50th Anniversary Conference brings together longtime industry leaders, emerging voices, retailers, producers, and changemakers October 21–23 at McMenamins Edgefield
PORTLAND, Ore. — September 14, 2026 — Fifty years ago, a group of people working to build a different kind of food system came together around shared values, relationships, and a belief that business could be a force for good. Today, the Provender Alliance continues that work.
This October, Provender will celebrate its 50th anniversary with its 2026 Conference & Gala, “Celebrating Our Legacy – 50 Years Strong!”, October 21–23 at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon.
The three-day gathering will bring together independent natural and organic food businesses, retailers, farmers, producers, distributors, advocates, educators, and emerging leaders from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The conference will honor the people and ideas that shaped the region’s natural foods movement while creating space to explore what comes next.
“Fifty years is a pretty incredible milestone for an organization like Provender,” said Tonya Sanchez, Executive Director of the Provender Alliance. “We’ve always been about relationships and bringing people together who care about how food is grown, how businesses operate, how communities thrive, and what kind of future we’re building. This conference is really a celebration of that history, but it’s also about looking forward.”
From Purpose to Practice
The conference kicks off with “Business with Purpose: From Aspiration to Action,” a pre-conference intensive exploring what it takes for businesses to create value for people, communities, and the planet while remaining resilient and successful in a changing world.
The session will feature Les Szabo, co-founder of the Purpose Pledge and Chief Strategy & Impact Officer at Dr. Bronner’s; Cameron Stearns, CEO/CFO of Mountain Rose Herbs; and Rachel Budde, Founder and CEO of Fat & the Moon.
Through real-world examples, peer conversation, and practical insights, participants will explore how purpose-driven businesses are putting their values into practice through governance, workplace culture, sustainability, supply chains, community impact, and more.
Whether businesses are considering the Purpose Pledge or simply looking for new ways to align values with action, the intensive is designed to offer practical tools and inspiration for moving from aspiration to action.
Looking Back. Looking Forward.
The conference’s keynote programming will continue that conversation from two different perspectives, bringing together leaders with deep experience in the natural foods movement and voices helping shape its future.
“The New Food Opportunity: Nourishing People, Communities & Planet” will explore the opportunities ahead for building food systems that nourish not only people, but also communities and the planet. Mary Purdy, MS, RDN, an integrative eco-dietitian, educator, speaker, and systems thinker will lead this forward-looking conversation, examining the possibilities for creating healthier, more resilient food systems and a more sustainable future.
The following morning, “From Roots to Renewal: Where We’ve Been & Where We’re Going” will bring together three generations of experience in the natural food and product’s movement. Tom Lively, retired organic farmer and Account Representative for Organically Grown Company; Shawn Donnille, President, and owner of Mountain Rose Herbs; and Val Emanuel, founder of RIF Care will share perspectives shaped by decades of work in organic agriculture, natural products, values-driven business, and community. Together, they’ll reflect on how the movement has evolved, what has been learned along the way, and the challenges and opportunities facing the next generation of food and business leaders.
Together, these keynote conversations reflect the spirit of Provender’s 50th anniversary: honoring the roots of the movement while asking what needs to grow next.
Meet Your Makers
The conference will also feature Provender’s Meet Your Makers tabletop trade show, connecting producers, suppliers, and service providers directly with independent retailers, buyers, and other values-driven businesses.
More than a traditional trade show, Meet Your Makers is designed around the relationships that have always been at the heart of the Provender community. The show focuses on face-to-face conversations, discovering new products and ideas, and creating connections that can grow long after the conference ends.
The 50th Anniversary Conference & Gala includes over 16 workshops, endless networking opportunities, a 50th anniversary history exhibit, Provender’s annual awards, a gala celebration, and plenty of time to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.
For an organization that has spent five decades bringing people together, the anniversary celebration is ultimately about the community itself.
“We want this to feel like a gathering of people who have been part of this story, people who are just finding us, and people who are going to carry it forward,” said Sanchez. “The natural foods movement has changed enormously since Provender began, but the need for connection, integrity, independence, and a more resilient food system hasn’t gone away.”
The Provender Alliance 50th Anniversary Conference & Gala takes place October 21–23, 2026, at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon. Registration and additional conference information are available at provender.org.
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About Provender Alliance
Provender Alliance is a Pacific Northwest non-profit membership organization dedicated to nourishing, educating, and inspiring independent and integrity-minded businesses in the natural foods and products community. For 50 years, Provender has connected retailers, farmers, manufacturers, distributors, brokers, educators, advocates, and other changemakers working toward a more sustainable, resilient, and values-driven food economy.
Media Contact:
Tonya Sanchez
Executive Director, Provender Alliance
[email protected]