Vancouver’s Saje Natural Wellness Announces U.S. Expansion

Vancouver-based natural wellness and skincare company Saje has announced major retail expansion plans. In late November, the brand will open its first stateside location, in Malibu, California, with plans to add more than 25 locations along the West Coast and in New York in 2017. It’s also relaunching its e-commerce site, Saje.com, to sell directly to U.S. consumers.

Inside the Saje store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto

“With over 15 percent of our online business organically coming from the US, we are thrilled to extend our reach to retail, offering new ways to live, share and be inspired by holistic wellness,” said Saje co-founder and CEO Kate Ross LeBlanc in an official release.

Founded in 1992 by Ross LeBlanc and her husband, Jean-Pierre LeBlanc, Saje offers more than 500 products that address health concerns such as sleep, pain and stress, as well as skin and body care, plant-derived perfumes and essential oils. On November 1, the brand will launch a holiday campaign, “The Real Gift Is You,” along with a seasonal collection that includes its first advent calendar.

Saje Advent Calendar, $90

Saje currently owns and operates 45 locations across Canada, with five new stores opening next year, in Toronto (two shops), Regina, Edmonton and Moncton, NB. There are no plans to franchise.

The company’s rapid expansion comes at a time when millennials are embracing wellness as a lifestyle craze, and has landed the brand on Profit Magazine’s list of fastest-growing retailers in Canada for the past three years. Despite its ambitious growth, Saje continues to operate as a family business; product innovation is led by the founders’ daughter, Kiara LeBlanc, who holds the title of creative director and VP.