canadian proud Archives - London Drugs Blog

Proudly Canadian – Kanto

Kanto – World-class tech design with Canadian passion and local customer service.

When imagining a Canadian product, speakers, mounts and electronics accessories may not be the first things that come to mind. But the roots of this high-tech company are built on solid experience. Kanto was founded in January of 2007 in Coquitlam, BC , by CEO and Chief Product Officer David Reid. Many years designing and manufacturing products for large consumer electronics companies gave Reid and the Kanto team the understanding they needed to create an outstanding brand.

The Kanto vision is to build quality electronics with style. But their real difference lies in their passion, both in the creative process and in customer service. Kanto people design products they love, incorporating high quality materials for maximum performance. (One example is the silk dome tweeters that deliver a high-frequency speaker range that is bright and refined) Then, they support their end users all the way, working incredibly hard to respond and react quickly to feedback. This feedback gives Kanto the intel they need to further refine and improve products. And the cycle continues.

The Kanto team of dedicated design engineers now operates from an expanded head office in Langley, BC, along with some 40 Canadian employees, including administrative, sales and customer support.

So, when a customer phones or emails their customer service department, a person located in the Canadian Pacific Time Zone responds.

That’s how Kanto has become an industry leader in TV mounting solutions and powered audio – and why you’ll probably be hearing a lot more about them in the future.

For more information on Kanto mounts, speakers and speaker stands, talk to the audio-visual experts at your local London Drugs.

Proudly Canadian – Beekeepers Naturals

Got a cough? Canadian bees come to the rescue with Beekeeper’s Naturals.

Growing up in Toronto, Beekeeper’s Naturals founder, Carly Stein Kremer, battled tonsillitis on and off for years, which was worsened by the fact that her autoimmune disorder prevented her from taking traditional medicines like antibiotics.

It wasn’t until college that she was able to find real relief. While travelling around Europe, she came down with a particularly severe case of tonsillitis, where she discovered the healing properties of bee propolis; a combination of tree and plant resin created by bees to protect the hive. Propolis delivers essential vitamins, minerals, and 300+ beneficial compounds for potent health support.

When she returned to the University of Victoria in Canada, Kremer’s new curiosity for propolis, honey, royal jelly, and pollen led her to begin an apprenticeship with a local beekeeper. She formulated her first propolis products in the chemistry lab and shared them with friends and family.

After graduating from school, she started her career on Wall Street, but her passion for bees and formulating products remained. On the weekends, Kremer posted up at local Farmers Markets with her products and they sold out every time. She saw an opportunity to help people, so she left her successful career at Goldman Sachs behind. She dedicated her life to full-time beekeeping and bringing propolis to the masses in sustainable and accessible ways. That’s when Beekeeper’s Naturals was born.

The bees are just as important to Beekeeper’s Naturals as humans. They source their hive-powered products from small, sustainable apiaries that prioritize pesticide-free health and partner with leading bee research institutions to raise awareness and support pollinator protection.

Beekeeper’s Naturals is on a mission to reinvent the medicine cabinet with clean, effective products powered by bees. Whether it’s spring throat irritation, summer colds, or the coming fall flu season, they have you covered all year long.

That’s a Canadian brand success story worth sharing with the hive.

Pick up Propolis Lozenges to relieve sore throats and Propolis Cough Syrup, made with soothing buckwheat honey, elderberry, and chaga, at your Local London Drugs.

Proudly Canadian – Organika

From their beginnings 33 years ago in a van driving across Canada, Organika is now one of the country’s best known supplement companies.

The Organika story began in 1990, in beautiful British Columbia, where founder Thomas Chin created the business after immigrating from Malaysia. He saw an opportunity to provide natural wellness solutions to anyone and everyone – making supplements accessible to a wider audience than the industry catered to traditionally.

What started as a humble line of supplements sold out of the back of our founder’s van has grown into a business with over 200 natural health products, including Canada’s #1 selling collagen powder, #1 brand for Spirulina, Bone Broth and maca.

The business has since transitioned to Chin’s sons Aaron (CEO) and Jordan (President) who have worked tirelessly to help Organika become an award-winning global brand, now also offering collagen supplements, kids supplements, and snacks.

