Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Grocery retail |
| Predecessor | Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Margaret and Philip Isely |
| Headquarters | Colorado , United States |
Area served | Approximately 20 states in the United States, mainly west of the Mississippi River (excluding California) |
| Products | Vitamins, dietary supplements, natural and organic groceries, organic fruits and vegetables, natural personal care products |
Number of employees | 3000 (2018) |
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (previously known as Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets) is a health-focused grocery chain headquartered in Colorado.
The enterprise began in 1955 when Margaret and Philip Isely launched a door-to-door sales business. Their inaugural Vitamin Cottage retail location was established in Lakewood, Colorado in 1963. After Margaret passed away in 1997, the company leadership transitioned to their children in 1998. In 2008, the brand shifted its identity to Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage to emphasize grocery sales as the primary source of revenue instead of supplements. The firm went public on the New York Stock Exchange in July 2012, successfully raising $107 million.
Their assortment features vitamins, dietary supplements, natural and organic groceries, organic fruits and vegetables, and natural personal care products. The company adheres to a stringent product standard detailed in its "What We Won't Sell and Why" policy, which prohibits artificial additives such as colors, flavors, preservatives, irradiated items, and meat produced with synthetic hormones or antibiotics.
By 2018, Natural Grocers operated roughly 162 stores across nearly 20 states—mainly located west of the Mississippi River (excluding California)—and employed close to 3,000 workers.
History
In 1955, Margaret and Philip Isely initiated a door-to-door sales enterprise named the Builder's Foundation. The first retail store opened its doors in Denver, Colorado, in 1958. Margaret’s personal health journey using advice from Adelle Davis’s book Let's Get Well after conventional treatments failed inspired the business concept.
During the 1960s, the Isely family transformed a cottage-style home into a retail outlet called Vitamin Cottage, which launched in Lakewood, Colorado in 1963. A second Vitamin Cottage store was later opened in Denver in 1974.
In 1987, Natural Grocers formed a cycling team. The company briefly adopted the name Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Emporium in 1995.
After Margaret Isely’s passing in 1997, her children took over management of the company. Throughout the 2010s, Natural Grocers discontinued sales of "confinement dairy products" to reinforce their dedication to organic and ethically sourced merchandise.