EatWell gives Schnuck Markets ‘a great learning platform’

St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets is targeting customers prioritizing health and wellness, natural and organic foods, and “the occasional splurge” with its new “EatWell, A Natural Food Store by Schnucks” concept.

The 42,000-square-foot EatWell store, opened June 24 in Columbia, Mo., in a former Lucky’s Market location, offers a mix of better-for-you and locally sourced products along with an array of prepared foods and beverages that customers can take home or enjoy on-site as they shop.

Among the EatWell store’s highlights are grass-fed beef, sustainable seafood cooked in-store, deli meat that’s fresh-roasted in the store, and fresh-squeezed juices and infused waters. Also, customers shopping at the store can drink a local draft beer, root beer, kombucha, glass of wine, specialty coffee or other beverage whipped up by the on-site barista, as well as get lunch or dinner at the sushi & ramen bar and counters for fresh-made pizza and made-to-order sandwiches.

Departments and services in EatWell include bakery, bulk foods, a cheese shop, dairy, deli, floral, frozen foods, grocery, liquor, meat and seafood, natural living and, of course, fresh produce.

“It is not the first time that we’ve launched a specialty store concept. Over our history, we have experimented and tried different formats. I would point to our Culinaria store in downtown St. Louis, which has more of a foodservice orientation, and you can do your full [grocery] shop,” Schnuck Markets Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck said in an interview. “Going back over the years, we did some warehouse stores. And back in the mid-1970s, when we went from a traditional supermarket to a combination food and drug store. So experimenting and trying new things is really in our DNA.”

Related:Podcast: Schnuck Markets CEO Todd Schnuck says EatWell hits the spot

Though EatWell focuses primarily on natural and organic products, Schnuck noted that the store also carries a selection of traditional groceries to help provide a more convenient shopping experience.

“One thing that we did was add some traditional product, because it was our understanding after talking to the teammates in the store that customers would come in and be looking for something like Cheerios or Campbell’s mushroom soup that they could use in a green bean casserole, or something like that,” he explained. “But we were very judicious in choosing products. I actually reviewed every shelf set myself to make sure that we were being true to the natural food store concept.”