As Sprouts debuts, we look at region’s new niche grocery stores
The next generation of grocery stores has arrived in Central Florida with Sprouts Farmers Market set to open Wednesday in Winter Park.
A wave of new brands have entered the region. Earth Fare opened its first Orlando store in the Lake Nona neighborhood last month and Lucky’s Market is on a building spree with its fourth store opening earlier this month in Winter Park.
Don’t confuse these stores with Publix, the most numerous store in Central Florida, or even Walmart, the second largest.
Lucky’s, Sprouts, Earth Fare are niche grocers and not a one-stop shop for all food needs. It’s a category that includes Fresh Market, Whole Foods and even Trader Joe’s, which are looking to take a share of the market away from the traditional supermarket chains.
Walking into all three of these stores may seem like a case of déjà vu because the floorplans are very similar, especially compared to traditional supermarkets that put produce on the sides.
While they do have a lot in common, here’s what makes the newest brands stand apart.
It also has a large percentage of the store dedicated to grab-and-go meals such as sandwiches, meal kits and fresh foods such as steaks, seafood, breads, bagels and soups.
While none of these chains puts top focus on non-perishables, Romero said Sprouts has created a lot of store brand products such as canned beans and pasta sauce.
It’s set to open a second area store in Oviedo next year and Romero said the chain is hoping to build more locations in this region.
Lucky’s Market is taking the Orlando area seriously, with four stores opened since 2016 and another four in the works.
“Florida is actually our biggest region now by the number of stores,” said Lucky’s Founder Bo Sharon at the opening of the Winter Park store Oct. 9.
Boulder, Colo.-based Lucky’s has a fresh-food focus that can compete in price with discounters such as Walmart and Aldi.
Lucky’s stores are slightly more focused on organic produce. It once used the slogan “Organic for the 99 percent.”
Lucky’s also carries bulk spices, flours, baking ingredients, candies and trail mixes, like the other two. Lucky’s is powered by the Kroger’s grocery chain, which took a major stake in the supermarket in 2016 just as the chain started to expand in Florida. handful of aisles for pre-packaged and frozen foods.
Because it carries exclusively organic and GMO-free foods, it doesn’t have the rock-bottom prices of Lucky’s and Sprouts, but still tries to compete on cost with traditional supermarket chains.