The history of SamaraNatura/BioSamara GmbH
BioSamara was founded on 23 September 2007 with the aim of providing interested people with the tools to enjoy a life full of joy, health and vitality, and to make a truly nutritious diet possible in a simple way with superfoods and raw food products: full of flavour, vitality and energy.
The founders Ilanta Sa and Philippe Wyss spent several months trialling special organic and raw superfoods that were not yet available in Switzerland, using them intensively and selecting the best ones to offer to their ever-growing customer base. Since then, BioSamara has been a Swiss pioneer for superfoods that were previously only known in the UK and the USA. BioSamara was one of the first to show how important high-quality, organic natural foods and superfoods in their natural state are for our physical, mental and spiritual health.
In the beginning, BioSamara was a one-man business and quickly built up a wide range of superfoods and other speciality raw food products, many of which are fair trade: The products we launched on the Swiss market in 2007 included raw food quality superfoods such as cocoa nibs, cocoa beans and cocoa mass, maca, goji berries, camu camu, hulled hemp seeds and inca berries, as well as other vitality food products such as Fo-Ti powder, mesquite and yacon syrup. Our enthusiasm and curiosity for as yet unknown and valuable natural products from all over the world has led to the continuous growth of our range and to new, exciting products on the Swiss market, which are being used by more and more customers with growing interest. For example, we launched marine phytoplankton in 2009, chia seeds in 2010 and spelt grass powder in 2014.
Since the beginning, most products have been developed and marketed under our own SamaraNatura brand. To this day, this brand name emphasises our love and respect for nature and the importance of natural products for our health. Because nature is the greatest and most ingenious gift we humans have been given. It doesn't just provide us with food. Rather, it gives us strength, protects and heals us, is constantly changing and incredibly creative.
At first, BioSamara only sold at trade fairs and markets. In 2008, we took the important step of going online. Since then, the range has continued to grow rapidly. Today, our range includes over 100 items in the categories of superfoods, raw foods, vegan chocolate, sweeteners, snacks (especially organic raw food bars) and nutritional supplements.
We cover two thirds of these with our own brand SamaraNatura. We are a qualified distributor for selected products, such as raw food oils or the probiotic herbal ferment drink from Vita Biosa. BioSamara GmbH is a major importer of Algaran sea vegetables, Booja-Booja chocolates, COCOA raw food chocolates and PlantLife products.
SamaraNatura.ch has been the Swiss superfood online shop for 10 years. In a dynamic market, standing still means taking a step backwards. That is why we are constantly on the lookout for new, unknown, high-quality, unadulterated, delicious organic superfoods and natural food supplements. These should also be as unprocessed as possible, in raw food quality, 100% pure - without additives, vegan, gluten-free and fairtrade. Are you missing something in our range? Please get in touch with us: info@samaranatura.ch or 044 586 27 27.
We have always treated our loyal customers, long-standing suppliers and partners with respect. We have been working with the social enterprise Ancora-Meilestei in Wetzikon on packaging and logistics since 2013. The foundation, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016, focuses on the social and professional integration of people with addictions, psychological or social impairments. Like BioSamara GmbH, Ancora-Meilestei is also certified organic. Ancora-Meilestei also trains commercial apprentices. On the one hand, Ancora-Meilestei handles the packaging, i.e. the packing of the superfoods, for us under high hygienic standards. On the other hand, all orders are processed in Wetzikon. Trained social workers support the clients and ensure the quality of the work. Each parcel is checked for completeness by a manager before dispatch. The tracking codes are then recorded and the customer is notified that their parcel is on its way.
The ecological concept is also reflected in the shipping process. The boxes used are "second-hand", i.e. they come from deliveries of goods to Ancora-Meilestei. Our logistics provider uses either recycled paper or cut-up cardboard boxes, also from delivered parcels, as filling material.
Orders that arrive by 2 p.m. on weekdays are usually prepared and dispatched on the same day. All parcels are reliably delivered by Swiss Post. You can find detailed shipping options under Shipping & collection.
