The Greenhouse is CHFA NOW’s new dedicated program for new Canadian brands to introduce their natural, organic and wellness products to Canada’s leading retailers, distributors and industry decision-makers.

If you’re testing a new market, building momentum, or preparing to scale, The Greenhouse offers the visibility, credibility and connections to help you grow.

The Greenhouse introduces two tailored pathways: Seed Stage for emerging brands needing support and exposure, and Scale Stage for start-ups ready to grow.

The Greenhouse will drive greater traffic to this area of the show floor, spotlight participating brands, and help them build the visibility, credibility, and connections needed to take the next step in their growth journey.

If you exhibited at our shows outside of Incubator Alley in the past, you are not eligible for The Greenhouse program. See answer in question 4 if you exhibited in Incubator Alley.

Yes — previous participation in Incubator Alley is taken into consideration when applying to The Greenhouse. The most important factor is time in the program: brands may participate in The Greenhouse for a maximum of three years total, inclusive of any time previously spent in Incubator Alley.

Brands must apply each year and for each show, and acceptance is not guaranteed. In addition to time in the program, CHFA evaluates applications based on factors such as stage of business, current distribution and representation, and overall readiness for CHFA NOW’s professional trade audience.

For example, if you participated in Incubator Alley for one year, you may be eligible to participate in The Greenhouse for up to two additional years, provided you continue to meet the program criteria. If you participated in Incubator Alley for three years or more, you are no longer eligible for The Greenhouse. Past Incubator Alley exhibitors who are eligible for The Greenhouse can only participate in the Scale Stage and cannot exhibit in the Seed Stage.

If you exhibited in The Greenhouse at the Scale Stage, you cannot move down to the Seed Stage at a future show. Brands in the Seed Stage can upgrade to the Scale Stage.

If you believe you are in the wrong tier, we can reassess your application and move you to the tier that best suits you. Please contact us at sales@chfa.ca.

We’re looking for new brands who are looking to grow their distribution or begin their wholesale journey. To get started, fill out this application and we’ll evaluate if you will be a good fit for The Greenhouse and which tier you belong in.

All applicants must demonstrate readiness for wholesale conversations and alignment with CHFA NOW’s professional trade audience. Participating brands may only exhibit in The Greenhouse for a maximum of three years and must meet participation criteria. Application and approval to the program is required.  CHFA evaluates applications and determines program tier based on your stage of business, NOW category relevance, distribution status, time in The Greenhouse program and growth objectives.

Brands may participate in The Greenhouse for a maximum of three years total, inclusive of any previous time spent in Incubator Alley. This three-year limit applies regardless of which tier you enter the program.

Brands may enter The Greenhouse at either the Seed Stage or the Scale Stage, depending on their stage of business and eligibility.

Brands accepted into the Seed Stage may participate in that tier for a maximum of two shows. These may be:

• one Vancouver show and one Toronto show, or
• two consecutive editions of the same show (for example, Toronto 2026 and Toronto 2027).

After participating in the Seed Stage, eligible brands may apply to continue in the Scale Stage, provided they remain within the three-year total program limit.

Participation in The Greenhouse is subject to annual application and approval. Acceptance each year requires that brands continue to meet program eligibility criteria, including stage of business and readiness for CHFA NOW’s professional trade audience.

The Greenhouse helps new brands who are just starting out, but each company may be in different growth stages and may not be ready for all the planning and logistics of a trade show but still want to make connections and test their ideas.

The Seed Stage helps brands who are beginning their wholesale journey. They will get a turnkey booth option already branded with graphics and a smaller footprint so founders can focus on storytelling and connection rather than the logistics. This option is ideal for brands that are pre-distribution or in limited distribution and looking to validate their concept, build early retailer relationships, and gain visibility at CHFA NOW.

The Scale Stage is built for brands ready to accelerate their growth. This tier is best suited for brands with initial market traction that are expanding distribution and deepening buyer engagement. They get a larger booth than the Seed Stage, allowing for more flexibility on booth design.

Closed (distributed) sampling allows brands to offer samples that are pre-packaged, sealed, or portioned in advance and distributed to attendees without on-site food preparation. This may include distributing sealed sample packs or portioning a finished product into sample cups (for example, dividing a full bag of granola into individual cups).

No food preparation or cold storage is permitted under closed sampling. This is the only sampling option available to brands participating in the Seed Stage.

Live sampling allows for on-site food preparation and serving. This option is available to brands participating in the Scale Stage who wish to demonstrate their product through preparation at their booth. Brands choosing to live sample must adhere to all CHFA NOW sampling policies, follow venue and public health requirements, and submit all required forms as outlined in the Exhibitor Manual.

Cold storage is not included and may be rented on a first-come, first-served basis. Securing and managing cold storage is the responsibility of the exhibiting brand.

CHFA reviews each application holistically to determine the tier that best aligns with a brand’s stage of growth and readiness for CHFA NOW. Tier placement is not self-selected and is based on a combination of factors, including:

• stage of business and growth objectives
• current distribution and market traction
• wholesale readiness and ability to engage in professional trade conversations
• prior participation in Incubator Alley or The Greenhouse
• overall fit with CHFA NOW’s audience and show environment

Our goal is to place brands in the tier where they will gain the most value from the program while ensuring a strong, relevant experience for retailers and industry attendees. CHFA reserves the right to reassess tier placement if a brand’s circumstances change or if additional information is required.

No. The Greenhouse is a program exclusively for Canadian-based brands. It is designed to support the growth and visibility of Canadian companies at CHFA NOW.

International brands interested in exhibiting at CHFA NOW, including those looking to enter the Canadian market, are not eligible for The Greenhouse program and must work directly with the CHFA sales team to explore appropriate exhibiting options.

International brands should contact sales@chfa.ca for more information.

Brands that have completed the program are encouraged to take the next step by exhibiting as a full CHFA NOW exhibitor, provided they meet standard exhibitor requirements. The CHFA team is available to discuss next steps and help brands evaluate the best exhibiting option based on their growth stage and objectives.

Reaching the end of your time in The Greenhouse reflects progress in your growth journey and ensures the program continues to support new and early-stage brands entering the market.

Brands affiliated with startup, incubator, or accelerator organizations must apply and be evaluated individually for participation in The Greenhouse. Agency affiliation does not guarantee acceptance.

Seed Stage

Brands affiliated with these organizations may be recommended for the Seed Stage; however, no third-party branding, co-branding, or agency recognition is permitted within the Seed Stage. This tier is designed as a fully turnkey, standardized experience and does not accommodate external logos, creative treatments, or pavilion-style concepts.

Scale Stage

Brands affiliated with startup, incubator, or accelerator organizations are eligible to participate in the Scale Stage. In this tier, CHFA may work with these organizations to group affiliated brands together and provide recognition of their participation as part of an incubator or accelerator program, in accordance with CHFA design and signage standards.

Before the show opens on Sunday, September 27, we’ll be hosting a Greenhouse PITCH Breakfast dedicated to retailers. On stage, 15 Greenhouse Scale brands will get 60 seconds to share their brand story and why retailers should visit them on the show floor. There are only 15 spots available and applicants are selected randomly.

To apply, look out for an email from us for the application form in July. You’ll be notified if you’ve been selected at the end of August.