Rooted in Sustainability

Natural Grocers committed to organic-first retail experience.

Even before sustainability was in vogue, Natural Grocers pioneered an approach to food retailing that focused on healthy eating and prepared the company for eco-friendly operations.

Evolving sustainability practices, including a strong commitment to regenerative agriculture, made Lakewood, CO-based Natural Grocers a clear choice for the 2026 Produce Business Sustainability Retailer of the Year.

Natural Grocers’ efforts in regenerative food production include working with other companies to help establish a basic definition and standards that can inform certification criteria. Not only that, but Natural Grocers is working with the Pennsylvania-based Rodale Institute to spur programs, including the Ladybug Love campaign developed to expand understanding and appreciation for insects that make positive contributions to food production.

Everything Natural Grocers does emerges from the five principles created at the company’s foundation in 1955: Quality, Always Affordable Prices, Nutrition Education, Community and Crew.

“Quality” encompasses organic foods, including 100% organic produce; supplements that support healthy living; natural body care items; and wholesome own-brand products. “Community” emphasizes neighborhood support, such as coaching sessions, donations and carrying local products, and “Crew” means the company not only provides employee access to nutrition education and healthy products, but also good pay and substantial benefits.

ROOTED IN SUSTAINABILITY

At Natural Grocers, everything has its roots in the five founding principles, says Matt Fowler, category manager, produce. “We pride ourselves on being the go-to retailer for sustainability and higher product standards in the industry.”

While sustainability was not explicitly outlined in the company’s founding principles in the 1950s, its core philosophy naturally aligned with the movement as environmental awareness gained prominence in the 1960s. What begins as a focus on individual health has since evolved into a broader understanding of wellness — one that encompasses not only personal wellbeing, but also the health of communities and the integrity of the environment.

Katie Macarelli, Natural Grocers’ director of public relations, says the company is intensely focused on sustainability and the environment. “I never worked at a company that is so mission focused in this realm,” she says. “It’s in every conversation. It underlies every conversation.”

The company visibly demonstrates its commitment to sustainability in the produce department, and in more ways than one.

“It’s so ingrained in everything we do,” says Macarelli. “For instance, the compostable produce bags. There’s something that blew my mind when I started with Natural Grocers. That was really ahead of its time.”

Natural Grocers eliminated plastic bags at checkout in 2009.

Sustainability is also a big deal in construction, remodeling and the relocation of Natural Grocers stores. For example, Macarelli says Natural Grocers recently completed a relocation project in Abilene, TX, with sustainable building materials and fixtures among the environmental components that went into developing the new site.

Employee training in critical subjects like sustainability is ongoing, with everyone from executives to checkout staff learning about developments, in part so everyone can acquaint customers with the latest Natural Grocers’ eco-actions.

“A lot of energy and education go toward sustainability that has truly nothing to do with sales,” says Macarelli. “It is just who we are.”

Community outreach and support is important to Natural Grocers, which sponsors local community events that touch on wellness and the environment. The occasions feature nutritional health coaches who conduct classes about food and health, as well as the connection of food to sustainability.

The company has built its “good4u” brand, with good4u in its logo, marketing, and the company even refers to its employees as its “good4u crew.”

REGENERATIVE AG

Consumers who are drawn to Natural Grocers are attracted to its assortment of supplements and organic produce, but they also are enticed by the company’s position on sustainability, says Macarelli.

Macarelli explains Natural Grocers has also developed what it calls a Regenivore Meal Wheel designed to help consumers who want nutritional density in their diets as part of healthier eating practices. It details organics consumption with an emphasis on foods that grow through methods that curb greenhouse gas emissions, preserve vital ecosystems and build soil health.

WORRY FREE

The customers who shop Natural Grocers are food- and sustainability-conscious, and they have high expectations, including the 100% organic produce assortment. As such, Natural Grocers is kept on its toes while ensuring their satisfaction.

“Our core shoppers are very conscious of where their food comes from and health,” Fowler says. “They want to make sure that their dollars spent at our stores are going toward sustainable practices and clean and high-quality products. Our customers know that they can come to Natural Grocers and do not have to worry about reading small signs or having to seek out organic produce in our produce departments.”

Fowler says every produce department at Natural Grocers is a certified organic handler. “We proudly take the extra steps to make sure that only the best organic produce is coming in and out of our doors. And we provide comprehensive training to our crews to give them the in-depth knowledge behind every piece of produce we offer, from apples to zucchinis.

