Health Food Stores Trade Associations

American Cheese Society (ACS)

ACS unites the artisan and specialty cheese ecosystem—makers, retailers, distributors and educators—offering training, standards, competitions and retail-focused resources that help natural and specialty food stores grow cheese sales responsibly and safely. Members include 16% retailers.

https://www.cheesesociety.org Membership: 2,400

American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)

AHPA is the U.S. trade association for the herbal and natural products industries, advocating on regulation, quality, labeling and research, with education and compliance tools that support herbal supplement merchandising in health food retail.

https://www.ahpa.org Membership: 350

American Spice Trade Association (ASTA)

ASTA represents the U.S. spice supply chain (growers, processors, importers and retailers), providing safety standards, regulatory advocacy and education—useful for health food stores that curate clean-label spices and blends.

https://astaspice.org Membership: 200

California Grocers Association (CGA)

CGA is California’s statewide grocery trade group—supporting advocacy, compliance education and networking for more than 300 retail companies and ~150 suppliers. Natural/organic and health-focused grocers in CA use CGA for state/local policy and operations support.

https://www.cagrocers.com Membership: 450

Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA)

CHFA is Canada’s largest trade association for natural, organic and wellness businesses—connecting brands and retailers (including independent health food stores) via CHFA NOW trade events, education and advocacy.

https://chfa.ca Membership: 1,000

Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)

CRN represents dietary supplement and functional food companies, advancing science-based policy and responsible industry practices; its guidance and advocacy directly benefit health food retailers’ product assortments and compliance.

https://www.crnusa.org Membership: 180

Food Industry Alliance of New York State (FIA)

FIA is New York State’s only statewide grocery trade association, serving independents, chains, co-ops and suppliers with advocacy, compliance and food-safety collaboration—resources leveraged by natural/health food operators across NY.

https://fiany.com Membership: 800

FMI — The Food Industry Association

FMI is the U.S. food industry association across retail, wholesale and supply. It offers policy advocacy, food safety education and market insights that help health-focused grocers strengthen operations and shopper trust. (FMI historically reported 1,225+ member companies; it now emphasizes industry-wide engagement.)

https://www.fmi.org Membership: 1,225

Good Food Merchants Collaborative (Good Food Foundation)

A curated network of leading independent markets dedicated to sustainable, craft and better-for-you foods; members share best practices and collaborate on merchandising and sourcing—highly relevant for natural/specialty grocers. Membership is intentionally small and capped at 35 to preserve depth.

https://goodfoodfdn.org/merchants/collaborative/ Membership: 35

Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) – UK

HFMA is the UK’s leading trade association for the natural products sector (specialist foods and supplements). Its regulatory guidance and advocacy help health food retailers source compliant, high‑quality products.

https://hfma.co.uk Membership: 120

Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA)

IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network, with 1,600+ U.S. independent stores. It provides brand programs, private label, e‑commerce, training and marketing that bolster community grocers—including natural and health‑forward operators.

https://corporate.iga.com Membership: 1,600

Independent Natural Food Retailers Association (INFRA)

INFRA is a member‑owned cooperative of independent natural and organic retailers offering collective buying, promotions, education and peer collaboration—designed specifically to help health food stores thrive.

https://www.naturalfoodretailers.com Membership: 300

National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)

NACS advances convenience and small‑format retailing (including healthy‑assortment initiatives) through advocacy, benchmarking and education. Membership includes 1,300+ retailers and 1,600+ suppliers from 50+ countries.

https://www.convenience.org Membership: 2,900

National Co+op Grocers (NCG)

NCG is the U.S. business‑services cooperative for retail food co‑ops, supporting purchasing, marketing and operations. Its member co‑ops are key natural/organic destinations in many communities.

https://www.ncg.coop Membership: 165

National Grocers Association (NGA)

NGA is the only national association focused on independent community grocers and their wholesalers, providing advocacy, education and peer groups valuable to natural/specialty retailers.

https://www.nationalgrocers.org Membership: 1,700

Natural Products Association (NPA)

Founded in 1936, NPA is the U.S. trade association for the natural products industry—representing retailers and suppliers across supplements, foods and natural personal care—offering advocacy, regulatory guidance and retailer resources.

https://www.npanational.org Membership: 700

Organic Trade Association (OTA)

OTA is the leading voice for U.S. organic trade—representing 600+ organic businesses and 9,500 producers via its Farmers Advisory Council—supporting organic standards, market development and retailer education.

https://ota.com Membership: 600

Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA)

PBFA is the U.S. trade association for plant‑based foods, advocating fair labeling/policy and expanding retail and foodservice opportunities; its member community numbers 350+ companies spanning brands, suppliers and allies.

https://plantbasedfoods.org Membership: 350

Specialty Food Association (SFA)

SFA is the not‑for‑profit trade association behind the Fancy Food Shows, representing 3,600+ specialty food businesses (including many natural/organic brands and retailers) with education, research and networking.

https://www.specialtyfood.com Membership: 3,600

United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA)

UNPA unites leading companies in supplements and natural health, emphasizing quality, science and responsible commerce; its advocacy and education support compliant, high‑quality assortments for health food retail.

https://www.unpa.com Membership: 100