L.A.’s ‘Hottest [Grocery] Hangout’ Partners With Kehe

Erewhon, a Los Angeles-based organic grocer and café with six locations and several additional stores in the planning stages, has signed a distribution agreement with Kehe to enable its “ambitious growth and expansion plans,” says the company

“As a fellow B Corporation, we are proud to partner with a retailer that aligns on the same culture and values as Kehe,” said Michelle DuFresne, VP of sales at Kehe, in a statement. “Erewhon is an exceptional merchant with extremely high standards, and we are thrilled to help support their growth plans as their primary supply chain partner.”

The half-dozen upscale Erewhons, where a 16-ounce Erewhon Organic Healthy Greens beverage rings up for $9 and a 3-ounce chocolate chip cookie sets shoppers back $4, became even more of a destination for health seekers during the heat of the pandemic earlier this year, notes The New York Times. “Last year, after the coronavirus pandemic forced bars and nightclubs across the city to shutter, supermarkets were among the few places where people could still see and be seen. Erewhon, with its outdoor dining areas, became the unofficial hangout for the young, beautiful and bored,” writes Max Berlinger. 

As the country battles its way through the pandemic, Southern California may be less boring, but the demand for natural and organic foods is stronger than ever—positioning Erewhon for expansion.

The independent, family-owned market with six locations across Los Angeles including Calabasas, Fairfax/West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Silver Lake and Venice, is planning to open three future locations in Beverly Hills, Culver City and Studio City. Since 1968, Erewhon has been committed to providing healthy, pure and nutrient-rich foods and products to the communities it serves, says the newly certified B Corporation company.

Kehe is one of the largest certified B Corporations in the nation with a distribution network focused on natural and organic, specialty and fresh products, says the Naperville, Ill.-based company. Kehe serves over 30,000 retail outlets from a network of over 16 distribution centers across North America.

“Erewhon is excited to be partnering with a distribution company that can support our growth plans with the most experienced people in the industry,” said Erewhon CEO  Tony Antoci. “We look forward to expanding with the help of Kehe’s supply chain expertise. This partnership will bolster our expansion plans and is an excellent cultural fit for Erewhon.”