Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545759
Inside NaturaSì's Organic Journey T here was a time when the words organic food meant very little to the average Maltese consumer. Long before supermarket shelves began filling with organic alternatives and healthy eating became part of everyday conversation, Charles and Audrey were already convinced that Malta deserved better food choices. Their vision, however, was often met with scepticism. "When we opened our first small shop at Smart, people thought we were crazy," Charles recalls. "Nobody understood why we were investing our time, energy and money into something that was so difficult to sell." Still, they persisted. The idea for Naturali began to take shape in 2009, sparked not by trend or market research, but by a personal experience close to home. "My sister had cancer in her 40s," Charles says. "She started looking for organic products, as recommended by her doctors, but she really struggled to find them. It was almost impossible back then." That gap, between medical advice and actual availability, became the seed of something much larger. From those early beginnings, Naturali has grown into one of Malta's leading destinations for organic living, with its flagship store NaturaSì in Mosta, a dedicated e-commerce platform serving customers across the islands, and a smaller outlet in Gozo, remaining closely connected to Charles's home island. His commitment to the business remains constant, with daily involvement across operations and sourcing. Behind much of Naturali's development is a long-standing partnership with Ecor, one of Italy's leading pioneers in organic distribution and the organisation behind NaturaSì. Over time, Ecor evolved its retail approach in Italy, moving away from a network of smaller shops and towards larger, more visible flagship organic stores under the NaturaSì brand, an approach that proved more effective in communicating quality, trust and transparency to consumers. That same philosophy helped shape NaturaSì in Malta. Through this partnership, Charles and Audrey gained access to a wide network of certified organic producers across Europe. Fresh fruit, vegetables and groceries are imported twice weekly, ensuring consistency, quality and strict adherence to organic standards. Today, NaturaSì is a complete organic destination. From fresh produce, meat and dairy to pantry staples, frozen foods, cosmetics, cleaning products and a popular deli counter, customers can find a full range of everyday essentials in organic form. The online store further enhances transparency, with each product clearly detailed, including origin and whether it is locally produced or imported. More Than a Label Behind every product lies a strict commitment to quality and presentation. While imported goods arrive fully certified, Maltese produce is also sourced exclusively from certified organic farms. Once it reaches NaturaSì', We meet Charles and Audrey, the directors behind NaturaSì, to hear how a bold idea grew into Malta's leading organic market, changing the way people think about food.