GreenAcres Market maintains customer connections

GreenAcres Market, a seven-store chain, focuses on alternative health education and offers shoppers a complete grocery experience, including refrigerated and frozen sections, a supplement and health section, local and organic produce, and a 100 percent made-from-scratch deli offering house-developed recipes in four stores. Store standards don’t allow products with additives, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, artificial ingredients or refined ingredients. The market is also known for its gluten-free, paleo, vegan and allergen-friendly products.

Here are three reasons shoppers keep coming back to this unique destination:

Focus on lifestyle. “It’s important to us to provide a community environment that promotes learning and having fun,” says CEO Barb Hoffmann. From staff training seminars to classes, events, tastings, and opportunities for customers to interact, ask questions, try products, and enjoy their community, GreenAcres integrates the store into local life. Because the store focuses on stocking cutting edge products, it also brings in experts to educate the community about these new offerings.

The human touch. “We know our customers’ names, and we still feel it’s important to build relationships to support them on their health journey,” says Hoffmann. GreenAcres also boasts a 40,000-plus strong customer loyalty program, and supports a “try before you buy” method that allows for supplement sampling before purchase. It builds loyalty and trust, and keeps the conversation flowing between staff and shoppers.

Made from scratch. “With the huge move toward grab-and-go meals and eating on the go, it’s important to us to provide high quality clean ingredients in our deli as we know many customers have specific health requirements,” says Hoffmann. “They can trust what they buy from us.” Everything is made by hand, or by local vendors who have the same standards, and offerings include sustainably harvested seafood, 100 percent grass-fed local meats, organic dairy, and local and organic produce whenever possible. The deli also provides grab-and-go options for those who don’t have time to cook.

The other Retailer of the Year Unique Store finalists are:

Erewhon Organic Grocery and Cafe
Westerly Natural Market

The Natural Foods Merchandiser/Natural Products Expo winners will be announced Friday night at Natural Products Expo East 2018.