Last updated on July 3rd, 2017 at 09:29 am
Asheville, North Carolina-based Earth Fare added another store to its home-state roster June 28 as it opened a new location in Concord. The unit, at 8885 Christenbury Parkway, marks the 10th store in the Tar Heel State for the speciality grocer; it’s the company’s fifth greater Charlotte-area location.
In addition to groceries, the store features Earth Fare’s Heirloom Organic Juice Bar, which serves 100 percent Certified Organic smoothies and juices, and offers custom blends as well as freshly prepared bottles to go. Shoppers also can find a variety of organic choices at Earth Fare’s Ocala Kitchen, featuring a salad bar, hot foods bar, pizza station, sandwich counter and packaged meals-on-the-go. Shoppers can enjoy a homemade meal as well, either in a café with free Wi-Fi or via takeout.
The company says it strives to offer a unique experience in each market it serves. Earlier this year, Earth Fare hosted a Local Vendor Fair in search of North Carolina’s best artisan products for the new store. The company interviewed dozens of local producers and growers before selecting more than 50 vendors, resulting in hundreds of North Carolina-produced products, including gluten- and dairy-free desserts and baking mixes from Dolci di Maria, and specialty cheeses from Boxcarr Farms.
Earth Fare also says it connected with a variety of community members through its Community Advisory Board. The board is comprised of local health and wellness experts, as well as residents and community leaders. The board, according to Earth Fare, has been integral in tailoring the grocer’s approach to the in-store experience to ensure the store’s offerings meet the needs of local shoppers.
Earth Fare has a “Food Philosophy” that it says ensures that all products sold are free of high fructose corn syrup, artificial fats and trans-fats, artificial colors, artificial preservatives, artificial sweeteners, bleached or bromated flour, and are never administered antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones.
Earth Fare also recently announced that its more than 750 private brand food products are now sourced using only non-GMO ingredients, and new products are added to shelves each day.
Earth Fare operates 41 locations across nine states in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.