Consistent innovation, 32 years of experience in creating high-quality supplements for all ages that include certified Natural Product supplements (NPN), and a mission to help people live healthier, has led Organika to achieve global recognition, including:

Listing in the Financial Times and Globe and Mail as one of the fastest-growing companies 3 years in a row
Best in Asia Pacific Business Award
Certification as a ‘Diverse, Equal and Inclusive’ company
Best new product award for Electrolytes + Enhanced Collagen
Parent Tested Parent Approved seal for kids’ supplements

Today, Organika remains family owned and operates their own in-house manufacturing facility to oversee every step of the process and ensure the finest product quality.

To lower their carbon footprint, Organika is also transitioning their packaging to post-consumer recycled (PCR) material, and by 2025 their goal is to have 100% of packaging transitioned to PCR plastics.

Helping Canadians live healthier continues to fuel Organika, helping them provide the highest quality natural health products on Canadian shelves.

As it turns out, supporting healthy Canadians makes for healthy business as well.

Shop Organika products, from Enhanced Collagen and Bone Broth to delicious Keto Mini Cookies, at your local London Drugs.

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Silver Hills

For a real Canadian treat, check out this Silver Hills plant-based Bacon Grilled Cheese Recipe.

From an idea sprouted in Lumby, BC, Silver Hills Bread is now a Canadian classic from coast to coast.

When Silver Hills co-founder Brad Brousson was a boy, his mom baked bread with sprouted whole grains from a family recipe. Years later, Brad was attending a health retreat at the Silver Hills Guesthouse in Lumby, BC, and decided he should bake some for the other guests there. This quickly expanded into a full-time project, so Brad partnered with friends Stan and Kathy Smith, and Silver Hills Sprouted Bakery was born.

“Thirty years ago, if you were organic, you were a bit crazy,” says Stan Smith. “But now there’s a lot of people who are crazy along with us. I think the healthy food community is looking for companies to provide new ideas and solutions and we look forward to being part of that and to discovering ways to make it easier to eat healthy.”

The health difference begins with the sprout. This early growth of the plant unlocks iron, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, and other important vitamins and minerals, and makes the seeds easier to digest. Sprouted whole grains also offer a healthy, slow-release carb to give your body steady energy.

All of Silver Hills’ 100% plant-based products are made with nutrient-rich, high-fibre whole grains sprouted in clean, cold Canadian water. Each ingredient is guaranteed non-GMO.

Silver Hills Bakery soon outgrew its humble home in the North Okanagan and moved the entire sprouted bakery to Abbotsford in 2002. They’ve been a Proudly Canadian part of the community ever since, and London Drugs is proud to feature their breads across Western Canada.

“When we began the bakery, the sole intent was to aid people in their quest for health,” reflects Brad. “It makes me feel very fulfilled to know that all of the effort and all of the sacrifice that went into making Silver Hills what it is today is really contributing to someone’s happiness, and someone’s health.”

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Nellie’s – Inspired by a Mom from the Prairies

Nellie’s – Inspired by a Mom from the Prairies

Nellie’s founder James Roberts gives credit for their success story where it’s due. “Nellie’s is named after my mom, who believed in keeping things simple – in a good way.” This is obvious in products like their iconic powdered laundry detergent. “The fact is, more cleaning power can be packed into powder,” Roberts continues, “Only one tablespoon is needed for a regular load of laundry.”

Made in Canada with Canadian Ingredients Nellie’s has been making their eco-friendly cleaning products based out of North Vancouver for over a decade, with high-quality biodegradable and hypo-allergenic ingredients.

“We don’t want to go elsewhere for materials unless we have to,” says Roberts, “For example, the soda ash used in our detergent is mined in Canada – it goes from the ground to processing, to the container in your home. That helps employ a lot of Canadians along the way.”

Nellie’s number one Canadian value: Common Sense. “When I grew up, there weren’t a dozen cleaners under the sink,” says Roberts, “We like to make products people really need. We also believe things can be made in Canada. Sometimes domestic ingredients may cost us a little more, but it makes sense to support local.”

Nellie’s also believes in another good Canadian value – honesty. Every ingredient in their products is listed on their website.

Nellie’s and London Drugs – a Canadian connection that goes way back. “London Drugs engaged with Nellie’s early on,” says Roberts, “They started by selling our Nellie’s Dryerballs over 10 years ago, and they have grown with us all the way since. That’s another Canadian prairie value. You support the people in your community.”

