Take an inside look as Earth Fare prepares to open its first Bradenton-area store

Earth Fare is pulling out all the stops to introduce its specialty organic and natural foods brand to local shoppers.

The first 500 customers in line Saturday – the chain’s 46th supermarket opens at 7 a.m. that day – will receive gift cards ranging in value from $5 to $1,000. The store, at the corner of State Road 70 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, is the first store to open in The Green at Lakewood Ranch.

The company is making a $3,000 donation to the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund to fund school gardens, and Gullett Elementary School principal Todd Richardson will be there Saturday handing out free apples.

On Thursday, Earth Fare CEO Frank Scorpiniti and spokeswoman Laurie Aker gave a sneak peek of the new store: a 23,500-square-foot center with wide aisles, large enough to provide everything that a family might need for meals throughout the week, but not so large as to make shopping an exhausting excursion.

Fresh produce, seafood, meats, bulk drygoods and bulk liquids such as syrup, olive oil and apple cider vinegars are among the offerings. Everything is organic and natural, and includes no genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or artificial colors, Aker said.

Earth Fare has even thought about the misters used to keep produce fresh. The store uses a reverse osmosis system to filter out additives such as chlorine.

Other sustainable features in the store include using heat generated by refrigeration and air conditioning systems to provide all of the hot water in the building, a reflective roof to reduce cooling costs, compostable food containers and more.

The store also features Earth Fare’s Heirloom Organic Cafe and Juice Bar, offering certified organic coffee, smoothies and juices.

Organic choices are also offered at the salad bar, hot foods bar, pizza station, sandwich counter and in packaged meals-on-the go.

The takeaway is that Earth Fare sells sustainable, traceable, additive-free products, Aker said.

Explaining how his company came to Lakewood Ranch, Scorpiniti said, “We have a real estate team that is always searching for communities that are vibrant, growing and looking for healthy options to feed their families.” The company has been meeting for several months with its 14-member community advisory board drawn from Lakewood Ranch on recommendations for its food offerings.

Earth Fare, which plans to open 10 new stores this year and 13 next year, started in 1975 as a small, local natural foods store in Asheville, N.C.

Today, company officials say their offerings can help customers live a healthier, happier, longer life.

The company uses the motto “live longer” over its Earth Fare logo, a reference to a recent report that the U.S. life expectancy is declining. Earth Fare publishes a magazine, “The Clean Plate,” a guide to eating clean and living a healthier, longer life.

Every day of the week, Earth Fare offers a special food deal that can make healthy eating cheaper than at a fast-food restaurant, Aker said.

Earth Fare is open 7 a.m.-11 p.m. seven days a week.

Other activities planned for opening day include contests, giveaways, free samples, demonstrations and live music. Festivities continue throughout the week.

For more information about Earth Fare, visit earthfare.com.

This story was originally published January 25, 2018 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Take an inside look as Earth Fare prepares to open its first Bradenton-area store."