It’s called Campbell River’s “home grown” health food store, and for good reason. Healthyway Natural Foods has been around for over three decades, and for all that time, has been owned and operated by the same family.
Way back in 1993, Bill and Kay Pakosz bought a small supplement shop and hired a couple of employees. Four years in, their son Will came home from university and began working for his parents as jobs were scarce. His intention was to work there for a few months, but he never left! When Bill and Kay retired, Will and his wife Donna (pictured below!) took over managing the family business.
Twenty-seven years later, this locally-owned, independent family business is still going strong! Healthyway now employees 34 people and has gone from 700 square feet to 7000! The downtown store has a produce department, a grocery section, a café, and of course, a wellness department.
Healthyway was Gathering Place’s first retail customer, back when they only had one product! "For a long time Healthyway was the only store in Campbell River carrying our products,” says Gathering Place co-founder and owner, Lovena Harvey. “It meant a lot to us that Donna and Will were willing to take a chance on us when we were just a fledgling company.”
As Healthyway grew, Gathering Place grew too. “As we have expanded our product line, they have always listed everything we have available,” says Lovena. “Knowing the family behind the Healthyway family business means a lot to us, as we are also a local family business, and supporting family businesses is one of our company pillars.”
Today Healthyway carries roughly 95% of Gathering Place’s over 100 offerings. “We are proud to partner with a local company that exhibits so much integrity in choosing where to source their products and who to partner with,” says Grocery Manager Jamie Sorochan. "We know that owners Lovena and Ryan have direct relationships with their growers and producers, ensuring the quality and sustainability of their products.”
Healthyway’s customers stretch from Campbell River, to nearby islands, to as far as Gold River. With no other natural grocery store in the area, Healthyway is definitely a community hub for those who are passionate about quality and love to know where their food comes from. “More and more people want to know how their food is produced, what types of ingredients are used, and the impact on the environment,” says Jamie. “We aim to provide them what they are looking for.”
Check out Healthway online, and of course, at their amazing store at 1121 Cedar Street in Campbell River, BC.