Australian health store chain Healthy Life this week announced its launch into e-commerce, and opened the first of its new look bricks and mortar stores in Victoria at Tooronga Shopping Centre.
The new online store features more than 200 best-selling vitamin and supplement products, along with a selection of food and sports nutrition, which will grow during the next few weeks.
The Tooronga store is the third new Healthy Life outlet to open since September with the retailer in a phase of rapid expansion, a strategy which pits it against the current retail trend of closing bricks and mortar stores in favour of an online presence.
Earlier this year the group launched its first store-in-store concept at the new IGA Supermarket at Wentworth Point in NSW, with the second to open shortly in Sans Souci Supabarn.
Healthy Life chief marketing officer Simon Cheng says the company launched a new retail model last year and a fresh new brand aimed at “bringing the traditional health food store into the modern era”.
The new retail concept is heavily focused on the growing Australian complementary medicines industry and consumer demand for healthier options.
It includes the Wellness Hub, created to start customer health conversations with regular presentations hosted by the company’s qualified practitioners; and the Next Big Thing concept, offering customers the chance to sample and learn about the ‘next big thing’ in health. Launching at the new Tooronga store, the concept will see tastings and samplings from some of Australia’s most innovative wellness brands including new hemp brand Hemple; new millennial-minded supplement brand SUP, which launched in Australia last month; ethical nail polish brand Kester Black; and leading natural beauty brand INIKA Organic.
The Tooronga store also features a ‘natural beauty bar’ as a response to growing consumer demand for chemical-free beauty. The use of bespoke sustainable beech timber allowed the retailer to widen its aisles making the shop more trolley and pram-friendly.
“It’s not just a fresh look, it’s about transforming a visit to a retail health store into a feel-good experience,” Cheng said.
“It’s not just a fresh look, it’s about transforming a visit to a retail health store into a feel-good experience”
Healthy Life Group has 45 stores across Australia. In February 2017, Allegro and a management buy-in team acquired a majority control stake in Healthy life to partner with the existing shareholder, Eu Yan Sang, the leading manufacturer, distributor and retailer of traditional Chinese medicine in Asia to grow the Healthy Life business. Since then the retailer has been sharpening its range of natural health products including organic and whole foods, superfoods, allergy-free foods, drinks and herbal teas, supplements, sports nutrition, natural hair and skin care
“The complementary medicines industry is booming in Australia – it’s a $4.7 billion dollar industry that is growing at over 25% annually and just as we have been for the past five decades, Healthy Life is at the forefront of that growth,” Cheng said.
“For everyday Australians, natural health is an area that requires some guidance and that’s why all of our stores are a place where customers can learn and get expert advice from our qualified health practitioners – including nutritionists, naturopaths and dieticians. We want to make it easier, more affordable and more convenient for all Australians to live a healthier life and to do that we need a presence in more communities.”
In line with other major retailers, Mr Cheng says Healthy Life is moving away from plastic with customers purchasing more than 20,000 reusable calico bags since the retailer banned single use plastic bags in December. Healthy Life also supports eco-friendly and socially-conscious suppliers which source recyclable, sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging, while also doing their bit to support sustainable farming and growing communities around the world. Healthy Life staff wear organic bamboo uniforms from Australian eco clothing brand Boody.
This article was originally published in What’s New in Healthy Products.
• Naturally Good Expo, Australia’s largest trade show for things natural, organic and healthy takes place in Sydney on 2-3 June 2019.