Sep 4, 2018 By Jacob Calvin Meyer 4 min read

Before the turn of the century, local grocery markets offering natural and organic food weren’t popular.

Trendy places on the west coast and big cities had such markets, but most of the country hadn’t caught on to the trend yet.

That’s not the case anymore, as stores serving natural and organic options are growing all over the country, and Southwestern Pennsylvania is no exception.

The South Hills is no stranger to the development of this trend, as popular chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s now have locations in the area. Also, in the last five years, two smaller markets, The Fresh Market in Mt. Lebanon and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in Bridgeville have opened. Fresh Thyme is the most recent, opening in July.

While all of the stores have slightly different offerings, they all have the same ethos.

Produce is the cornerstone of the market. The store is easily accessible and easy to navigate. And there is a bevy of natural and organic options.

Mark Doiron, chief merchandising officer at Fresh Thyme, says stores like Fresh Thyme and The Fresh Market are growing because they’re meeting customer demand of healthier food options. “We consider ourselves that we can assist people in their journey to healthy eating,” Doiron says. “We’re not purists. We’re not exclusive to only organic food, but we have a wide variety. That’s our strength. We know that produce is the center and strength of the store. Fresh produce, we’re on track with the changing habits of consumers today.”

Doiron says the trend of natural and organic foods used to be for selective groups of people. Today, that’s no longer the case, as stores like Fresh Thyme are popping up all over the country, with more than 70 locations nationwide.

“It’s a megatrend,” he says. “It’s no longer a unique for a certain subset of customers. I don’t think a conventional store can survive without addressing it. The demand is there. Organic is becoming more mainstream.”

And if Giant Eagle is considered a “conventional store,” its Market District locations, like the one in Bethel Park, are certainly bringing healthy, organic options to local consumers via a familiar brand.

Doiron says nearly two-thirds of Fresh Thyme’s customers don’t know what they’re having for dinner on a particular night.

“We know customers are time starved, so we want to be able to give them options and answers for what’s for dinner for that night,” he says.

Meghan Flynn, director of communications for The Fresh Market, says quick meal solutions are an important aspect for the store that now has 175 locations in 24 states.

“Our meal solutions help guests eat well every day by helping them overcome some of the challenges they may face such as lack of time to cook and prepare healthy meals,” Flynn says. “Using only the finest ingredients, The Fresh Market offers a selection of meals that are ready to eat, heat or cook with little to no prep time – and no waste.”

The most notable difference between conventional grocery stores and the newer markets is the layout. Grocery stores, naturally, are larger, with the typical grocery goods at the center of the store in tall shelves.

At the new markets, the locations are smaller, allowing customers, Doiron says, to easily move around the store. Also, the produce is put at the heart of these stores, as most customers, he says, shop for produce.

By keeping that center store low profile, it’s very open and refreshing versus seeing six-foot tall shelving all through the store, which makes it seem like you’re shopping in a maze,” he says. “We put produce in the center of the store. In a conventional store, you’d find the grocery offerings in the middle. What we wanted people to be able to do is navigate the store from the center. Most of our customers buy produce from us. It is critical to our success. It is where we are proud.”