Our Commitments

 
An extension of our vision to make the world better, Our Commitments help guide what products we bring into our store and how we interact with our customers. My Dad started Amaranth because he believes in good organic food, and we have been consistent in that for the last 35 years.  We have been doing most of these in the background since Amaranth was founded but wanted to make the list official and start letting our customers know what we do behind the scenes. What makes us different from other grocery stores is that we make decisions on what we carry based on our vision, not just what will sell.
— Brendan Klatt, Co-owner & General Manager

While this list captures items we were already excluding, for further ideas we looked to other sources like the EWG, what's banned or restricted in the EU, or what companies like Whole Foods restricts. This updated list adds in items like certain dyes that are banned by the EU and frequently included in children's products, and items like titanium dioxide (a whitener) that are likely to be toxic and have no real need to be in foods we consume. Lastly, focusing on local brands and farms, free trade and products that haven't been tested on animals help us have a large social impact. 


 

We do our best to have each customer leave feeling better than when they came in. We engage with our customers to build long-term trusting relationships and further their health. We advise our team to always recommend what is best for the customers- regardless of what is trendy or more profitable. We aim for each customer’s experience in our stores to be a positive one, and we are happy to help customers track down the products they need- even if it is not something we normally sell.

 
 

We prioritize local farming in Alberta and across Canada to support a better community and a healthier you. We try to source as many products as possible that are made in Western Canada. The less distance products travel means lower overall product cost, less impact on the environment, and less risk of a supply chain disruption. Locally owned businesses also pay taxes locally, and since most of these business owners live in Canada, they tend to put their dollars where their values are.

 
 
 

Most of our products are certified organic and non-GMO, and/or produced in Alberta. Canadian organic standards prohibits synthetic fertilizers and toxic pesticides, GMOs, artificial additives, growth hormones and excessive antibiotics, irridation and yes, sewage sludge. The standards also promote rotating crops, growing nutrients in the soil, composting, ensuring animals have access to fresh air and pasture, mandating minimum space for animals and more!

 
 
 

We support organic farmers, and other producers who aim to reduce chemical use and improve soil health. We believe that a foundation of health is getting good food from farmers you know.

 
 
 

We prohibit additives and synthetic colors including red dye #40, yellow #5 and #6, blue #1 and titanium dioxide in all products we carry. Organic products already prohibit the addition of artificial colors, preservatives and other additives. For all our products we avoid the use of certain synthetic chemicals.

 
 
 

We engage with customers helping to understand the delicate balance in creating a healthy mind, body & home. We aim to treat the whole and not just symptoms. We recommend complimentary products and do our best to recommend lifestyle and dietary changes with each supplement recommendation. We are comfortable recommending our customers visit registered professionals like MDs, pharmacists or alternative practitioners if we don’t know the best answer.

 
 
 

We carry and stock personal care lines that are free from parabens, phthalates, and synthetic dyes making sure they are not tested on animals. All of our products that contain Shea are Fair Trade certified. We prioritize glass/aluminum and free-from-plastic packaging whenever possible as they are almost infinitely recyclable and can be reused 100% into other packages.

 
 
 
 

Supplement brands we stock have limited additives & no fillers added to their capsules and tablets. Most are tested using third parties to ensure quality, accuracy of labels, and the absence of contaminants.