“We really just take the worry out for our shoppers, and they know that when they step into a Natural Grocers, that they’re getting the organic product that they come to expect.”

Even if shoppers have different motivations, organic production, sustainability and affordability are important to all shoppers.

“Some shoppers come to us specifically for produce because they trust that we carry 100% organic produce, so there’s no second-guessing labels or standards,” says Fowler. “And for many, that means making regular bi-weekly trips just for fruit and vegetables.”

Fowler says they have historically served a strong 50-plus audience, but they are seeing growing engagement from Millennials and Gen Z shoppers who are invested in where their food comes from and how it impacts human health, communities and the planet.

“The families with young children are another core group,” he says. “Parents appreciate being able to shop confidently, knowing every product choice meets the same high bar for their children.

“We support this diverse mix by pairing uncompromised standards with everyday value in education. Because when organic avocados are 99 cents, it’s easy for the shoppers to make produce the heart of their baskets.”

Fowler says sustainability evolved from the chain’s core principles into measurable actions across all stores.

“In produce, that starts with a long-standing commitment, only selling 100% USDA certified organic fruits and vegetables, and actively supporting farming practices that build soil health, protect biodiversity and strengthen long-term food systems,” he says.

Fowler says this helps grow the next generation of organic producers, while educating customers and crew.

“Inside our stores, sustainable operation choices, from energy efficient LED lighting to plastic bag-free checkouts, which we were one of the first retail chains to ever do that, reinforces those values and creates a shopping environment that aligns with what our produce customers care about.”

DEDICATED SHOPPERS

Consumers are increasingly educating themselves about the depth and impact of organic agriculture and, as Fowler explains, that growing awareness is helping people see “how much it impacts Mother Earth” and why it is “the right way of growing produce.” He adds that as shoppers become more informed, they also recognize how closely organic practices align with caring for the planet — an understanding he believes will “continue to propel the organic industry.”

Fowler points to packaging as a central focus in the company’s sustainability efforts. He emphasizes a strong commitment to materials that are biodegradable and earth-friendly, particularly given that “not everybody has access to recycling.”

With produce moving through a wide range of packaging formats, he notes that “something that breaks down naturally is the best choice,” and says this approach is a priority in ongoing collaboration with growers and vendors.

The attention that Natural Grocers gives to wellness across the range of perspectives, from health to sustainability, and, particularly with its 100% certified organic produce, helps to define the company. Customers enter Natural Grocers stores understanding that they are shopping a retailer that shares their priorities.

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Natural Grocers Prioritizes Regenerative Agriculture

In its latest annual sustainability report, Natural Grocers, headquartered in Lakewood, CO, details the sustainability initiatives developed over the years as a natural extension of its founding principles. For instance, Natural Grocers carries plant-based, household compostable plastic produce bags, and 100% recycled, recyclable, and compostable paper bags, after eliminating plastic grocery totes in 2009.

In stores, it has tackled food waste and applied technology to streamline temperature tracking in store coolers, while using 48% recycled-content corrugated cardboard, incorporating energy-efficient LED lighting, and adding CO2 refrigerant systems in a pilot program.

Now, Natural Grocers is prioritizing regenerative agricultural practices that support soil, water and air quality, and biodiversity.

Natural Grocers partners with The Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA, which conducts research and provides farmer and veteran education on regenerative and related farming practices.

Christie Pettys, product standards manager, food, Natural Grocers, who makes sure products maintain criteria set by the company, is working to help better define regenerative agriculture. More specifically, she is working internally and with other organizations to fix a minimal standard for what constitutes regenerative agriculture.

At Expo West in March 2026, Natural Grocers helped organize a discussion on regenerative standards, inviting diverse players in the food business to sit down and talk about what might be required to put together effective criteria.

“There is no cohesive regenerative standard,” says Pettys. “There are a bunch of certifiers with different standards.”

It’s not that certifiers lack good intentions, she explains, but each tends to emphasize different approaches and factors, often reflecting specific areas within agriculture.

Pettys says to advance regenerative agriculture, it’s important to establish a broad consensus on the minimum standards that define regenerative practices across the wider agricultural spectrum.

Even if many companies exceed any established baseline, says Pettys, reaching consensus is essential to create a clear, shared understanding of what qualifies as regenerative agriculture and animal husbandry — and what makes a claim credible. In turn, this helps consumers make more informed choices.