Dive Brief:
- Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage reported a 28.1 percent surge in sale in the fourth quarter. Comparable-store sales rose 10.7 percent.
- NGVC, based in Lakewood, Colo., which operates small-format stores specializing in natural and organics, said it plans to add 15 new stores in 2014.
- The only bad news in the earnings report is that margins narrowed slightly on a shift in the sales mix and higher costs related to the relocation of a bulk food packaging center.
Dive Insight:
It seems that NGVC continues to benefit from its focus on consumer education. At a time when the word "natural" has lost its power and the organic craze feels increasingly corporate, NGVC has a distinct approach: free health coaching in every store, ongoing lecture series and its famous "What We Won't Sell and Why" list.
