Earth Fare
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Supermarket) |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founder | Roger Derrough |
| Fate | Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (February 2020); resumed operations June 2020 |
| Headquarters | Asheville , United States |
Area served | Southeastern United States |
Key people | Dennis Hulsing (CEO) |
| Products | Natural and organic food items, specialty foods, craft beer, artisanal cheeses |
Earth Fare is a U.S.-based health and wellness supermarket chain operating 20 stores across eight states, mainly concentrated in the southeastern region. The retailer focuses on offering natural and organic food items, adhering to rigorous guidelines that exclude artificial additives, high-fructose corn syrup, hormones, and antibiotics. Once ranked among the nation’s largest natural and organic grocery chains, Earth Fare ceased operations at all locations in February 2020 but resumed business at select sites from June 2020 onward, running 16 stores as of March 2025.
History
The company was established in 1975 by entrepreneur Roger Derrough under the name "Dinner for the Earth" in Asheville, North Carolina, initially providing organic bulk foods and wellness merchandise. In 1994, Derrough partnered with Randy Talley to rebrand as Earth Fare, transforming into a comprehensive store offering specialty items such as craft beer and artisanal cheeses. Their market approach focused on targeting mid-sized metropolitan areas with affluent populations and minimal competition in the natural foods segment.
In 2012, Earth Fare was acquired by private equity firm Oak Hill Capital. The brand maintained a distinctive edge through a proprietary list banning 140 ingredients, even incentivizing customers with $50 gift cards for identifying any banned substances in products.
Due to ongoing difficulties in the retail sector and an inability to restructure debt, Earth Fare announced full liquidation on February 3, 2020. The following day, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Wilmington, Delaware, disclosing liabilities and assets ranging between $100 million and $500 million. All outlets were shuttered by February 25, 2020.
Products
Earth Fare’s inventory excluded ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, artificial fats, trans fats, synthetic colors and flavors, preservatives, sweeteners, bleached or bromated flour, antibiotics, and growth hormones. The company asserted compliance with the highest organic produce standards in North America. A key initiative was its "100 mile Commitment," which emphasized sourcing local produce within a 100-mile radius to support regional farmers and cater to local consumer preferences.
Store locations
At its zenith, Earth Fare operated 50 stores across ten states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. As of March 2025, the chain maintains 16 stores spread across seven states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, with one store each located in Florida, Ohio, and Georgia.
Expansion and decline
Earth Fare entered the Virginia market in November 2017 by opening three stores in Roanoke, Fairfax, and Williamsburg. By 2019, the company had ambitions to grow to fifty stores by 2024 to accelerate expansion efforts. However, store closures began as early as 2018 with two locations near Atlanta and one in Columbus ceasing operations. Additional shutdowns included outlets in Gainesville, Florida and Fairfax, Virginia during early 2020. In August 2023, the Portage store in Michigan was closed due to underperformance. These developments highlight the difficulties Earth Fare faced in sustaining market presence amid increasing competition and operational expenses.
Reopening
After a four-month closure, Earth Fare was brought back to life through an investment from Hulsing Enterprises, headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, under the leadership of CEO Dennis Hulsing. The brand's original founders spearheaded the revival by reopening the Westgate Earth Fare location in Asheville on June 22. Following this, additional stores resumed operations in Roanoke, Virginia, and Boone, North Carolina. Plans were also set to restart business at five more sites located in Athens, Georgia; Summerville and Rock Hill, South Carolina. During the 2020 bankruptcy process, most other former Earth Fare stores were acquired by rival companies.
In early 2021, Earth Fare revealed its first new store launch in Christiansburg, Virginia. Nevertheless, by February 2022, the Saint Johns, Florida store ceased operations just months after reopening and began a liquidation sale.
By 2024, Earth Fare maintains retail locations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Ohio, and Georgia.