September is approaching quickly, and for retailers looking to stay on top of one of the industry’s fastest-moving areas, CHFA NOW Toronto is getting closer.
The annual gathering of Canada’s natural, organic and wellness industry returns to Exhibition Place this September, bringing retailers face-to-face with the brands, products, founders and ideas influencing what consumers may be looking for next.
For retail buyers, merchants and operators, there are plenty of reasons to make time for the show.
Wellness continues to influence assortments across grocery, pharmacy, specialty retail, beauty, personal care and the home. Functional foods and beverages, better-for-you snacks, supplements, organic grocery, clean beauty and healthy lifestyle products are all part of an increasingly broad marketplace.
CHFA NOW gives retailers an opportunity to explore that marketplace in one place.
See, Taste and Discover What’s Next
There is a practical advantage to seeing products in person.
Retailers attending CHFA NOW can sample products, compare competing offerings side by side and speak directly with the people who developed them. Buyers can ask about ingredients, pricing, positioning, distribution and the story behind a brand while getting a much better sense of how a product might fit within their own assortment.
The ability to cover so much ground in a short period of time is also part of the appeal.
“At CHFA NOW, I can have 100 conversations in two days. Where else can you do that?” said Gary Huges, Local Development Manager at Sobeys.
For a buyer trying to understand where a category is heading, those conversations can provide an enormous amount of market intelligence. They can also lead to supplier relationships and product discoveries that would be difficult to replicate through online research alone.
Meet the Brands Behind the Products
CHFA NOW brings established companies and emerging businesses together on the same show floor, giving retailers an opportunity to reconnect with existing suppliers while finding brands they may not have encountered before.
CHFA NOW Toronto’s 2025 event included more than 1,200 exhibitors, with 750 retail locations represented and more than 8,400 industry professionals participating. Strong exhibitor demand has led CHFA to expand the show floor for 2026 after selling out early.
For retailers, that means even more products and companies to explore this September.
Find Emerging Canadian Brands in The Greenhouse
Retailers looking specifically for new and emerging companies will also want to make time for The Greenhouse, a new destination making its debut at CHFA NOW Toronto.
The curated program has been created to help promising Canadian natural, organic and wellness brands gain greater visibility and connect with retailers, distributors and other industry decision-makers.
For buyers, The Greenhouse offers an opportunity to meet founders earlier in their growth journey and potentially discover products before they become broadly distributed.
That can be particularly valuable for retailers looking to differentiate their assortments with emerging Canadian brands.
Make Connections That Continue After the Show
Product discovery is an important reason to attend CHFA NOW, but the value of the event extends beyond what’s on display.
Bringing retailers, manufacturers, distributors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders together creates opportunities for conversations that can develop into longer-term business relationships.
A buyer may arrive looking for a new snack or beverage line and leave having met several potential suppliers. An emerging category may become clearer after conversations with different brands. A product discovered during a walk through the show floor may eventually find a permanent place on store shelves.
Those interactions are difficult to schedule individually. A trade show brings them together over a concentrated period of time.
There’s More Happening Beyond the Show Floor
CHFA NOW Toronto begins with its conference program on Friday, September 25, followed by the trade show on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27.
The conference gives attendees an opportunity to go deeper into the issues affecting the industry, including consumer behaviour, business growth and the economic and competitive forces shaping Canada’s natural, organic and wellness sector.
Eligible retailers can also take advantage of CHFA NOW’s complimentary Retailer VIP program, designed to help retailers get more out of their visit through priority access, networking opportunities, curated trend sessions and other benefits.
Put CHFA NOW Toronto on Your September Calendar
For retailers, time away from the business needs to be worthwhile.
CHFA NOW Toronto offers the chance to accomplish a lot in a few days: discover products, meet suppliers, find emerging brands, understand changing categories, reconnect with industry contacts and see firsthand where the wellness market may be heading.
And with the 2026 event coming up quickly, now is the time to start planning a visit.
CHFA NOW Toronto 2026 takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto. The conference will be held Friday, September 25, followed by the trade show Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. Retailer registration for the trade show is complimentary.
Retailers interested in attending can register through CHFA NOW Toronto and start planning their visit now.
