |title=How Magic Markers Are Messing Up Our Food System |publisher=Commondreams.org |date=2001-06-20 |access-date=2013-04-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618154915/http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0620-04.htm |archive-date=2013-06-18 }} and founder Arran Stephens was an early supporter and board member of the Non-GMO Project.{{cite web|title=Nature's Path Supports Mandatory GMO Labeling|url=http://www.gourmetretailer.com/top-story-_nature_acute_s_path_supports_mandatory_gmo_labeling-10255.html|date=Dec 7, 2011|publisher=The Gourmet Retailer}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Nature's Path products are tested to bear the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal.{{cite web|url=http://www.nongmoproject.org/take-action/search-participating-products/?catID=7 |title=Verified Products |publisher=The Non-GMO Project |access-date=2013-04-02}} In 2013, the brand sponsored the making of documentary GMO OMG by Jeremy Seifert
{{Cite web
| url = http://www.progressivegrocer.com/nature’s-path-presents-‘gmo-omg’?nopaging=1
| title = Nature's Path Presents 'GMO OMG'
| date = 2013-04-01
| website = Progressive Grocer
| access-date = 2016-02-25
}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
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.{{cite web|title=Uneasy Allies in the Grocery Aisle|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/business/california-referendum-pits-organic-brands-against-corporate-parents.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2|date=September 13, 2012|work=The New York Times}}
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{{cite web
|url = http://www.nongmoproject.org/about/who-we-are/board-of-directors/dag-falck/
|title = Dag Falck
|publisher = The Non-GMO Project
|access-date = 2013-04-02
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130409184459/http://www.nongmoproject.org/about/who-we-are/board-of-directors/dag-falck/
|archive-date = 2013-04-09
}} and vegetarian, many are vegan,{{cite web|author=ReLove Plan.et |url=http://www.reloveplanet.com/2011/02/vegan-kitchen-natures-path-cereal.html |title=♥☺ ReLove Plan.et ☺♥: Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Nature's Path Cereal Ⓥ |publisher=Reloveplanet.com |date=2011-02-09 |access-date=2013-04-02}} and a large number are gluten-free.{{cite web|last=Acosta |first=Rosie |url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/health/2012/08/23/top-5-gluten-free-foods/ |title=Top 5 Gluten-Free Foods | Fox News Latino |publisher=Latino.foxnews.com |date=2012-08-23 |access-date=2013-04-02}}
References
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{{Vancouver Corporations}}
Category:Companies based in Richmond, British Columbia
Category:Food and drink companies established in 1985
Category:Food and drink companies of Canada
Category:Organic farming organizations
Category:Privately held companies of Canada
Category:1985 establishments in British Columbia