Natural Grocers receives two grocery-related ‘best’ awards

Newsweek and Green Matters Approved readers honored Lakewood, Colorado-based Natural Grocers this week with the top spot in separate reader polls.

Newsweek readers bestowed this year’s Best Supermarket title on Natural Grocers from a list of 15 finalists. Rounding out the top 10 were Harris Teeter, Aldi, Wegmans, Trader Joe’s, Lidl, Meijer, Sprouts Farmers Market, Whole Foods Market and Hy-Vee.

“We were excited to be selected as a finalist in the 'Best Supermarket' category for this year's Readers' Choice Awards by Newsweek. The grocery retailers nominated were quite diverse in both size and type,” said Raquel Isely, vice president of marketing at Natural Grocers.

“As a family-operated grocery retailer dedicated to improving human health, the health of our environment and ensuring a robust economy, we appreciated being selected and seeing our name alongside much larger businesses. Being voted 'Best of the Best' by Newsweek readers was an encouraging pat on the back from our loyal customers who know us best,” she continued.

Readers of Green Matters chose Natural Grocers as the winner of the Green Matters Approved Best Natural Food Stores. The website’s editors selected 14 finalists, including e-commerce grocers. Following Natural Grocers, the remainder of the top 10 were Sprouts Farmers Market, Vitacost, Thrive Market, Hungryroot, Misfits Market, iHerb, Imperfect Foods, Good Earth Natural Food Company and MOM’s Organic Market.

“Green Matters is known for its efforts to help people learn how to live sustainably and make the world a better place for all. As such, we were thrilled to be selected as a Green Matters finalist in this year's 'Best Natural Food Store' category,” Isely said.

“Grocery stores play a pivotal position in the food chain, a system that is essential to our health and wellbeing. Grocery purveyors, whether online and/or brick and mortar stores are the gatekeepers — the marketplace that helps to determine how our food is produced. What is offered for sale drives how our food is grown and produced.”

Natural Grocers is noted for its exacting standards and extensive private-label selection. All of its produce is USDA Organic; its dairy is pasture based; its eggs are free range. Similarly, all of its meat is “conscientiously and humanely raised,” Isely said.

The chain of 169 stores in 21 states west of the Mississippi River, with the exception of California, also employs health coaches who host nutrition classes, cooking demonstrations, presentations, coaching sessions and personalized shopping tours.

Source: Natural Grocers