Natural Grocers will open a new store Feb. 19 at 601 N. Valley Mills Drive in Waco, Texas – the grocer’s 25th store in the state.
The festivities will begin at 8:15 a.m. with a $2,500 donation presentation to the Shepherd’s Heart, Natural Grocers’ local food bank partner, followed by an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with the store manager, community leaders other and special guests.
“We are honored to be the first family-operated, national natural and organic grocer in Waco,” said Raquel Isely, VP of marketing at Natural Grocers.
“We understand that cities have choices when it comes to the retailers they welcome into their communities. Grocery stores play a vital role in the food system – one that directly impacts our health and well-being. What’s available on the shelves influences how food is grown and produced. With Waco’s strong commitment to education, culture, healthy living and community, we know this is a perfect fit. We can’t wait to open our doors and serve the wonderful people of Waco and the surrounding communities of Central Texas.”
Grand opening events
Grand opening festivities at the Waco location will include:
- The first 150 customers in line will receive a Natural Grocers mystery gift card (values range from $5 to $500).
- The first 500 shoppers will receive a hand-crafted lunchbox, woven in collaboration with artisans in Peguche, Ecuador.
- Spin the Natural Grocers prize wheel between noon-5 p.m. on Feb. 19 for a chance to win prizes.
- Shoppers can take advantage of grand opening specials from Feb. 19-March 31.
- Customers can enter the grand opening sweepstakes from Feb. 19-March 5 to win prizes like an Aventon e-bike and a $500 Natural Grocers gift card.
About the Waco store
Natural Grocers has upgraded the new space using sustainable building features and energy-saving innovations, such as non-toxic building materials and 100 percent LED lighting. The store will feature a contemporary layout for an efficient checkout experience.
Customers also will experience:
- A focus on regenerative products and practices. From checkouts free from single-use bags to organic, non-GMO Natural Grocers brand products and in-store features, the company focuses on a mutually beneficial relationship with nature.
- A larger selection of 100 percent USDA-certified organic produce at the Waco store. From apples to zucchini, every piece of produce avoids cross-contamination with conventional/GMO items and is grown without synthetic pesticides.
- With more than 5,000 SKUs, Natural Grocers offers a large selection of vitamins and supplements, with the vast majority (more than 80 percent) manufactured in third-party Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified facilities.
- Natural Grocers is committed to positively impacting its employees’ physical, emotional and financial well-being with free nutrition education programs, excellent benefits and access to the highest quality, affordably priced products.
- Customers will have direct access to personalized assistance throughout their nutritional health journeys with an onsite Nutritional Health Coach.
Shepherd’s Heart partnership
As part of its commitment to the Waco community, Natural Grocers will support the Shepherd’s Heart through its “Bring Your Own Bag” program, donating five cents for every trip where customers use their own bags. This initiative not only encourages sustainable shopping practices but also benefits those in need by contributing to the essential work of the food pantry.
“At Shepherd’s Heart, our mission is to feed, clothe, empower and advocate for families in need throughout our community…Our work is driven by dedicated volunteers who are committed to making a difference in the lives of others, reaching out to the hungry and hurting,” said Shepherd’s Heart CEO Robert Gager.
“Our impact is made possible by the generosity of our community. Because of the donations we receive, we can meet critical needs and continue our mission. Thanks to this outpouring of support, Shepherd’s Heart has become the largest food pantry in Central Texas. So far this year, we’ve served over 80,000 families with nearly 3.6 million pounds of food. This recent donation from Natural Grocers will add about 168,000 pounds of food to our efforts – equivalent to over 200,000 meals for families in need. We are deeply grateful for their partnership and their commitment to helping us fight hunger.”
[RELATED: Natural Grocers Shares 2024 Sustainability Report]
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