Independent natural grocers share what kind of products their customers are asking for.
February 4, 2015
Dennis Pick
Category manager at Yes! Organic Market in Washington, D.C.
As a result of campaigns such as Meatless Monday, vegetarian and vegan diets have become much more “mainstream.” Many of our customers are making these dietary changes or are conscientiously reducing their meat intake. From snacks and beverages to body care and supplements, we’ve expanded our plant-based offerings across all categories because of increased consumer demand.
Ralph Johnson
Owner of FoodWorks Natural Market stores based in Guilford, Connecticut
Our customers want more raw foods and local products, even if not certified organic, because they are more sustainable and relevant to where they live. We signify local selections with signage. That makes a big difference no matter the section, bread or salsa. In our new store, we have a local aisle. We try to support small companies, which most of the local purveyors are.
Shannon Hoffmann
President and CFO of GreenAcres Markets in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma
In the Midwest it is still all about the paleo diet. Every day we have customers interested in eating gluten free and taking it to the level of paleo, but needing help to get there. We start them in produce, followed by options for local grass-fed meats. We also have a made-from-scratch deli that features numerous paleo-friendly items for people on the go.
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