Our newest business member Flora Health is a manufacturer of premium health foods, supplements, nutraceuticals and true cold pressed seed oils. In times of uncertainty, anxiety and additional stress, Flora’s products might be just what you were looking for.
The current pandemic has shown that it is even more important to look after one’s health and wellbeing. Flora Health offers a variety of products that help improve the immune system, support personal care and offer relief like better and healthier sleep.
SCCC-Admin, Melanie Ferreira, had the chance to talk to Chris Abel, Export Manager at Flora Health and Director at the SCCC, to get to know more about the business.
Tell us about Flora Health and your role as Export Manager
Flora is a privately owned nutraceutical manufacturer known for its premium quality wholefood supplements, botanical extracts and unrefined seed oils. With headquarters in Burnaby, BC, Canada, and a global distribution network, Flora has expanded to become one of North America’s premier nutraceutical manufacturers. With European roots, Flora’s worldwide success is based on its uncompromising high standards for quality in relation to selection of raw materials, recipes, production, quality control and environmental consciousness.
As Flora’s Export Manager, I am responsible for Flora’s international business (i.e. outside of Canada and USA). This means exploring and developing new markets, maintaining and building relationships with existing clients and gaining insights and working with importers and authorities and governing bodies on the varying regulatory aspects for importing and licensing food, nutritional supplements and health products in the markets we are active in.
How do Flora Health’s products differentiate from others?
The vast majority of Flora’s carefully developed products are manufactured in house (with the exception of a few products, eg. New Zealand Manuka Honey etc.). This means, Flora really works hard to not outsource its manufacturing to large scale mass-producers. Unlike various other health food brands who source the finished product from large co-manufacturers and simply focus on branding and marketing, rather than research, development and manufacturing, Flora is proud to be in control of all of these steps directly.
We have an in-house quality control team who test and evaluate each batch of raw materials that we receive. Products are being developed and manufactured according to the highest GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) in the nutraceutical sector and we also focus on sustainability with our packaging materials.
How do I know which product is right for me?
It really depends on what condition or issue you are trying to address. Often, when we experience acute discomfort, chronic pain or an overall decline in physical or mental ability, we may have waited too long. Since I have been working in the health food and supplements sector (and even before that), I’ve come to believe that daily maintenance, a healthy and balanced diet and regular physical activity, combined with an overall healthy lifestyle are the most important factors in maintaining good health.
As a general rule of thumb, if somebody takes a good foundation consisting of multivitamins, daily greens, uses unrefined oils or fats rich in Omega’s and tries to avoid excessive sugars, starch and/or highly processed foods in their diet, they are already doing many things right.
Flora has a “Herb Encyclopedia” available on its Canadian website where consumers can look up nutrition and supplement related information directly online. Our product education team can also answer questions regarding our Flora products: info@florahealth.com
Flora offers a variety of products to help improve the immune system, personal care and relief like better and healthier sleep.
What are the biggest challenges in your industry?
Health doesn’t necessarily come cheap. High quality nutrition and nutritional supplements have a price tag. Interestingly, there is something to be said about individuals who spend a lot of money on apparel, cars, gadgets or other “lifestyle” expenses, but often their single most important assets, their body and good health are significantly underrepresented in their budget.
The biggest challenges are to create more awareness, being mindful of one’s own needs, listening to our own bodies and minds and to make our health a priority. These are key factors to be able to identify any issues or shortcomings in our health, and to be able to address and treat them – or better yet, avoid them altogether. In our fast paced world of constant connectivity, elevated levels of stress in our work and personal lives and other impacts it is important that we take a break every now and then to focus on our own needs!
Where can I get Flora Health products?
Flora products are sold across many good health food and nutritional supplement stores all over Vancouver, the Lower Mainland and the rest of BC, as well as across all other Canadian provinces and the USA. In addition, there are many e-commerce platforms that offer Flora’s health products with convenient shipping options – including Flora’s own website: www.florahealth.com/ca-en/
Thank you Chris for taking the time to give us some interesting insights!
Special SCCC offer!
We are happy to share an exclusive discount for SCCC members! Benefit from a 15% discount off your purchase on Flora’s website by choosing SCCC15 at the checkout. This discount will be in effect until September 30th, 2020!
Photo credits in this article: All Flora Health, posted on their Instagram account: www.instagram.com/florahealthy/