Celebrating Women in Wellness: International Women's Day 2025
Who run the world? Girls! March is Women's History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day. What better time than this to lift up the women around us! Because of the entrepreneurial courage of our founder Jo Anne & the continued efforts of our now owners & team (which is over 80% women), we have been serving Peterborough & The Kawarthas for almost 50 years!
We are thankful not only for the amazing women in our team, but for the meaningful connections we have made with so many inspiring women in our community. It is important to us to continue fostering an environment where women feel safe, supported & inspired. We are excited to look to the future and continue to evolve to meet the needs of our community.
As a female-founded business, Jo Anne’s Place is excited to celebrate the talented women in our wellness community. Today we wanted to highlight some amazing woman-led brands that we carry in-store:
SUPPLEMENTS
AERYON WELLNESS – FOUNDED BY AERYON ASHLIE
Canadian
After spending 25 years struggling with eating disorders, hormonal issues, and an unhealthy relationship with food and her body, Aeryon created Aeryon Wellness to help women from all walks of life find sustainable health and wellness. However, she was not seeing enough female-focused supplement formulations specifically designed to improve women's health. Using the highest quality ingredients, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and science-based research, Aeryon Wellness was born. As a mother, she wants her daughter to make educated, informed decisions when it comes to her body.
BEEKEEPER'S NATURALS – FOUNDED BY CARLY KREMER
After years of battling on and off tonsillitis, Beekeeper's Naturals Founder Carly Kremer finally found relief in an ingredient called propolis: a combination of tree and plant resin created by bees to protect the hive. Carly left her job at Goldman Sachs to pursue Beekeeper's Naturals full-time in 2016, starting at farmer's markets. Beekeeper's Naturals is a Certified B Corp and they partner with one of the leading bee research institutions to raise awareness and support pollinator protection: The University of California Davis Honey Bee Research Facility.
VYKON SUPPLEMENTS – FOUNDED BY Lisa Pitel-Killah
Lisa Pitel-Killah, Hair Mineral Analysis Expert & Educator, Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Functional Diagnostic Practitioner and multi-time Kettlebell Sport World Champion founded Vykon Supplements. She chose to specialize in HTMA testing when that particular diagnostic test was the first to identify the true root cause of her debilitating fatigue. Lisa believes minerals are the foundation of health and longevity, and from the science of HTMA you can identify exactly what your body, or your animal’s body, needs to thrive. Custom powders, made with only the finest ingredients, nothing artificial, just all natural flavours and sweeteners.
PRAIRIE NATURALS – OWNED BY JEWEL TRAN
Canadian
Jewel has an incredible story. After being orphaned at 18 months old, Jewel was raised by her grandparents under trying conditions that grew her strength and determination. With keen entrepreneurial skills and a passion for nutritional health, she devoted her time training retailers about nutritional supplements in her home country of Vietnam. A single mother of four, Jewel emigrated to Canada in search of a better life for her family, and a goal of making a positive impact. She brings that same drive to Prairie Naturals - one of the wellness industry's most established supplement companies.
ITL HEALTH – LED BY MEAGHAN ESSER & LYNAE MORNINGSTAR
Canadian
ITL Health was founded by George Esser, a philanthropist and innovator with a vision to help people feel their best. Headquartered in Sarnia, Ontario, ITL is led by two of George's daughters - Meaghan and Lynae. After 9 years running her own nutritional consulting practice, Meaghan took her business and nutrition expertise to her family's expanding supplement venture in 2019 - she is now the Managing Director. Lynae - Director of Operations - has been engaged in small businesses from an early age. With an education in Business Administration and a history of owning and participating in various ventures, coupled with her enthusiasm for wellness, she joined the ITL Health team in 2017.
COSMETICS / PERSONAL CARE
NATRACARE – FOUNDED BY SUSIE HEWSON
Natracare was created as a campaign to shake up the menstrual products’ industry with real, viable eco-friendly alternatives for periods. Founder & Owner Susie Hewson developed the world's first brand of organic and natural period products in 1989 - a true eco pioneer!
After learning about the dangers of dioxin pollution and the damaging impact of plastics, she was appalled to learn that period products contained these ingredients. So, she created her own. In the wake of the recent UC Berkeley study that found heavy metals in traditional menstrual products, Natracare had no qualms as their products have always been organic, plastic-free, and non-toxic!
CHEEKS AHOY – FOUNDED BY LEAH BLACK (JO ANNE’S GRANDDAUGHTER!)
Canadian
Cheeks Ahoy was founded in 2013 by former Jo Anne's Place employee and Jo Anne's granddaughter, Leah, when she decided to make the switch to reusable baby wipes, and wanted to share her products with other parents.
Today, Cheeks Ahoy offers a full line of household cloth reusables with the goal of helping families care for the environment, while also saving money. Cheeks Ahoy now has an amazing lineup of products from reusable makeup pads to kitchen towels! Each item is sewn with love and care right here in Peterborough, Ontario.
