The Wainer Family is marking a major milestone: 40 years of owning and operating WholeFoods Magazine!

The Wainer Family is marking a major milestone: 40 years of owning and operating WholeFoods Magazine! The publication was launched in 1977, and Howard Wainer joined as a co-owner in 1984, and he took over full ownership of the company in 2000. His daughter Heather joined the company in the 1990s, and now runs the day-to-day as Publisher and VP of Media, with Howie enjoying semi-retirement.

Every 5 years since 1984, the company celebrates its anniversary with a special issue that not only marks the growth of the Wainer’s Finest Communications (WFC), but also the growth of the industry, with a look at major news and events. For the 25th anniversary in 2009, Heather reflected on the early days. In 2014, then-editor Kaylynn Chiarello-Ebner marked the 30th by profiling Howie. She summed up how so many of us feel about Howie when she wrote: “Through WholeFoods, Howie paved a way for others to grow in the industry, and encouraged many of us— as readers, customers and employees—to travel the road together. And, we couldn’t be more grateful.”

In 2019, I took a deep dive into the company’s history, showcasing how this family-owned company takes the concept of “family” to the next level in its approach to business and the betterment of the natural products industry.

This year, in the January/February issue we reflect on major news stories, celebrate our growth and achievements, and raise a glass to 40 more organizations who are marking four decades or more in the natural products industry. Plus, we are looking ahead to 2024 and beyond in our annual forecast.

We’ll be celebrating in person throughout the year, too. We hope you can join us at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim this March. We will be at booth #3508. Stay tuned for our plans!

Read all of our anniversary special coverage!

A Wish for the Next 40 Years

Timeline: Major Event of 2019-2024

Major Buzz: Top 5 Newsmakers of the Past 5 Years

Celebrating 30 Years of Service With Vitamin Angels

Celebrating 40 Over 40!

Columns Editorial

Maggie Jaqua is the Content Director of WholeFoods Magazine, dedicated to informing and educating the Natural Products Industry. Jaqua is also the Editorial Director for Naturally Informed educational conferences, and Co-Host of The Natural View podcast, available on YouTube, iTunes, and Spotify. Jaqua has been reporting on health and nutrition topics for more than 25 years, in both mainstream consumer media at First for Women and Woman's World magazines, and in business-to-business media serving the natural products industry.