About Us
WHO ARE WE ?
Since 1968, Naturiste has been accompanying you in your search for well-being. With 35 Naturiste stores and 4 Naturiste Plus stores across Quebec, Naturiste consultants are trained to help you select the natural products you need to enjoy life to the fullest. We are a company entirely dedicated to natural wellness products, and each of our actions has a social impact on your well-being.
Live well, be better!
FROM THE BEGINNING, HERE IS A MAN WITH A MISSION
Jean-Marc Brunet is a boxer and a blood clot in his brain forces him to temporarily retire from competition. He then discovered a book that would soon change his life: "Never be sick again: the secret of longevity", by Robert G. Jackson. This book exposes the virtues of healthy eating habits and a way of life that lead to a radical improvement in a person's quality of life. Absolutely fascinated by his reading, Jean-Marc Brunet will now put all his energies into transmitting his fascinating discovery to Quebecers.
THE BUSINESSMAN JOURNALIST
While studying naturopathy, Jean-Marc Brunet was hired by the French radio station CKLM. He was asked to host a program on alternative medicine and the station was quickly inundated with calls from listeners who wanted to know more about this discipline.
Driven by the sacred fire, the young naturopath soon opened his first clinic in his apartment in Outremont and took care of a long and growing list of patients.
Our story
1968
THE FIRST STORE: A LABORATORY DEVOTED TO A BETTER LIFESTYLE:
Frustrated by the lack of quality products for his patients, Jean-Marc Brunet decides to open his first store on St-Denis Street, under the name Le Naturiste Jean-Marc Brunet. This store is incredibly ahead of its time by offering the services of a naturopath, organic food and food supplements, some of which come from Europe. This was unheard of at the time! His clients benefit from complete services and also sign up for cooking classes that he gives in his garage, which he recently converted into a "class room"!
CUSTOMERS BECOME DETAILERS:
It wasn't long before a wealthy Shawinigan client whose chronic arthritis was considered incurable by traditional medicine was successfully treated. This woman became the first owner of a Le Naturiste franchise. And the good news spreads: eight other stores are born, managed by eight other patients who are captivated by the results of naturist Jean-Marc Brunet's medicine. Mr. Brunet has a busy schedule: he takes care of his patients and his store during the day, and in the evening, he devotes his time to his franchisees and writes to his growing number of followers on various subjects.
1977
Jean-Marc Brunet meets one of the most influential people in his life, Mr. Pierre Péladeau. A brilliant entrepreneur, Mr. Péladeau sees in this young naturopath the ambition to become a major player in the field of natural health in Quebec. He encourages him to make the most of his business qualities and to spread his influence as far as he wishes. At a rate of nearly one new store per month, the stores swarm and the chain experiences a fantastic development.
1984
Jean-Marc Brunet inherits a column in Le Journal de Montréal, gives sold-out conferences and his book "Mon Guide de santé naturelle" sells more than 300,000 copies.
1988
The chain opens its 68th store, making Le Naturiste the largest retailer of natural health products in Canada.
2000
The natural health products industry is struggling. Large retailers share the same desire to promote health through natural products and set up shop in Canada. Many Le Naturiste stores had to close their doors because they could not maintain the quality of their products while trying to match the new prices of the competition. Jean-Marc Brunet decided that it was time to "hand over" to a buyer who could compete on equal terms with the fierce competition while continuing the company's legacy.