Grocery Store Review: Earth Fare

I've previously written about the grocery store Earth Fare numerous times. I've teamed with Kristi Kanzig (Earth Fare's marketing genius - check out her events here) on two occasions to host Gluten Free cooking classes with Celiac expert and author; Jules Shepard. I've also written before about some other Gluten Free classes conducted in Earth Fare's community room. Below is my full Grocery review for this awesome Gluten Free resource.

About Earth Fare
Earth Fare is a healthy foods supermarket which began in Asheville, North Carolina in 1975. An expansion, which began in the late 1990's, has brought the grocery store to Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina, Greensboro, Boone, Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, Athens and Augusta, Georgia, and Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. Earth Fare states on it's Web site the following about the products it chooses to carry -

We sell foods as close to the ground as it gets. Products with these ingredients/processes WILL NOT BE SOLD at Earth Fare :

• NO hydrogenated or partially- hydrogenated oils added trans-fats
• NO high fructose corn syrup
• NO artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners & preservatives
• NO antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones or animal by-products in the feed (fresh meats & milk)
• NO bleached or bromated flour
• NO irradiated single source spices, produce or meat
• NO animal by-products in pet foods
• NO inhumane treatment of the animals providing us with dairy, meat and eggs
  

Gluten Free Products
You can tell that Earth Fare takes a lot of pride in the products they carry by reading the above statement. In addition to that, Earth Fare also makes it easy for gluten intolerant customers to find foods they can stomach – pun intended. With thousands of gluten-free items to choose from and clearly marked “gluten-free sets” within the store, shoppers don’t have to guess about where to find gluten-free products anymore. These clearly marked "gluten free sets" are basically wood faced shelves. Earth Fare does mix in Gluten Free items with their Gluten full items throughout the store. If you are looking for GF cereal, head to the normal cereal isle and look for the wood shelves and well marked Gluten Free signage. They also have a very extensive frozen food section as well. Stop in to the customer service desk upon your arrival and ask for a "Living Gluten Free" brochure. It provides some more detail as to the brands they carry which are GF. Way too many to list here. I couldn't find this brochure on their Web site, so I scanned a copy I picked up the other day. Check with the store for the latest version.

To sum up - Pretty much any Gluten Free item you have seen or tried before (along with many you have not) is available at Earth Fare. Each time I visit, I'm pleasantly surprised to see new items. The folks at Earth Fare are great to work with and care about you as a Gluten Free consumer. Did I mention the thousands of Gluten Free items they carry?

Information
Earth Fare - Brierdale Shopping Center
10341 Moncreiffe Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27617

Phone: (919) 433-1390
Email
Web site

Store Hours:
Monday - Sunday 9am to 9pm


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