Francesca Raleigh, Herbaland Naturals’ Marketing Lead, is very clear on what distinguishes her company: community, sustainability, and inclusivity. Founded by an immigrant couple in 2009, the natural product company is best known for its vitamin gummies. But Herbaland doesn’t just make and sell products; they make a positive social impact at every possible turn.
“Sustainability is huge for us,” says Francesca. “We just launched most of our products in compostable pouches that will disintegrate in your backyard compost. By replacing our plastic bottles, we will divert 60,000 bottles a year from landfills.”
Herbaland started out the way many natural product companies do. Aisha Yang and Musharaf Syed had just had a child, and they were thinking deeply about the health and happiness of their family. At the time, they saw a gap in the market for health products that focused on kids, and they wanted to meet it. Musharaf had a background in nutraceuticals and engineering and Aisha was a professional marketer; surely, this was a match made in entrepreneurial heaven.
This moment of inspiration launched a long period of research and development. What kind of product was the best vehicle for delivering essential nutrition to children?
“They thought about juices, pills, and all sorts of things. At the time, vitamin gummies were not common, but they figured that was the best way to helps kids enjoy taking their vitamins.”
That decision was obviously the smartest one the founders could have made—and the results speak for themselves. Currently, Herbaland has over 40 products that are available in over 40 countries. So, when they moved to compostable packaging, it really made an impact in the natural health product industry. They became leaders.
The Herbaland team exercises this leadership in accordance with their three core values. In addition to their extensive sustainability efforts, they heavily support non-profits in their community of Richmond, BC. They also support the inclusivity of their brand by ensuring their products are good for everyone. To that end, they have become experts in securing certifications for the safety of their products. From allergen-free to NSF, Herbaland’s large quality control team is devoted to making their products as safe and accessible as possible.
Ever progressive, Herbaland’s collaboration with influencer and nutritionist, Tori Wesszer of Fraiche Living, is a fantastic example of the creative ways this company reaches people. Their Herbaland x Fraiche bundle is a curation of Tori’s favourite Herbaland products, available for sale on through Herbaland’s e-commerce channel, and promoted by Tori on her social media platforms.
“With Tori’s 400,000 followers on Instagram, we’ve had really good sales. And the box we created for the bundle is a huge hit; it’s so beautiful.”
That digitally printed box was designed by Herbaland and Fraiche and created by Great Little Box Company/Ideon Packaging (GLBC). GLBC had been working with Herbaland for many years as a folding carton supplier, so the partnership made sense.
“We wanted to work with a local supplier who could offer a quicker lead time for this project, and we had already done so much business with GLBC—which has been a great experience. GLBC is so responsive and transparent, and we love working with a fellow BC-based company.”
As the Herbaland team looks toward the future, they have one major goal in mind: become an iconic company on a global level. “We want people to recognize our brand, and not just think about our products, but also be aware of our values.”
As Herbaland strives towards that goal, GLBC is cheering them on. We couldn’t be prouder to partner with these progressive leaders in the natural supplements industry.