“Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness."

— - Thomas Jefferson

A landscape with two bison grazing in a grassy field near a lake and mountains in the distance. Overlaid text describes a local, family-owned food market in Amaranth, emphasizing natural, organic, and community-focused values.
Two men standing in front of a brick wall with the word "Amara atoth" and the phrase "Family" partially visible behind them. One man is wearing a dark apron and glasses, the other is wearing a black t-shirt with a leaf logo and has tattoos on his left arm.

To provide an outstanding experience every day, one person at a time.

We are a customer-centric company. Everything we do considers our customer and their experience. As their health food store, they come to us at any stage in their health and wellness journey for advice, product recommendations, and ongoing support.

By creating the best in-store and online experience for our customer, we can become the leading store people come to when they are looking to lead healthier lives.

Close-up of a wheat head with surrounding dry grass and blurred background.
Two men standing in a store, one wearing a black t-shirt with a small logo and the other in a dark shirt with a black apron, both smiling.

Our History

A timeline of a company's history from 1995 to 2024, featuring icons and brief descriptions of key milestones, including store openings in Calgary, changes in store location, and the company's 30th anniversary celebration.

Amaranth Foods started in 1994 by a young entrepreneur who wanted to build a better world for his family. His passion was creating a welcoming space for all, where everyone's health journey was supported, enabling people to make the same connection: that what you eat impacts the way you feel and how you live.

A man with light skin, short brown hair, and a beard smiling while standing in a grocery store aisle with produce in the background.

A New Leaf

This now older entrepreneur has graciously passed his torch to his son and protégé, a transition marked by mutual respect and love. With a steadfast heart, Brendan embraces this legacy, embodying the values instilled in him while inspiring a collective desire for meaningful change. His vision extends beyond his own family, reaching into the very fabric of communities across Alberta, nurturing a sense of shared purpose and unity.

Driven by a profound commitment to betterment, Brendan focuses on uplifting others, ensuring that they too have the opportunity to achieve and thrive. His approach is not merely about success in business; it’s about fostering a sense of belonging and well-being for all. As he continues to shape and lead the company, his humility and confidence guide each decision, emphasizing that true success is measured not just in achievements, but in the positive impact made on the lives of those around him. With a warm spirit, he invites everyone to join this journey, believing that together, we can build a brighter future for generations to come.

  • AT AMARANTH, WE ARE DRIVEN TO NOURISH THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.

    WE DO THIS THROUGH INTENTIONAL CHOICES, NATURAL AND ORGANIC GOODS, AND LOCAL CONNECTIONS.

    WE ARE MORE than a grocery or supplement store.

    WE ARE YOUR family owned whole foods market.

  • TO PROVIDE AN OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCE EVERY DAY, ONE PERSON AT A TIME.

    • WE ARE WELCOMING

    • WE SERVE OTHERS

    • WE SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND

    • WE ARE SOLUTION-ORIENTED AND GROWTH-FOCUSED

    • WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE

    • WE VALUE SUSTAINABILITY

Who We Are

We take pride in our partnerships with local vendors and networks, including the Health First Network— a Canada wide group of family owned health food stores. Many products found on our shelves are sourced from local suppliers, farmers and entrepreneurs, and we strive to provide unique products that fit your lifestyle.

While we are always looking forward to new and interesting foods, we also look backwards to simple, wholesome and healthy food. Our tagline “Whole Foods Market” means we are always looking for food even your grandma would recognize, items that are small on processing and transportation- and BIG on health.

Display of fresh organic vegetables at a grocery store, including bell peppers, green onions, collard greens, and celery.
Fresh organic beets with green and red leaves tied with tags, displayed in a basket at a grocery store.

Our Commitments

  • 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 colours 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 colours, 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 & fillers added to their capsules and tablets. Most are tested using third parties to ensure quality, accuracy of labels, and the absence of contaminants. 

This list now includes previously excluded items and those from EWG, EU bans, and Whole Foods. We include certain dyes banned in the EU, often in children's products, and titanium dioxide, a likely toxic and unnecessary whitener. Prioritizing local, fair trade, and cruelty-free brands boosts our social impact.