Earth Fare, the natural and organic food grocery store celebrated a company milestone with the opening of its 50th location. Earth Fare Steele Creek is the North Carolina chain’s seventh store in the greater Charlotte market; its first store opened in Asheville in 1975.
“Opening our 50th store is an exciting milestone for our team members and the company. The growth of Earth Fare means that more communities are recognizing the crucial connection between Clean, healthy food and longer, healthier, happier lives. It also allows us to have an employment environment that encourages rapid career advancement,” said Frank Scorpiniti, president and CEO of Earth Fare. “We thank our shoppers for their support and look forward to expanding in more communities to make healthier living both convenient and delicious.”
Earth Fare has aggressive goals for growth over the coming years, recently opening new locations in Wilmington, NC and Viera, FL.
In an interview with the Charlotte Observer newspaper, Scorpiniti said the company plans to open another 50 stores across the U.S. in the next five years, effectively doubling its store footprint.
“The acceleration of the growth really comes from the access to capital we now have with our private equity partner,” Scorpiniti said, referring to Oak Hill Capital’s 2012 purchase of the chain, according to the newspaper.
Other new openings planned in the first quarter of 2019 include Lutz, FL, Boynton Beach, FL, and downtown Orlando, FL.
The grocer has also been reinvesting in existing markets with extensive renovations to many of its stores, with a full rebrand of the greater Charlotte market by spring. The remodels will provide a refreshed shopping experience, and hundreds of new natural and organic products.
“Sometimes there’s a misconception, that to eat healthy you have to spend more,” Scorpiniti said to the Charlotte Observer. “We’ve tried really hard to break that misconception and make sure we have offerings in here that allows anyone to get past that barrier.”
In 2017, Earth Fare made headlines when it challenged Americans to take control of their health through their food choices and Live Longer With Earth Fare®. Earth Fare is committed to helping shoppers achieve this goal by serving as a resource for healthier living.
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This year, Earth Fare is expanding their selection of plant-based products and support, based on studies that show the added benefits of this lifestyle. In addition, shoppers will also find an array of CBD oil-enhanced products, including supplements and a smoothie add-in option at the Heirloom Café.
The headline-making superfood has been found to affect the body’s natural receptor system by simply enhancing its normal function, promoting calm and focus, and providing relief from every day stress.
Earth Fare has distinguished itself as a leader in the healthy foods industry for more than 40 years by developing a unique Food Philosophy, ensuring that all products sold are free of a variety of unacceptable ingredients.
The standards are further reinforced by Earth Fare’s Boot List, which bans hundreds of harmful chemicals and ingredients. The brand continues to innovate by adding products and programs that make it easy for shoppers to make healthy eating an integral part of their lifestyle.