Earth Fare at Park West: An Inside Look

Morrisville, NC — Earth Fare, a brand new addition to Cary supermarkets, opened today, March 25, 2015 in Park West Village. I met with New Store Marketing Manager Amanda Arnet to take a tour of the market and to see what kinds of products it will offer shoppers.

Earth Fare at Park West Village

Construction began on August 4, 2014 to bring Earth Fare, a natural and organic supermarket, to the Morrisville/Cary area. The 13,527 square foot store is now open at 951 Morrisville Parkway in Park West Village (at the corner of Chapel Hill Road and Morrisville Parkway).

High Standards; Natural Products

Earth Fare sets high standards for each and every product they sell. Arnet told me that, “We read the labels so you don’t have to.” According to the Earth Fare “food philosophy,” all groceries sold contain:

• no high-fructose corn syrup
• no artificial fats or trans fats
• no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners
• no antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones in their meat and dairy
• no bleached or bromated flour

Products sold at Earth Fare are picked by their ingredients rather than their brands. Certain Pepsi products, for example, are now sold, because real sugar is used in many of their drinks. “Eating well” doesn’t have to taste bad–the new store has a wide variety of candies, baked goods and other treats that are simply made with high-quality ingredients.

New to shopping organic? Earth Fare team members are trained to help customers find what they need and to provide recommendations.

Easy-to-Find Items

Arnet explained to me that, to accommodate shoppers with dietary restrictions or certain preferences, items are clearly marked with tags like “gluten free” and “local.” The local tag, for example, indicates that an item was sourced from within 100 miles of the Park West store.

The new Earth Fare features a wide variety of gluten free and vegan options, among others, and carries products from dozens of local suppliers, including Chapel Hill Toffee, Maple View Farms Dairy, Chad’s Carolina Corn and Nello’s Pasta Sauce.

Purchase in Bulk

Earth Fare has a neat section where customers can purchase, if they wish, items in bulk. From cooking ingredients like flour and quinoa to snacks like granola and nuts, the options–and amounts–are endless. I got to try a just-made, delicious, sweetened peanut butter.

Ready-to-Eat

There are many grab-and-go items at Earth Fare to create quick and easy breakfasts, lunches and dinners for shoppers. Pastries, sandwiches and wraps, pizzas, smoothies and sushi are just some items that are ready-to-eat or made-to-order for customers.

I especially plan to check out the juice bar where, for under $5, team members will whip up a cup of freshly-pressed juice chocked full of fruits, veggies and “boosters” like ginger, greens and ginseng. You can either make your own creation or choose a juice from a menu.

If customers wish to dine-in, Earth Fare has a cafe, with free Wi-Fi, that seats 32.

In the Community

Earth Fare has already started giving back to their new neighbors in Cary and Morrisville. The tours that preceded their grand opening will benefit the Cary YMCA, and the store will make regular donations to food banks.

This week, following the grand opening, celebrations will continue in the new store, including events with face-painting, balloon art, music and radio broadcasts.

Stay in Touch with Earth Fare

For more information, special offers and event information, you can follow Earth Fare at Park West on Facebook or sign-up for their email list online.

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Story and photos by Jessica Patrick. Read about more Cary supermarkets.

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Community coverage on CaryCitizen is sponsored in part by Heart of Cary Association.