USA: Sprouts Farmers Market opens in Colorado

Sprouts Farmers Market has just opened its first two stores in Colorado. The new openings have added to the 28 locations already existing in Arizona, California and Texas. Two more stores are planned in Fort Collins and Aurora, and six more are in the pipeline until 2010. In the Denver area, Sprouts joins Sunflower Farmers Market, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods as suppliers of natural and organic food. Colorado-based Sunflower and Vitamin Cottage, which similarly target value-conscious shoppers, are on expansion as well. Vitamin Cottage opened its 27th Colorado store this summer and Sunflower has just opened its eighth store. Safeway, Wal-Mart and SuperTarget are also increasing their selection of organic food.
 

Sprouts president and chief operating officer, Doug Sanders, does not fear the competition. Initially, the company figured that Colorado had too many natural food stores, but research showed that there were many neighbourhoods underserved. The people of Colorado were into a healthy lifestyle and since the chain focuses on low prices they would meet the needs of the customers. Sprouts specializes in offering a wide variety of bargain produce. Mr Sanders also noted that shoppers were buying more prepared meals instead of going to restaurants and that they were stocking up on staple foods and bulk bin buys. Sprouts Colorado had a strong start on Friday, with more than 6,000 customers in its two locations in the first five hours.
 

http://www.rockymountainnews.com