Source: LOHAS Weekly Newsletter
Published: Monday, November 01, 1999

The Grand Union Co. (GUCO), currently with 217 retail food stores, said it opened its new Fresh Market in Danbury, CT, in October. The 35,000-sq.-ft. store features an expanded produce department carrying up to 80 organic items, a fresh meat department, a seafood department, and a deli.

Cooperative Market of Akron, OH, offering organic and whole foods and natural remedies, moved into the F.W. Albrecht Grocery Co.’s West Market Street Acme market in September in a move that may help both companies survive. The agreement allows the financially troubled co-op to stay open and Acme to enter the natural foods industry.

Balducci’s of Greenwich Village, NY, in January will open in Lincoln Center, its first additional outlet. Balducci’s also has an e-commerce website and operates a manufacturing facility in Long Island City. Balducci’s merged with the 13-store Sutton Place Gourmet in June.

Zagara’s of Marlton, NJ, doubled the size of its natural and organic health and nutrition center and boosted selections to 10,000 items at its new Mount Laurel, NJ, store. The 1,500-sq.-ft. Body Natural department offers vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements and is located prominently in the 39,000-sq.-ft. store. Zagara’s is an autonomous division of Genuardi’s Family Markets, Norristown, PA. Currently with two stores, Zagara’s plans three more PA stores in Jenkintown, Newtown and Delaware County, respectively.

VitaminCity Nutritional Essentials Discount Club of Williamsville, NY, will open its fourth location in Williamsville. The stores offer vitamins, herbs, sports nutrition and natural body care products.

Health Express USA (HEXS) broke ground in September for Healthy Bites Grill in Fort Lauderdale, FL, the first in a nationwide chain of restaurants offering healthy and organic food in a fast-food format. The menu will offer grilled portobello mushroom sandwiches, cholesterol-free vegetarian Caesar salads, and oriental harusame salads.

Real Goods Trading Corp. (RGTC) will open up to 20 new stores adjacent to Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFMI) stores over the next five years, following Whole Foods’ $3.6 million purchase of 16% of RGTC. The expansion starts with a store in Los Gatos, CA.

Akron, OH-based natural foods retailer Mustard Seed Market on Oct. 11 opened a second store and restaurant, this one in Solon, OH, in 56,000 sq. ft. on two levels.