Brian Mosser, Owner of Get Healthy / SENPA Emerging Leaders Chair, talks with industry experts to share the know-how that can make the winning difference.


Mosser: How can natural retailers redefine “value” beyond just price in a market dominated by convenience and speed?  

Garrett Minor Head Shot.jpegGarrett Minor, Principal Broker & Consultant, Garrett Minor & Associates: The most successful stores I’ve seen are the ones who are providing more than just a resell environment. It’s the ones who are providing services, whether that be a juice/coffee bar, a hot and cold food bar, a lounge, kombucha or beer on tap. But the truly most successful are offering blood work, consultations, accredited staff members, chiropractic, red light therapy, etc. These stores solidify themselves in their consumers’ eyes as a destination—a “third place”—where they can receive knowledgeable advice coupled with real-time suggestions. When a store implements practices like these, even shelf price on supplements becomes less of a conversation piece. 

Mastel_s.pngAlina Hornfeldt & Lauren Gaffney, Co-Owners of Mastel’s: Value in natural retail has always gone beyond price—it’s based in trust and guidance. While we may not compete on speed with large e-commerce platforms, we offer something more meaningful: curated selection, education, and human connection. Customers come to us because they want confidence in what they’re buying. When a product is vetted and recommended by someone who understands their needs, that creates a kind of value that convenience alone can’t replace.

Garrett Meyer Headshot.jpgGarrett Meyer, Managing Partner, Brad Meyer Group, LLC: Education is still the key factor in what sets brick-and-mortar natural retailers apart from mass market and online retailers. It is important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and know how to differentiate what is on your shelves from what the competition offers. To that point, finding brands and products that give you all of those tools—education, literature, strong Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy, etc.—to be successful versus the competition is critical. Partner with brands that support you and de-emphasize brands that don’t. 

Mosser: What does success look like for a natural retailer in 2026: growth, profitability, community impact, or something else?  

Hornfeldt & Gaffney: Success is about sustained relevance. Profitability matters, but it has to be paired with a good community connection and trust. For independent retailers especially, success means being a dependable resource—someone customers turn to not just for products, but for support in their wellness journey. If your community would truly feel your absence, that’s a strong indicator you’re doing something right.

Screenshot_2026-05-26_at_8.27.25_AM.pngFocusing on the customer connection can prove to be extremely beneficial. Meyer:
Success means different things to different people. I would say if you set goals and objectives for the year and continually strive to achieve those goals, then you should consider the year a success. If you are focusing on growth, it is imperative to make those goals measurable and quantifiable and to have a system that allows you to check your progress towards those goals regularly. Goals such as community impact are harder to measure but are just as important to the success of retailers. The bottom line is retailers must have a clear plan of where they are and where they want to be.

Minor: I believe it’s a genuine connection with consumers. This can take many forms, but an example of what I’ve seen not work is when an owner hires an uneducated staff with bad attitudes. When price and convenience are high priority, our staff and environments are what will continually encourage the customer to set time aside to get in their car, fight traffic, find a parking spot, walk into the store, shop, and head back home. If they have a bad experience, it will give them an excuse to forgo the effort next time.

Mosser: How can companies grow nationally without becoming “corporate” in the eyes of loyal customers? 

Hornfeldt & Gaffney: Growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of authenticity. It requires staying grounded in your values while scaling thoughtfully. That means maintaining transparency, keeping leadership connected to customers, and preserving a sense of personality in your brand. Customers are quick to notice when decisions feel driven purely by margins. Companies that continue to prioritize mission, community, and honest communication can grow while still feeling personal and trustworthy.

Screenshot_2026-05-26_at_8.27.20_AM.pngBusiness leadership should stay connected to its customers.
Minor: Make it fair for every channel. I’ve seen it time and time and time again where the focus and money shifts away from the natural retailer, only to see it shift back a year or two later when the company is discontinued at Costco or Walmart. And that shift back to the natural retailer is not a fun conversation to have and rarely works. There are ways to sell online, in big box, and in the natural space with a controlled MAP and appropriate discounts.  

Meyer: I believe companies who put brick and mortar stores first have a distinct advantage of creating true partners in the stores that carry their products. Unfortunately, there have been a number of brands that have taken these relationships for granted and used stores to build their brands and then undercut those same retailers that helped them get to where they are. When companies sell out to larger corporations (or even private equity firms in some cases), it is important for retailers to re-evaluate these brands and see if there are other brands that have your best interests in mind as a retailer. WF