Shop Nellie’s line of cleaning products, for laundry, kitchen and bath here: https://www.londondrugs.com/nellies/

To find out more about our Proudly Canadian program, click here.

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Baby Gourmet

Baby Gourmet – Started by two Calgary Moms who just wanted to feed their babies better.

“When my daughter was six months old. I went to the grocery store and bought a couple jars of baby food. After opening a jar of strained green beans, I knew instantly I wasn’t going to feed her anything I wouldn’t eat myself,” says Baby Gourmet co-founder Jennifer Carlson, “And I definitely wasn’t going to eat that jar of green beans!” Jennifer and her sister Jill Vos, launched Baby Gourmet in 2006 at the Calgary Farmers Market. Since then, it has grown to become Canada’s leading brand of organic baby food.

Babies deserve the finest ingredients

Baby Gourmet uses only the very best, non-GMO organic ingredients – no fillers, added sugar, salt, or artificial preservatives of any kind – and 75% of their entire product offering is made in Canada. “We are most proud of our new innovation,” Carlson says, “A finger food line of lentil chickpea puffed snacks that are made in Saskatchewan.”

Canadian authenticity – from their kitchen to yours.

“Jill and I create every single product that comes out of Baby Gourmet,” says Carlson, “Every product starts in our kitchen and then moves into production under our watchful eye.” This hands-on process keeps Baby Gourmet at the forefront of the Canadian baby food market. “We use our motherly instincts to decide which flavours to bring to market and have a deep understanding of our fellow moms and what they want for their babies.”

Growing Canadian success (and Canadian babies!)

“We feel strongly about strengthening communities and local economies. We can do this by supporting the passionate Canadians behind Proudly Canadian brands,” says Carlson, “London Drugs has been a key partner of Baby Gourmet for the last 8 years and are an integral part of helping put the best organic baby food into the mouths of Canadian babies!”

Here’s to growing them big and strong.

Shop baby gourmet online here.

To find out more about our Proudly Canadian program, click here.

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Earth’s Own Oat Milk – Canadian from the roots up.

One look at the Earth’s Own tagline, “We Dig Plants.”, and you know right away, it’s genuine.

“All of our oats are grown by Canadian farmers on the Prairies and in Quebec,” says Brittany Hull, Director of Marketing for Earth’s Own, “You can’t get much more Canadian than that.”

Local Ingredients, Local Production.

Earth’s Own sources ingredients locally wherever possible. They also produce all of their delicious plant-based milks in Canada instead of shipping product over borders. This results in a smaller environmental footprint for this growing brand and supports local farmers and plant workers to build a brighter and tighter sense of community.

Being bold in a most Canadian way.

The Earth’s Own brand takes a strong stand for their values. But this bold attitude is delivered with style, humour and above all, authenticity. From the cheerful packaging to their cheeky ‘Plantifesto’ their important message comes across as friendly, intelligent and tasteful –like their oat milk itself.

Saving the world – one plant at a time.

Earth’s Own knows that environmental impact goes beyond borders. Their solution: plants.

“Because of our Canadian climate, our oats don’t require irrigation,” Hull says, “This means that they are grown using 7x less water than dairy milk.”

Plant-based eating is inherently having a lower environmental impact because plants are grown to eat directly, rather than feeding animals for food production. And that’s not all, Earth’s Own containers are also made from plants and the company supports plant-based community projects.

Proud to be one of London Drugs’ newest Canadian brands.

“Our first time shipping Earth’s Own products in London Drugs stores was in April 2020,” says Michael Rende, Director of Sales for Earth’s Own, “This shows a great nimbleness to support local brands during these unprecedented times. Customers are always looking for brands they can trust, and Earth’s Own is grateful to be in London Drugs stores, supporting our Canadian roots right along with them.”

Shop Earths Own here!

To find out more about our Proudly Canadian program, click here.

Proudly Canadian – Kanto

Proudly Canadian – Beekeepers Naturals

Got a cough? Canadian bees come to the rescue with Beekeeper’s Naturals.

Proudly Canadian – Organika

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Silver Hills

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Nellie’s – Inspired by a Mom from the Prairies

Nellie’s – Inspired by a Mom from the Prairies

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Baby Gourmet