New start in 2016
At the beginning of 2016, qualified nutrition coach Patrick Fuchs joined BioSamara GmbH and took over the management of the company. The company philosophy and strategy of premium quality with multiple certifications (organic, raw food, 100% pure - without additives, vegan, gluten-free, Fairtrade) was continued unchanged, but some optimisations were made in the areas of sales and communication. Additional sales locations have been added and SamaraNatura is now also present on Facebook, Instagram and at many organic and vegan trade fairs.
Our products - SamaraNatura
SamaraNatura offers the most nutritious and highest quality foods from all parts of the world in their natural state. Although our products have been organic since the beginning of the company in 2007, BioSamara GmbH has officially been an organic certified company since November 2015 (organic certificate BVH-25388 can be viewed at www.easy-cert.com ), controlled by the Swiss organic control body bio.inspecta in Frick. We sell almost exclusively products that are grown organically, i.e. without synthetic pesticides and agrochemicals. In our own best interests, we always choose products that are free from synthetic chemicals. We never knowingly sell products that have been grown using agrochemicals. This is very important to us personally. With the exception of pollen, the entire range is vegan.
Our products are grown as naturally as possible and are as natural as possible, i.e. only minimally and very gently processed, ideally in raw food quality. Raw food contains more vitality than cooked food due to the fact that the nutrients and enzymes are not destroyed and can therefore provide us with more vitality, enthusiasm and well-being. For example, our popular COCOA chocolate products are made only from unroasted cocoa beans, without added milk or conventional sugar. Instead, they are sweetened with agave syrup or coconut blossom sugar.
Superfoods are foods that can support our health in a natural and unadulterated way. They are both food and medicine. Superfoods belong to a group of the most nutritious, concentrated and effective foods on the planet. Enormously flavoursome, they have the ability to significantly increase vitality and life energy and are also the best choice for improving general health. You can find out more about this topic at What are superfoods?
While many of our competitors rely on superfoods from China, we favour the regions of origin and local products. For example, our protein and omega-3-rich hemp products come from Austria. When it comes to cocoa products, we mainly focus on the two premium varieties Criollo from Peru and Arriba from Ecuador. The macroalgae such as dulse, kombu and Riementang are harvested on the Irish Atlantic coast. We are also very proud to be able to offer a Swiss organic spelt grass powder from the Zurich Unterland and raw sea buckthorn juice from the Swiss Alps - in addition to other products grown and processed in Switzerland.
We have made it our mission to support those interested in becoming a happier and healthier person. The diet with a relatively large proportion of fresh raw food and special raw food products, as well as a proportion of superfoods, should help with this. You don't have to be Jamie Oliver, because on our website Our superfood recipes & raw food recipes you will find many delicious variations from smoothies and chocolate recipes to savoury vital food.
Superfoods are like everything else: you need a little support and inspiration at the beginning and soon you'll be ready to create little masterpieces in your kitchen. It must also be fun, the products must be used regularly and soon the positive results of superfoods on your body and mind will become apparent.
Sales outlets and trade fairs
As a niche supplier with a wide range but small volumes, our products are not suitable for distribution via organic wholesalers, from where most organic shops obtain their goods. Nevertheless, you will find SamaraNatura products in some Swiss organic shops that are convinced of the quality and order directly from us. You can find an overview under points of sale. Do you regularly shop in an organic shop that does not yet stock SamaraNatura products? Then let us know about the shop and we will be happy to contact you without obligation.
Customer care is very important to us. In addition to the advice hotline, we regularly take part in organic, vegan and food fairs in German-speaking Switzerland. You can find us at BioMarché in Zofingen and Vegana at Sihlcity Zurich, among others. You can find a detailed overview of the trade fairs under Events & Links. Visit us and benefit from the opportunity to taste many products and attractive trade fair discounts. We look forward to seeing you!