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Celebrating Women in Wellness: International Women's Day 2024
Who run the world? Girls! March is Women's History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day. What better time than this to lift up the women around us! Because of the entrepreneurial courage of our founder Jo Anne & the continued efforts of our now owners & team (which is over 80% women), we have been serving Peterborough & The Kawarthas for over 45 years!
We are thankful not only for the amazing women in our team, but for the meaningful connections we have made with so many inspiring women in our community. It is important to us to continue fostering an environment where women feel safe, supported & inspired. We are excited to look to the future and continue to evolve to meet the needs of our community.
As a female-founded business, Jo Anne’s Place is excited to celebrate the talented women in our wellness community. Today we wanted to highlight some amazing female-led brands that we carry in-store!
CANPREV – FOUNDED BY TANYA SALITURO
A cancer survivor and busy mother of four, Tanya Salituro founded CanPrev in 2005 to share the passion she developed for natural health during her three separate journeys with breast cancer. She spent years looking for natural solutions to reduce her risk. She saw a holistic nutritionist, an iridologist and two Naturopathic Doctors, but when it came to supplementation, she couldn’t find any in the therapeutic doses she required to restore her energy or take away her chronic sore throat.
That’s when the idea came: She and her husband would seek the guidance and counsel of natural health professionals and start their natural health products business. They launched their first line of therapeutics in January 2006. Today, CanPrev continues to educate and bless others with the gift of better health.
HEALTHY HIPPO NATURALS INC. – FOUNDED BY ASHLEY PATERSON
Based in Vancouver, BC, Ashley Paterson is a third-generation plant-based entrepreneur! Learning from the best, Ashley’s Mom founded Big Mountain Foods, an early leader and innovator in plant-based meat alternatives. Now with a daughter of her own, Ashley set out to create what every mom wants – candy kids will LOVE and moms will feel GREAT about (and enjoy themselves!). Healthy Hippo treats are plant based, low sugar, non-gmo, and taste great with no upset tummies! Learn more about Healthy Hippo here.
CHEEKS AHOY – FOUNDED BY LEAH BLACK (JO ANNE’S GRANDDAUGHTER!)
Cheeks Ahoy was founded in 2013 by former Jo Anne's Place employee and Jo Anne's granddaughter, Leah, when she decided to make the switch to reusable baby wipes, and wanted to share her products with other parents.
Today, Cheeks Ahoy offers a full line of household cloth reusables with the goal of helping families care for the environment, while also saving money.
Each item is sewn with love and care right here in Peterborough, Ontario.
WILDCRAFT SKINCARE – FOUNDED BY LAURA WHITAKER
Wildcraft was born from the notion that natural skincare products don’t have to be super expensive. Growing up in the country, home was always a place that felt very connected to the natural world for Laura. Looking for alternative ways to access affordable natural skincare, she began experimenting with making and using handmade natural products. In 2014, she founded Wildcraft to bring the powerful effects of nature to the everyday routine.
Today, Wildcraft continues to grow and expand their natural small-batch skincare offerings. Learn more here.
GEORGIAN BAY GRANOLA COMPANY – FOUNDED BY SHEILA HANNON
Georgian Bay Granola Company is a Canadian business that believes in working with our planet. Mother-daughter team, Hannah and Sheila, make sure that all ingredients used in their granola are 100% organic and gluten-free. They started out selling from a table in a local summer market in Parry Sound Ontario, and now share their organic granolas far and wide.
Bonus! Georgian Bay Granola Company products are now packaged in recyclable bags!
AERYON WELLNESS – FOUNDED BY AERYON BELA ASHLIE
After struggling with her health, eating disorders, and the toll that fitness competitions took on her body, Aeryon turned to nutrition and supplements and was finally able to find a healthy balance. However, she was not seeing enough female-focused supplement formulations specifically designed to improve women's health. Using the highest quality ingredients, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and science-based research, Aeryon Wellness was born. As a mother, she wants her daughter to make educated, informed decisions when it comes to her body.
Recently, Aeryon was nominated for an RBC Women of Influence Award. Shop Aeryon Wellness products at Jo Anne's Place!
NUTS FOR CHEESE – FOUNDED BY MARGARET COONS
Margaret started experimenting with dairy-free cheese when she worked as a vegan chef – using the restaurant kitchen after hours to perfect her recipes. After launching Nuts for Cheese at the London, Ontario Farmer’s Market, this artisanal 100% dairy-free cheese has become a staple to vegans and non-vegans alike, all across Canada.
THREE SHIPS SKINCARE – FOUNDED BY CONNIE LO AND LAURA BURGET
Three Ships Beauty Co-Founders Connie Lo and Laura Burget started their business as recent university grads with just $4,000. With a mission to be the world’s most effective natural beauty brand, they pooled their limited savings and started making products by hand. Founded in Toronto in 2017 after extreme frustration with the lack of natural beauty products on the market, Three Ships has become one of the fastest-growing and successful natural skincare brands!
Learn more about Three Ships here & shop the collection at Jo Anne's Place!
NATRACARE – FOUNDED BY SUSIE HEWSON
Natracare was created as a campaign to shake up the menstrual products’ industry with real, viable eco-friendly alternatives for periods. Founder & Owner Susie Hewson developed the world's first brand of organic and natural period products in 1989 - a true eco pioneer!
After learning about the dangers of dioxin pollution and the damaging impact of plastics, she was appalled to learn that period products contained these ingredients. So, she created her own.
FREEYUMM – FOUNDED BY SARAH CLARKE
Sarah's son was her inspiration for starting FreeYumm. Seeing him excluded from sharing food with friends due to allergies was an everyday experience and was difficult for her to watch. And she empathized with all of the other kids who have various and numerous food restrictions. She was determined to find a fun, healthy way to make delicious food inclusive.
FreeYumm snacks are Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, and Plant-Based and are free from fillers, refined sugars, and preservatives! Shop FreeYumm at Jo Anne's Place.
PLUS SO MANY MORE:
The list of accomplished women-owned businesses in wellness goes on and on. Here is a list of even more amazing woman-led brands we carry in our stores which we encourage you to check out:
- Mintier - Founded by Rhaelyn Gillespie & Jessica Sheppard
- The Unscented Company - Founded by Anie Rouleau
- Kite Adaptogenic Teas - Founded by Claudia Marion & Michelle Tirmandi
- Charcoal & Rosepetals - Founded by SarahAnn Goldnau-Vogt
- Routine Beauty - Founded by Neige & Pippa Blair
- Beekeepers' Naturals - Founded by Carly Stein
- Pluck Tea - Founded by Jennifer Commins
- Wax and Fire Co. - Founded by Ella Nunes
- Stellar Eats - Founded by Stella Vanstone, Michelle Boigon, & Emma Kula
- Made With Local - Founded by Sheena Russell
- Blume - Founded by Karen Danudjaja
- Prairie Naturals - Owned by Jewel Tran
- Zazubean - Founded by Tiz Lenna & Tara Gilbert
- KZ Clean Eating - Founded by Katrin Zytomierska
We encourage you to show these hard-working women some love by following them on social media.
And be sure to keep an eye out for quality products from these great female-powered companies on our shelves! For the month of March at our Lansdowne store, you will even find a women-owned business display.
