EACHYEAR,NATURALPRODUCTSEXPOWESTOFFERSAUNIQUEOPPORTUNITYTO STEPOUTSIDETHECANADIANMARKETANDEXPLOREHOWNATURALANDSPECIALTY RETAILISEVOLVINGATSCALEINTHEU.S.IN2026,MEMBERSOFUNFICANADA’S LEADERSHIPTEAMATTENDEDEXPOWESTANDPARTICIPATEDINCURATEDSTORE TOURSACROSSSOUTHERNCALIFORNIATOGATHERINSIGHTS,IDENTIFYEMERGING MERCHANDISINGAPPROACHES,ANDTRANSLATELEARNINGSFORCANADIAN RETAILERS.
THEGOALWASNOTCOMPARISON,BUTPERSPECTIVE TOOBSERVEHOWSOMEOF THELARGESTANDMOSTPROGRESSIVENATURALRETAILERSINTHEU.S.ARE BRINGINGHEALTH,WELLNESS,ANDINNOVATIONTOLIFEIN-STORE,ANDTOSHARE IDEASTHATMAYBERELEVANTFORCANADAASSHOPPEREXPECTATIONSCONTINUE TOEVOLVE.
WHATFOLLOWSISASUMMARYOFKEYMERCHANDISINGTHEMESOBSERVEDBYTHE UNFICANADATEAM,INTENDEDTOSPARKTHINKINGANDCONVERSATIONWITHOUR RETAILPARTNERS.
1 EXPERIENCE-LED GROWTH
2 FLEXIBABLE SPACE
3 SIMPLIFIED SIGNAGE
4 CREATIVE MERCHANDISING
5 TREND-LED ASSORTMENT
EXPERIENCEASAGROWTHDRIVER INNATURALRETAIL
WHYTHISMATTERSFORCANADA
AcrossmultipleU.S.banners,UNFI Canadaleadersobserveda strongemphasisonexperienceledretail,wherefoodserviceand freshofferingsareintentionally integratedintotheshopping journey.
WHATWEOBSERVED
Smoothie,juice,coffee,sushi, andhotfoodcounters positionedasstoreanchors Café-styleseatingthat encouragesshopperstolinger andengage Preparedfoodsmerchandised asacorepartofthewellness offering;notasecondary department
Canadiannaturalretailersalreadyexcelateducation,trust,andwellnesscredibility. TheseU.S.exampleshighlighthowexperiencecancomplementthosestrengths, particularlyinhigher-trafficorurbanlocationswhereconvenienceandimmediacy areincreasinglyimportant.
Foodserviceandbeverageprogramscan serveasnaturalextensionsofwellness storytelling,reinforcingbrandvalueswhile supportingincrementalsales.
FLEXIBLESPACEALLOCATIONTOSUPPORT EMERGINGSHOPPERNEEDS
AconsistentthemeacrossU.S.storeswasthe strategicuseofspacetoreflectevolvingshopper behaviour,particularlyaroundfreshness, convenience,andfunctionalnutrition.
NOTABLEMSERCHANDISINGAPPROACHES
Baby&Petfoodsectionswithin-aisle refrigeration
Grab-and-gobreakfastanddairy
Refrigeratedbreadandtortillasectionsto reinforcefreshness
Bulkfoodrefillstationsbuiltwithinsets
Expandedgrab-and-gosolutionssupporting busy,health-focusedshoppers
WHYTHISMATTERSFORCANADA
Canadianretailersarealreadyhighlyeffectiveat maximizingproductivitywithintighterfootprints. TheseU.S.examplesdemonstratehowtargeted, incrementalchanges,ratherthanlarge-scale remodels,cansupportnewusageoccasions.
TAKEAWAY
Small-format refrigerationand convenience-led merchandisingcanbe pilotedselectivelyto meetevolvingdemand whilemaintaining operationalflexibility.
SIGNAGETHATSIMPLIFIESWELLNESS
AnotherstandoutobservationwashowclearlyU.S.retailersusesignagetoguide shoppersthroughcomplexwellnesscategories.
NOTABLEMSERCHANDISINGAPPROACHES
Simplebenefitcalloutssuchas: “GutHealth” “HighProtein” “Functional”
Brand-blockedsupplementsetsto simplifynavigation
Beveragemerchandisingthatrelieson visualcuesratherthandense educationalcopy
WHYTHISMATTERSFORCANADA
Canadiannaturalretailersareknownfor knowledgeableteamsandstrongcustomer relationships.Signageinthiscontextservesasa supportivelayer,helpingshoppersself-navigate beforeengagingwithstaff.
TAKEAWAY
Clear,intuitivesignagecanenhancetheshopperjourneyandsupportstaffby makingwellnessmoreapproachableatshelf.
CREATIVE,SCALABLEMERCHANDISINGSOLUTIONS
nyofthemosteffectivemerchandising asobservedweresimple,adaptable,and st-conscious,reinforcingthatimpactful sentationdoesn’trequiremajorcapital estment.
AMPLESFROMTHESTORETOURS
Seasonaldisplaysbuiltusingprinted shippingcases
Plexirisersandlayereddisplaystoadd depthandvisualinterest Flavour,benefitoroccassion--led endcapsratherthanbrand-only presentations
Brand-provideddisplaysintegrated seamlesslyintoexistingsets
WHYTHISMATTERSFORCANADA
Canadianretailersarealreadyhighly resourcefulin-store.TheseU.S.examples reinforcethevalueofshort-term,flexible merchandisingmomentsthatkeepthe shoppingexperiencefreshandengaging.
TAKEAWAY
Seasonalandtrend-led merchandisingcanbeexecuted creativelywithoutlong-term commitment.
TREND-LEDASSORTMENT,MERCHANDISEDWITHINTENTION
ExpoWesthighlightedglobaltrendsalreadyfamiliarinCanada—whatstood outinU.S.retailwashowthosetrendswerebroughttolifeatshelf.
KEYTHEMESSPOTTED
Nutrient-densesnacking(protein,fiber,probiotics)
Internationalflavourspositionedasdiscovery-ledandpremium
Better-for-youindulgencemerchandisedwithelevatedcues
Functionalbeveragesgivenstrongvisualpresence
Clean-labelpetfoodmerchandisedwithhuman-foodsensibilities
TAKEAWAY
ManyoftheseproductsalreadyexistwithinCanadianassortments.The opportunityliesinhowtheyaregroupedandpresentedtoinvitediscovery andtrial.
BRINGINGTHEINSIGHTS
HOME
TheExpoWest2026reta reinforcedthatnaturalre evolvingglobally,withsh valuesexpressedindiffe dependingonmarketdy storesize,andshopper expectations.
ForUNFICanada,therole attendingExpoWestisto interpret,andtranslateth insights bringingforwar thatmayinspireCanadi retailersastheycontinue anddifferentiateintheir markets.
