Earth Fare Entering New S.C. Market

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Rock Hill, S.C. will get its first full-format natural and organic grocery store next year, when Earth Fare Market here takes over an old Harris Teeter.

The store is expected to open mid-summer 2008, Earth Fare said yesterday. It will feature 25,000 square feet of high-quality, all-natural and organic foods; artisan and farmstead cheeses; 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 cafE complete with coffee bar, bakery, sushi bar, and pizza oven.

In addition to the new Rock Hill location, 2008 plans for the company include stores in Auburn, Ala. and Johnson City, Tenn., the company said.

Earth Fare noted that it "prides itself on excellent customer service," and as such, the meat department in Rock Hill will feature a full-service counter, while 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," said Earth Fare director of marketing Troy DeGroff in a statement. "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, as those ingredients are not allowed on the store shelves. No artificial synthetic ingredients are allowed. Organic, Fair Trade and local products predominate.

Earth Fare Market and CafE was founded in 1975 and has grown into a premier chain of natural and organic markets located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.
X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds