Sprouts heading to Maryland in 30-store expansion

Sprouts Farmers Market is debuting in Maryland. As part of an approximately 30-store expansion that will unfold over the course of 2018, the new location in Ellicott City, Md., will be the brand’s first in the mid-Atlantic region of the country.

“The mid-Atlantic market’s strong interest in health and value makes Maryland a natural fit for Sprouts,” Kalia Pang, a spokeswoman for the store, said. “We’re looking forward to opening in Ellicott City and introducing new shoppers to the fresh, natural and organic products and welcoming, unique environment that Sprouts is known for.”

The inaugural Maryland store was announced alongside eight other new locations, with the majority setting up in the brand’s home region of the Southwest.

The other upcoming store locations are Albuquerque, N.M.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Green Valley, Ariz.; Las Cruces, N.M.; Mesa, Ariz.; Sacramento, Calif.; Tempe, Ariz.; and Valrico, Fla.

Opening dates are not yet determined for the new stores, but each is expected to provide about 120 jobs.

Sprouts entered the current segment with a 1.4% rise in year-over-year comparable-store sales in the second quarter. It also finished Q2 with a 15% rise in year-over-year net sales.

Based in Phoenix, Sprouts currently operates more than 280 stores across 15 states.