WILDCRAFT SKINCARE – FOUNDED BY LAURA WHITAKER
Canadian
Wildcraft was born from the notion that natural skincare products don’t have to be super expensive. Growing up in the country, home was always a place that felt very connected to the natural world for Laura. Looking for alternative ways to access affordable natural skincare, she began experimenting with making and using handmade natural products. In 2014, she founded Wildcraft to bring the powerful effects of nature to the everyday routine. Today, Wildcraft continues to grow and expand their natural small-batch skincare offerings. Learn more here.
THREE SHIPS SKINCARE – FOUNDED BY CONNIE LO AND LAURA BURGET
Canadian
Three Ships Beauty Co-Founders Connie Lo and Laura Burget started their business as recent university grads with just $4,000. With a mission to be the world’s most effective natural beauty brand, they pooled their limited savings and started making products by hand. Founded in Toronto in 2017 after extreme frustration with the lack of natural beauty products on the market, Three Ships has become one of the fastest-growing and successful natural skincare brands!
Learn more about Three Ships here.
ROUTINE – FOUNDED BY NEIGE AND PIPPA
Canadian
Routine Natural Beauty Products were founded by sisters, Neige and Pippa! Their mission is to offer beautiful, natural personal products that feel and smell incredible, and that compliment your natural pheromones without compromise! Routine products are mindfully sourced and sustainably packaged in Calgary. You can shop Routine deodorants at Jo Anne's Place!
FOOD & DRINK
GEORGIAN BAY GRANOLA CO– FOUNDED BY SHEILA HANNON
Canadian
Georgian Bay Granola Company is a Canadian business that believes in working with our planet. Sheila began making granola in the early 1970s for her growing family. All ingredients used in their granola are 100% organic and gluten-free. They started out selling from a table in a local summer market in Parry Sound Ontario, and now share their organic granolas far and wide.
NUTS FOR CHEESE – FOUNDED BY MARGARET COONS
Canadian
Margaret started experimenting with dairy-free cheese when she worked as a vegan chef – using the restaurant kitchen after hours to perfect her recipes. After launching Nuts for Cheese at the London, Ontario Farmer’s Market, this artisanal 100% dairy-free cheese has become a staple to vegans and non-vegans alike, all across Canada. Learn more about Nuts for Cheese here!
BECK'S BROTH – OWNED BY BECK & DOM
Canadian
Beck's Broth is an innovative instant coffee, matcha, and hot chocolate bone broth product! CEO and Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Beck, and COO Domenique, lead Beck's Broth. When Beck discovered bone broth and all of its health benefits, she wanted to find a way to help others incorporate it into their diets. She collaborated with Domenique, who brings a passion for healthy food and a deep understanding of sustainability engineering to create Beck's Broth!
BLUME – OWNED BY KAREN DANUDJAJA
Canadian
Karen founded Blume in 2017 after feelings the effects of consuming too much caffeine while in a corporate job and noticing a gap in the market for dry latte blends. She went on a journey to feel better and find alternatives that weren't espresso-based. Blume's products have expanded from functional latte blends to include their uber popular SuperBelly gut-building drinks!
ZAZUBEAN – OWNED BY TIZ & TARA
Canadian
Zazubean's motto of "Good for the Growers, Good for the Planet, and Good for You" is clear in everything they do. The idea for Zazubean started on a bike excursion of a group of women to an island off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, where a conversation was started about ethical, healthy, yummy chocolate. Tiz (Co-Founder and Physiologist) began formulating their amazing chocolate with super-powered ingredients and joined forces with Tara (Co-Founder) who's passion for social justice and expertise in sustainable business practices brought Zazubean to life!
PLUS SO MANY MORE:
The list of accomplished women-owned businesses in wellness goes on and on. Here is a list of even more amazing woman-led brands we carry in our stores which we encourage you to check out:
- Mintier - Founded by Rhaelyn Gillespie & Jessica Sheppard
- The Unscented Company - Founded by Anie Rouleau
- Pluck Tea - Founded by Jennifer Commins
- Wax and Fire Co. - Founded by Ella Nunes
- Stellar Eats - Founded by Stella Vanstone, Michelle Boigon, & Emma Kula
- FreeYumm - Founded by Sarah Clarke
- Sweet Song Herbals - Founded by Aryn Mahood and Catherine Self
- Satya - Founded by Patrice Mousseau
- Jewels Under The Kilt - Founded by Elisabeth Burrow
- Wild Canadian Tea - Founded by Kim Elkington
- Healthy Hippo - Founded by Ashley Paterson
- Smart Sweets - Founded by Tara Bosch
- Mala Candles - Founded by Melody Lim
- Lumehra Laundry Products - Founded by Anu Luthra
- La Hacienda Artisan Products - Owned by Sandra Arciniega
- Pastry Base / Lillybean - Founded by Jill Donaldson
- Chickapea - Founded by Shelby Taylor
- Giddy Yo - Founded by Bridgitte Longshore
- Sweets From The Earth - Founded by Ilana Kadonoff
- Pacifica Beauty - Founder and President, Brook Harvey-Taylor
- Hide & Quill Tallow - Owned by Charlotte Miles
- Riciniol - Owned by Nina Obrecht
We encourage you to show these hard-working women some love, this month and always!
And be sure to keep an eye out for quality products from these great female-powered companies on our shelves! For the month of March at our Lansdowne store, you will even find a women-owned business display.
