Luna Roth (right), owner, Pure Fun Confections, Toronto with daughter Amanda.


Teenagers can be picky when it comes to food. Rarely, however, does one child not only completely change a parent’s lifestyle, but also inspires an entire organic candy line. A mother of three, Luna Roth had one daughter insistent on eating only organic foods. At first, Roth found this lifestyle very inconvenient because the family was forced to buy two sets of groceries. But Roth soon changed her tune after a serious trip to the hospital.

“When I became ill, [my daughter] came over to help care for me and basically emptied out our kitchen and replaced it with food she thought I should be eating,” Roth explains. Shortly after the switch to organic food, Roth made a significant recovery.

“It was amazing. Shortly after she started changing my diet, I started feeling a little bit better every day than the day before and within three or four months I was feeling back to my old self,” Roth says.

As a broker in the confectionery industry, Roth put her new organic knowledge to use. She approached some candy manufacturers and pitched her idea about candy that didn’t contain artificial colors, artificial ingredients or preservatives.

“They basically laughed at me,” Roth says. But she was still determined to produce organic candy. “With the help of my daughter, I started to come up with recipes for candy that didn’t contain any artificial ingredients,” she adds. “Then we went one step further and got an organic certification and kosher certification.” 

Roth put her recipes to good use when she started Pure Fun Confections Inc., a company dedicated to producing tasty candies using natural and organic ingredients. The treats are all natural, certified organic and kosher, dairy free, gluten free and vegan.  They also only contain one gram of sugar in order to keep a low glycemic index.

Roth is living her dream by manufacturing “better for you” tasty treats. The company’s goal is to convert any conventional candy into an organic version and they are well on their way.

“We’re trying to replicate an organic Smartie and that’s been a ton of fun because it’s tough,” Roth says. Pure Fun also just finalized development of an organic freeze pop and continues to look at all kinds of candies from Skittles to gummies.

What did you think you would be when you grew up?
Happy.

Name one or some of your favorite movies.
I just recently saw “I am Legend” and I really thought that was great-it had such a deep message to it. Also “Gone with the Wind” and “Evita.” 

Describe your perfect dream vacation.
A cruise in the Mediterranean. 

What book are you currently reading?
Shackled Warrior by Carolyn B. Glick. It’s a book about what’s happening in the Middle East.

Aside from a family member, whom would you most want to be stranded with on a deserted island?
My best friend because we’ve been friends for over 45 years and have never had a disagreement. We are totally supportive of each other, providing each other with affirmation every step of the way.

What’s your pet peeve?
People who love to hate. 

I’d give anything to meet:
Larry King-he’s very involved in the wellness movement.

The best piece of advice that I’ve gotten:
If you have a dream, don’t be afraid to live it out. And don’t listen to the negativity that others might spout; see your dream.

What excites you most about your job?
Everything. I love product development; I love the testing stages. We’re constantly looking at changing the conventional recipes into an organic recipe. I just love being involved.