News for Home Office

The recent meat recall of over 143 million pounds of beef in California, the largest recall in U.S. history, once again underscores the importance of humane and natural practices in maintaining the health and quality of the meat we consume.

The natural beef sold at Earth Fare markets, for instance, has higher standards than the USDA for animal health and safety. Earth Fare beef comes from small family ranches in Montana and the mid-west. The natural cattle ranchers and processors that are part of the Montana Ranch Co-operative do not use growth hormones, antibiotics, or animal by-products in their feed. They also strive to treat the cattle and the land used for grazing with respect and care.

Earth Fare beef cows spend less time in feedlots, an environment where illness and injury are widespread. Processing of the animals occurs in much smaller batches, resulting in a cleaner and more humane method of slaughter. Sick or injured animals are removed from the herds before processing and not sold as natural. Animals from cloned or genetically modified stock are not permissible.

“The quality of life an animal leads from birth to slaughter does matter,” says Earth Fare Marketing Director Troy DeGroff. “How you treat an animal in life reflects in the quality, flavor and safety of the meat that ends up on your plate. It makes sense that an animal that can’t move to get into the slaughter facility could pose a greater risk for disease than a healthy animal.”

DeGroff continues by stating, “Fortunately, at Earth Fare, we work with suppliers who ensure their animals are healthy at the time of slaughter. We also only sell meats that are free of added growth hormones, antibiotics, genetic manipulation including cloning, and animal by-products in the feed. You only need those things when you are raising sick animals as a commodity product, not as a living food source fit for human consumption.”

Anyone who shops at Earth Fare knows that the answer to the question, “Paper or plastic?” isn’t a simple yes or no. Instead, many customers prefer to say, “I brought my own bag.” This action results not only in the conservation of non-renewable resources, but also gives back to the local community in a big way.

In 2007, Earth Fare, with the help of its customers, raised approximately $100,000 through the “Friends of Earth Fare” bag recycling program. All funds raised through this award-winning program are given directly to worthy, local non-profits selected by each Earth Fare store.

The “Friends of Earth Fare” bag recycling program is an easy way to give back. When customers bring their own bag to shop instead of taking a new one, Earth Fare donates 10 cents per bag to a selected local non-profit who is the “Friend” of the month.

“Ten cents may not sound like much, but all those dimes do add up to a large amount of money,” says Troy DeGroff, director of sales and marketing at Earth Fare. “Not to mention that in 2007 alone, our customers saved over one million plastic and paper bags from going into circulation.”

The “Friends of Earth Fare” program has been a vital part of Earth Fare’s community outreach for 15 years. “Not only does this program help everyone conserve non-renewable resources used in the production of both paper and plastic bags, it helps immediately impact the health of our communities by supporting local organizations,” says DeGroff.

On Thursday, January 24, Michael Cianciarulo officially announced his resignation as President and CEO of Earth Fare. Pursuant to his personal goals, Mike will continue to serve on the Earth Fare Board of Directors.

In his place, Fresh Fields co-founder Jack Murphy will assume the role of CEO and President of the growing natural foods grocer.

When Mike joined Earth Fare ten years ago, the company consisted of two stores, one in Asheville, NC and one in Charleston, SC. Under Mike’s leadership and guidance, Earth Fare has grown to 13 locations in three states with over $100 million in annual sales. Several more locations are planned for 2008.

Jack Murphy has most recently served as a key member on Earth Fare's Board of Directors. Prior to joining the board, Jack held the positions of CEO, and COO for several other growing businesses, including Fresh Fields Natural Grocery stores in the Northeast, which he co-founded. Fresh Fields grew quickly from its start in 1992, selling in 1996 to Whole Foods Markets.

Jack brings to Earth Fare a wealth of business knowledge in the natural foods industry and a passion for delivering world class performance while driving organizational growth. In his new position at Earth Fare, Jack will be leading the charge to accelerate growth and increase Earth Fare market share throughout the Southeast.

Rock Hill, SC will get its first full format natural and organic grocery store in 2008. Asheville, NC-based Earth Fare Market and Café will open in the old Harris Teeter located on Cherry Road in Winthrop Commons mid-summer 2008. The supermarket, known as a leader in the natural foods industry, will feature 25,000 square feet of the best quality all natural and organic foods for the people of Rock Hill.

The store will feature organic and specialty produce; artisan and farmstead cheeses from America and around the globe; eclectic wines and microbrews; authentically natural beef, chicken and pork products produced without antibiotics, growth hormones or animal by-products; organic milk and dairy products; specialty and gourmet groceries; natural supplements, herbs and personal care products; and a full service deli and café complete with coffee bar, bakery, sushi bar and pizza oven.

Expected to employ more than 100 people, Earth Fare prides itself on excellent customer service with a team committed to helping customers navigate the thousands of delicious options that line its shelves and refrigerated cases. The meat department will feature a full-service counter and the specialty cheese department will cut and wrap 80 pound wheels of naturally aged cheese on site. The produce shelves will feature as much seasonal food from local farmers as possible.

“Food should be fun,” says Earth Fare Director of Marketing Troy DeGroff. “People are tired of the same old highly processed refined foods sold in conventional stores that have only one flavor note. At Earth Fare, we know that foods grown naturally with organic methods and produced with minimal processing taste better and are better for you.”

Earth Fare has a strict food philosophy which means customers don’t have to read labels for things like partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup—those ingredients are not allowed on the store shelves. No artificial synthetic ingredients are allowed. Organic, Fair Trade and Local products predominate, as it isn’t enough for foods sold at Earth Fare to be all natural—they must be good for the communities, the producers and the planet as well.

Mayor Doug Echols commented, “We are very excited that Earth Fare has chosen to join the Rock Hill business community. Earth Fare will provide another option to Rock Hill residents, filling a gap in the food service market. I’m sure that Winthrop students will appreciate having a quality grocery store within walking distance of the campus.”

Earth Fare Market and Café was founded in Asheville, North Carolina in 1975 and has grown into a premier chain of natural and organic markets located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.