Progressive Grocer recently announced Sprouts Farmers Market as the recipient of its Retailer of the Year award. The supermarket chain is being recognized for the curation of their products, continuous growth, and engagement with eaters.
By thinking strategically about their store layouts, Sprouts works to introduce eaters to new and healthy products while making locations easier to navigate. Their in-store innovation centers, for example, feature items unique to the chain where shoppers can discover new foods and ingredients. Sprouts also uses their signage to help eaters understand the story behind their food as well as its value.
This approach helps smaller brands as well, allowing them to stand out from their more established competitors. “This year, over 170 new items have transitioned from our innovation center to our inline shelves,” says Sprouts CEO Jack Sinclair.
In an effort to support more sustainable farming practices and supply chains, Sprouts is also looking to expand their organic produce, which now comprise almost half of all produce sales. And as part of their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) work, they are developing carbon reduction targets and sourcing products that have a lower environmental impact.
The grocery chain has found success with this model. Since 2020 they have opened 106 stores, and now operate 430 locations across 24 states in the U.S. They also have another 110 approved new sites to come.
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Photo courtesy of Mark Stosberg, Unsplash
