This post is a special collaboration between Body Unburdened and New Seasons Market (my favorite local grocery store!) in celebration of their new store in Sunnyvale, CA

Real talk: I love a good grocery store.

And not in the “Oh they have everything I need so I can get in and out quickly” kind of love. I mean the “I could spend an entire afternoon fondling this fresh organic produce and trying all of these natural beauty products” kind of love (and sometimes do!).

And so when I moved to San Jose last year and discovered a little gem of a natural grocery store called New Seasons Market nestled up in the hills near my house, well you could imagine I was pretty darn excited. It quickly became not only my go-to local market but also one of my favorite places to go… period.

Little did I know that this store was New Seasons’ only store in CA, that the company was planning to build another market just a few towns over, OR that the company has an absolutely incredible mission and is literally changing the world with their grocery stores.

Totally separate from my personal grocery shopping and love for my local New Seasons Market, I only recently learned all of this through a blogging network I belong to. I was invited to spend a day at the brand new New Seasons store in Sunnyvale, CA where I not only got to walk the aisles of one of the most beautiful markets I’ve ever laid eyes on (it’s MUCH bigger than my local store) but also learn so much about this amazing company.

And since you know how much I love a company with a conscience — since I can feel good spending my hard-earned money supporting these companies and their missions — I’m really excited to share everything I learned about New Seasons Market with you!

How New Seasons Market is Changing the World

The world’s first Certified B Corp grocer

Simply put, B Corps “lead a growing global movement of people using business as a force for good.” In order for a company to become a certified B Corp, it must meet super strict standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability, and is kept to those standards in order to maintain its certification status.

The fact that New Seasons is the world’s first Certified B Corp grocer says a lot about the company, its mission, and its practices — it doesn’t just talk the talk but walks the walk.

Gives back to local communities

New Seasons gives 10% of its after-tax profits back to the community. 10% is a heck of a lot! And so since 2000, the company has donated more than $5.3 million dollars to thousands of different nonprofits in the communities they serve.

Dedicated to sustainability

What else could we expect from a company based out of Portland!?

New Seasons is focused on waste reduction, efficient use of energy and water, and green building. In 2016, it diverted 84% of its operating waste from the landfill to food donations and composting. And in 2017, the company is striving to make 20% of its stores completely zero waste. One of the small things I noticed at the Sunnyvale store is that mason jars were for sale to use in the bulk section instead of bags — I love that they’re also promoting zero waste shopping and making it easy for customers!

And when it comes to sustainable farming and food practices:

• On average, New Seasons’ produce departments carry 75% or more organic items
• Everything in New Seasons’ meat and seafood departments is free of antibiotics and artificial
  growth hormones
• The seafood department is committed to conscientious seafood sourcing and its seafood staff are trained to help customers make informed buying decisions
• New Seasons was the first retail grocer in the US to establish a certified organic in-store bakery
• In 2014, New Seasons pledged its support for Measure 92, Oregon’s GMO labeling initiative and joined the national “Just Label It” campaign

Helps local businesses succeed

In talking with the produce department manager, it was very clear that New Seasons prides itself on supporting local food economies by creating long-term partnerships with nearby farmers and ranchers (and that the employees take great pride in this as well!).

And through their Local Finds program, New Seasons also helps budding businesses get the start they need. I tasted some AMAZING dessert hummus (yes, dessert hummus!) — Crave Up Hummus — from a local businesswoman who said that without New Seasons’ support, it would have taken her years to get her business off the ground.

Is dedicated to employees

No wonder New Seasons is “the friendliest store in town” — its employees are cared for and HAPPY! The company’s benefits packages exceed industry standards. Employees also receive a 20% staff discount as well as ongoing training and management training to help them advance in their careers. And like I mentioned before, it seems as though the employees all take great pride in being part of such an amazing company and its mission.

I’m SO happy to see a company like this growing and expanding… hopefully to your local community next!

The Emeryville store will be opening this winter, and they also plan to open stores in San Fransisco and Carmel sometime in the near future.

Fingers crossed a nation-wide expansion is on the horizon 🙂