In this episode of In Conversation With, Bruce Cole sits down with Norm Wingfield, Key Account Manager for LeBeau Excel. Norm reflects on his 32-year journey in the food and retail sectors, starting as a clerk at the local Barn Fruit Markets chain in 1991, moving up to store manager, and later transitioning to corporate logistics. He discusses spending 18 years managing Ontario grocery inventory and offshore buying for Loblaws before ultimately pursuing his personal passion for wellness.

Norm discusses his time as the head buyer for Nature's Treasures, the health food section within Fortinos supermarkets. He notes that the natural health side of retail is uniquely complex compared to standard grocery because it requires managing overlapping relationships between vendors, brokers, and distributors. He explains how he overhauled the department by implementing strict nutritional certification standards for full-time staff and systematically resizing store planograms to accommodate incoming product innovation.

Shifting to his current role on the vendor side at Lebeau Excel, Norm highlights the distinct value that specialized brokers offer independent retailers and CPG accounts. He emphasizes that broad-line distributors manage massive brand lists and lack the granular, deep product knowledge that brokers use to connect brands directly to consumer needs. Concluding the interview, Norm shares his personal philosophy for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, boiling it down to three fundamental practices: eating whole organic foods, staying physically active, and supporting one’s local community.