Earth Fare Brings Healthy Food to the Tampa Bay Area

Earth Fare, the authentic specialty organic and natural foods grocery store, last week welcomed its first shoppers to the new Seminole, Florida location, located in at 7774 113th st. N, in the new Seminole City Center. It is the fourth Florida location for the chain, and the 38th nationwide. Highlights from the grand opening, as well as a preview of the store, can be viewed here.

Hundreds of shoppers lined up before dawn to be among the first in the new store. The day began with a performance by the Seminole High School marching band, followed by a ribbon cutting featuring Earth Fare’s President and CEO Frank Scorpiniti; Seminole mayor Leslie Waters, and other community representatives. In addition, Earth Fare presented a check for $4,000 to Edible Peace Patch Project, a St. Petersburg-based non-profit dedicated to developing innovative, community-oriented food systems, as well as creating nutritional education programs.

The Grand Opening of the Seminole store is the culmination of months of preparation and research in the Tampa Bay area to bring the store’s Food Philosophy and local commitments to life. Earlier this summer, Earth Fare hosted a Local Vendor Fair in search of the area’s best local products for the new store. The company interviewed dozens of local artisans and growers before selecting more than 40 products, including So Fruitty of Orlando, Dakin Dairy of Sarasota, Beagle Bay Organics of Bradenton, and many more.

In addition to supporting local artisans, Earth Fare connects with a wide range of community members through its Community Advisory Board. The Board is comprised of local health and wellness experts, as well as residents and community leaders. These individuals have been integral in tailoring the retailer’s approach to the in-store experience and within the community to ensure the store’s offerings meet the needs of local shoppers.

"We’re here to make healthy food accessible to everyone, everywhere, and we realize that each community we serve will have different wants and needs,” says Scorpiniti. “Our Local Vendor Fair and Community Advisory Board establish an open dialogue with the Seminole community, so that we can exceed expectations and keep the conversation going.”

Scorpiniti continued, adding that the Seminole location is the first of several locations Earth Fare will be opening in the Tampa Bay area in the next few years. Each location will bring with it approximately 100 new jobs. Earth Fare’s investment in the Tampa Bay area is focused on connecting with a community that is already naturally aligned to a healthy lifestyle. The new Earth Fare locations will bring a unique offering of clean, healthy food that is centered on fresh, local and organic for every diet and lifestyle.

“Earth Fare offers an unparalleled selection of natural, organic, and healthy products that our shoppers can trust, and that is exactly what Tampa Bay shoppers deserve and are missing,” says Scorpiniti.