Aref Ben Abdallah is a project manager and engineer by trade, so it was a big change of pace to go into the natural health products industry with his partner Yahya. Aref came from Tunisia and arrived in Montreal in 2002. In 2009 Yahya, who also comes from Tunisia, opened Couffin Bio on Rue Sherbrooke, and in 2014 opened second location on Côte-des-Neiges with Aref.
If you’re ever looking for natural supplements or 100 per cent organic foods, Couffin Bio is an excellent place to find them. At this store you can find a lot of things that aren’t available anywhere else in the city because the companies that make those products are start ups that haven’t been able to distribute anywhere else yet.
“I always try to introduce new companies that are trying to start up,” Aref says. “There are many young people that are trying to create new vegan and natural products without any chemicals. They start small and need the help. In our store they can get the opportunity to present their products to the market and see if it sells.”
