Arran was born and raised on the family farm on pristine Vancouver Island. His parents pioneered organic farming methods in the 1950’s, his dad advising him at twelve years, “Always leave the soil better than you found it,” —a guiding philosophy for life. At 23, Arran returned from 7 months in India with $7. On a hope and a prayer, he opened Canada’s first vegetarian restaurant. LifeStream®, Canada’s first natural food super-market followed in 1971 and operated until being sold in 1981. Life-partner Ratana and Arran began Nature’s Path Organic Foods out of the back of their vegetarian restaurant in 1985, and in 1990, the company became one of the very first third-party certified organic processors in North America. In an age of sell-outs, Nature’s Path remains fiercely independent.
Nature’s Path is today North America’s largest organic breakfast foods brand, with state-of-the-art processing facilities in WA, WI and BC, employing hundreds of valued team members. The company also owns organic farms in Saskatchewan, which are cooperatively farmed.
Arran has been a staunch opponent of GMO proliferation since 1990, served on the OTA board during the creation and launch of the USDA Organic Rule, and currently serves on the Rodale Institute Board and is a founding member of the Non-GMO Project.
Nature’s Path supports various non-profit and charitable organizations that protect endangered species, endangered kids, food banks, Gardens for Good, giving away more than $3,000,000 last year, and has committed over $610,000 to Prop. 37, the California Ballot Initiative for Mandatory GMO Labeling (footnote)* Nature’s Path remains proudly independent, family-owned and not for sale.
Author: Journey to the Luminous (Elton-Wolf, 1999), Moth & the Flame (www.mothandtheflame.com) and Co-authored The Compassionate Diet—How What You Eat Can Change Your Life and Save the Planet, (Rodale Books, 2011). Arran believes eating a plant-based diet can lead to a more humane, healthy and peaceful lifestyle.
Also: Recipient of E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year, Schumacher Sustainability and other awards. Nature’s Path was voted Best 50 Companies to work for in Canada three years in a row, 50 Most Sustainable Companies, etc.
He and Ratana have four children (two of whom are active leaders in the family enterprise, and four grandchildren. As entrepreneur, artist, writer, ecology advocate and seeker, Arran has an enduring commitment to family, community, sustainability and spirituality.
* Footnote: Proposition 37 is an epic and historic David vs Goliath battle; consumers and visionaries with limited resources up against colossal pesticide companies, big Ag and junk food producers, including Monsanto, Dow, Kellogg, General Mills, Kraft, PepsiCo, Dean, and others who are spending $1,000,000 per day on a massive disinformation and fear campaign to defeat Citizens’ Right to Know if their food has been genetically engineered, despite the fact that these foods have never been tested on humans for safety. There is a growing mountain of evidence of unpredictable health and environmental damage directly related to GMO foods (GMO Myths and Truths by geneticists John Fagan and Michael Antoniou).
