Noah’s Natural Foods

Noah’s Natural Foods was one of Toronto’s pioneering natural-food retailers, helping introduce generations of consumers to natural groceries, nutritional supplements, personal care products and emerging health-and-wellness categories long before they became part of mainstream Canadian retail.

Founded in 1980, Noah’s became a recognized destination within Toronto’s natural-products community, distinguished by knowledgeable staff, carefully selected products and an early commitment to local Canadian suppliers and emerging brands.

Over its history, the company received significant industry recognition, including CHFA Retailer of the Year, Nature’s Path Retailer of the Year for Ontario, and recognition in NOW Magazine’s Hall of Fame. In 2021, Noah’s four Toronto locations were acquired by Goodness Me! Natural Food Market, another pioneering Ontario natural-food retailer.

Store Manager

September 1990 – January 1995 | 4 years, 5 months | Toronto, Ontario

Managed one of Toronto’s leading natural-food retail operations during a formative period in the growth of the Canadian natural, organic, vegetarian, supplement and health-and-wellness marketplace.

Held broad responsibility for store operations, sales growth, merchandising, staffing, training, customer experience, supplier relationships and new retail concepts while managing a team of more than 30 full- and part-time employees.

The position combined day-to-day operational leadership with entrepreneurial business development, including opening a second retail location, developing new revenue streams, introducing innovative merchandising and sampling programs, and pioneering a commercial fresh-juice and café concept.

Key Achievements

• Managed a high-volume natural-food retail operation generating more than $5 million in annual revenue, with responsibility for sales, staffing, merchandising, inventory, customer service and operational performance.
• Delivered consecutive year-over-year sales growth, helping establish the location as one of Toronto’s leading and highest-performing natural-food stores.
• Recruited, trained, scheduled and managed a team of 30+ full- and part-time employees, creating a strong service culture centred on product knowledge, customer education and operational accountability.
• Led the opening and operational development of the company’s second retail location, helping expand Noah’s presence within the Toronto marketplace.
• Pioneered the development and management of Canada’s first commercial hydraulically pressed fresh-juice bar and café, creating an innovative destination within the store that became a significant revenue generator and increased customer traffic and brand visibility.
• Developed the juice bar and café as a complementary business within the broader retail environment, integrating freshly prepared health-focused products with natural-food retailing and creating additional opportunities for customer engagement and cross-merchandising.
• Created and implemented an ongoing in-store product demonstration and sampling program, partnering directly with suppliers to introduce customers to new and emerging natural products.
• Used supplier-supported demonstrations to increase consumer education, product trial, shopper engagement and incremental sales, establishing a model for experiential retail marketing well before sampling became commonplace within the natural-products channel.
• Authored and implemented a comprehensive company Policy & Procedure and staff-training manual, standardizing operating practices, improving employee onboarding and strengthening service and productivity standards.
• Developed merchandising and promotional strategies designed to increase basket size, inventory turns, product discovery and overall store profitability.
• Worked closely with natural-product manufacturers, distributors and emerging brands to identify new products, evaluate consumer trends and introduce innovative products to the Toronto market.
• Built strong relationships with customers by emphasizing education, personalized service and knowledgeable product recommendations, helping create loyalty within a highly engaged health-conscious consumer community.

Retail Innovation & Industry Impact

The role provided early leadership experience at a pivotal point in the development of Canada’s natural-products industry.

During the early 1990s, many categories that are now firmly established within conventional grocery—including organic foods, plant-based products, functional beverages, nutritional supplements, natural personal care and fresh health-focused prepared foods—were still emerging specialty categories.

Working within this environment required identifying consumer trends early, evaluating unfamiliar products and concepts, educating both employees and customers, and determining how emerging health-and-wellness ideas could be translated into commercially successful retail offerings.

The creation of the hydraulically pressed juice bar and café was particularly forward-looking. It expanded Noah’s beyond traditional packaged-product retailing into fresh, experiential health and wellness while creating a destination capable of increasing frequency of visits, customer engagement and incremental revenue.

Similarly, the introduction of a structured supplier-supported product demonstration program combined education, experiential marketing and retail selling—principles that would later become increasingly important throughout the natural and specialty grocery industry.

Core Areas of Expertise

Retail Management • Natural & Organic Foods • Store Operations • Sales Growth • Team Leadership • Staff Training & Development • Merchandising • New Store Openings • New Business Development • Foodservice & Café Operations • Fresh Juice Operations • Product Demonstrations • Supplier Relations • Customer Experience • Inventory Management • Policy & Procedure Development • Natural Products • Health & Wellness Retail • Plant-Based Foods • Retail Innovation

 

Hartley Berg has worked as my Store Manager for over four years. During this time, Hartley has excelled in all areas of business management, including marketing and financial systems and analysis. Hartley oversaw our revenue growth of over $5M annually, achieving a sustained year-over-year growth. The results of his efforts are reflected in positive customer, staff and supplier relations, and ensuring a consistently smooth-running overall store operation.

Hartley created and implemented a comprehensive Policy and Procedure staff training manual. This has enhanced employee productivity and customer service quality. He developed an on-going consumer product demonstrating program, utilizing extensive support from many of our suppliers, which effectively built product and brand awareness – leading to customer appreciation and impressive sales growth.

Further, Hartley provided assistance in the opening of our second Noah’s store, where he created and managed Toronto/Canada’s first commercial hydraulically-pressed juice bar and vegetarian café, which became a leading source of revenues for this new store.

In summary, Hartley has consistently demonstrated strong work ethics, every day, and displays creative and effective management skills. His loyalty to my company and to the natural products industry has been truly inspiring. I extend my thanks and gratitude to have had Hartley Berg as my Manager in charge of my operations.

Dave Titcher, President
Noah’s Natural Foods
322 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario

Noah’s commitment to excellence in producing the healthiest and most delicious fresh juices in Toronto comes from our belief in the importance of drinking the juice of fresh/organic vegetables, fruits, berries and grasses. We begin each day with Nature’s finest bounty of fresh vegetables and fruits. After special cleaning and preparation, they are ready for our unique processing methods. Then, each variety of produce is pulverized into fine particles, then hydraulically pressed between fine mesh cloths to release every tasty, nutritious drop. This process is completed without the use of heat or pasteurization, and with minimal exposure to oxygen, which breaks down the nutrients. Our commercial hydraulic juice press will extract the vitamins, minerals and other vital elements from vegetables and fruits while retaining the live enzymes more completely than any other juice producing method.

Noah’s freshly pressed juices are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, carbohydrates, chlorophyll, and purified water. Because it is in liquid form, fresh raw juices supply nutrition that is not wasted to fuel its own digestion. As a result, the bodycan quickly and easily make maximum use of all the nutrition that fresh juices offer.

Scientific evidence recognizes the ability of raw food nutrients to help build up our immune system and to shelter us from the ever increasing toxins and pollutants in our air, water and foods. Presently, raw juices are successfully utilized to aid in recovery from a number of ailments and conditions and to maintain abundant energy to keep us in good health. Enjoy the health benefits of Noah’s delicious selection of blended juice recipes prepared fresh daily on the premises, or let us cater to your specific needs.

To maintain optimal health, consume fresh raw juices daily. To compliment our juices, Chef Raymond creates a delicious and nutritious selection of all natural fresh vegetarian foods, prepared daily for take-out and catering.