Aisha Yang and Musharaf Syed, Co-Founders and CEOs of Herbaland Naturals Inc. — the largest gummy vitamin manufacturer in Canada — are this year’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Pacific Overall Award winners. Yang and Syed were recognized as the region’s winners alongside five other entrepreneurs at last night’s celebration hosted in Vancouver.
“As the world’s first B Corp certified nutritional gummy maker, Herbaland prioritizes their values of sustainability and social responsibility while offering delicious and health-conscious products,” says Anita Chang, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific Program Director. “Herbaland’s commitment to accessible and enjoyable healthy living extends from their vegan and gluten-free products to their diverse workforce, representing over 20 different backgrounds.
Herbaland is committed to sustainability, prioritizing the environment and community. In April 2022, they transitioned their gummies from plastic bottles to compostable packaging, which is crafted from natural and eco-friendly materials like cassava, sugar cane and cornstarch. Since then, they’ve prevented more than 10 tonnes of plastic bottles from reaching landfills. They’ve also embarked on a tree-planting initiative with the goal of planting 2.5 million trees to promote a regenerative economy and ensure a healthier planet for future generations.
Being immigrants themselves, Yang and Syed have embedded support for immigrants into their business, with a substantial percentage of their 200+ employees being newcomers to Canada.
“Through their business, Yang and Syed lead by example, inspiring other businesses with their purposeful innovations and motivating them to disrupt traditional business models and processes to build a better working world,” says Chang. “They embody the spirit of entrepreneurship that defines this year’s winners, and I couldn’t be prouder to celebrate this group of visionaries who are leading the charge for positive social, environmental and economic change.”
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 Pacific Award Winners:
Wendy Bennison | SAXX
Thomas Martini | Apex Aluminum Extrusions Ltd.
Michael Menzies | The Universal Group
Tamer Mohamed | Aspect Biosystems
Mehar Pratap Singh | ProCogia
What’s next?
As the Pacific region’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023, Yang and Syed will compete with winners from the Prairies, Ontario, Québec and Atlantic regions for the national honour of Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023, which will be presented at a celebration on November 30, 2023 in Toronto. In June 2024, Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 will then move to the world stage to compete with more than 50 other country recipients for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of The YearTM hosted in Monaco.
More information
Follow @EYCanada and #EOYPacific on X for the latest event updates. Visit ey.com/ca/EOY for more program details and a complete list of finalists and celebration dates in other regions.
About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year®
The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program shines a spotlight on entrepreneurs across Canada who master the artful balance of passion, determination, character and skill to create businesses that address the most complex challenges and build a better working world. By joining the program, you’ll have the opportunity to celebrate success with your team, inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and gain access to an exclusive global network of program participants that help to build connections, fuel success and navigate long-term growth.
The 2023 Pacific independent judging panel comprises Ryan Barrington-Foote, President, Jim Pattison Group; Curtis Braber, CEO, BE Power Equipment; Geoff Chutter, CEO, WhiteWater West Industries Ltd.; Abi Coman-Walker, COO, Acuitas Therapeutics; Kristi Miller, Managing Partner, Krystal Growth Partners; Maria Pacellak, Managing Partner, Pender Ventures; Bill Tam, Founder & Managing Director, Digital Technology Supercluster.
This year’s program national sponsors are TSX Inc., Air Canada and Hillberg & Berk. This year’s regional Pacific regional sponsors are BC Business and Hunt Personnel.
About EY
EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.
EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.
SOURCE: EY (Ernst & Young)
