Walmart adds natural food line

Walmart Canada has struck a deal with Illinois-based Wholesome Goodness to bring 80 of that company’s natural food products to Walmart SuperCentres across the country.

The products, which stretch across 16 categories, include cereals, snacks, juices, pasta sauces and salad dressings. They're targeted at budget-concious consumers looking for healthier food options.

“Walmart Canada continues to present affordable leading-edge products to its customers,” Les Mann, senior vice-president of food and consumables at Walmart, said in a statement.

Wholesome Goodness claims to be one of the first food manufacturers in North America to combine affordable prices with all-natural ingredients across a broad line of food categories. The company says it aims to lower or eliminate sugar, sodium and fats in its foods.

Walmart is the only Canadian company that Wholesome Goodness products are sold in, says the company's spokesperson, Beth Cohen. She expects to launch the line in the U.S. next year. "We elected to start Wholesome Goodness's launch in Canada," she said.

Walmart Canada says the introduction of natural foods is just one of several recent commitments the company has made to offering shoppers healthier and sustainable foods. Last month it announced plans to purchase 30% of produce from local sources. And in March it pledged to buy only certified sustainable fish by the end of 2013.