Inside Natural Grocer’s newest store with 100% organic produce

Natural Grocers celebrated the opening of its 44th Colorado location at 3165 N. Central Park Blvd. in Denver on Jan. 7. The family-operated organic and natural grocery retailer based in Lakewood, Colo., says it had been looking for the “perfect spot” to open a store in Denver's Central Park neighborhood.

"As one of our ‘Five Founding Principles’ states, we are 'committed to our communities', and we love that we are now able to bring access to healthy food at an always affordable price to even more people in our home state of Colorado," Raquel Isely, vice president of marketing for Natural Grocers, said in a release.

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Natural Grocers, which sells USDA-certified organic produce exclusively, offered discounts on select produce items as part of its grand opening event. Organic bunched spinach sold for $1.69 each; kiwi for 50 cents each; spaghetti squash for 99 cents a pound and aloe vera leaves for 79 cents per pound.

The company’s new approximately 13,330-square-foot-store was constructed with sustainable building features and energy-saving innovations, such as non-toxic building materials and 100% LED lighting, for a lighter environmental footprint.

The Central Park store is Natural Grocers' second Colorado store to feature a new CO2 refrigerant system, designed to save energy and provide enhanced environmental protection compared to conventional refrigeration technologies. Though more expensive and complex to install than traditional systems, it's another way Natural Grocers is prioritizing the health of its communities and the planet, the company said.