Established in 1984, Jimbo’s…Naturally! is a complete natural foods grocery store with five locations in San Diego, California, and a strong focus on local and organic produce. In early 2018, Jimbo’s...Naturally! became the first retailer in San Diego County to offer a 100 percent organic produce department.

Part of the vision at Jimbo’s…Naturally! is to have a piece of organic fruit in every child’s recycled lunch bag. Here are just three ways the store is enacting that vision:

School gardening. In April 2012, Jimbo’s…Naturally! donated more than $15,000 to Healthy Day Partners so they could begin turning a 1-acre dirt lot next to Ocean Knoll Elementary school into an organic school garden. The vision and passion of two volunteer moms aligned so strongly with the Jimbo’s…Naturally! vision statement, that their opportunity was clear: to bring the organic garden experience to the students, staff and parents of Ocean Knoll Elementary.

One step further. In 2015, the Encinitas Union School District acquired a 10-acre dirt lot located a few miles from Ocean Knoll, and started on transforming it into an educational farm. In the summer of 2016, Farm Lab received organic certification and became the nation’s first certified organic farm that provides fresh produce to all schools in its district. Farm Lab grows certified organic romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, onions, watermelon, pumpkins, herbs and more. The Carlsbad Jimbo’s...Naturally! location proudly sells any surplus of produce from that farm, creating an additional income stream for Farm Lab.

In the community. In 2018, Jimbo’s…Naturally! donated a mobile kitchen unit and hosted a community event with local author Colleen Someck, who demonstrated recipes from her latest book as vendors sampled products, and Farm Lab volunteers provided farm tours. Since 1999, Jimbo’s...Naturally! has donated more than $1.7 million to local community organizations and charities in San Diego.

The other Retailer of the Year Best Community Project finalists are:

Little House Green Grocery
Roots Market

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