North Texas Daily

Trent Johnson
Senior Staff Writer

Denton welcomed Natural Grocers on Tuesday, a new grocery store that brings another option for healthy eating as well as an alternative to the local organic store, Cupboard Natural Foods and Café.

The store, located at 110 W. University Drive, gives Denton residents and UNT students an opportunity to purchase organic and natural foods, various supplements, gluten-free products and pet food.

“Natural Grocers knows this is a healthy city,” store manager Bryan Kirkham said. “There’s a lot of bike riding, running and a lot of working out, so residents are into a healthy lifestyle.”

The store’s roots go back to Golden, Colo. with Margret and Philip Isely, Kirkham said. The duo used to bring organic food door-to-door, and the concept expanded from there.

They now have a nutrition coach and demonstration kitchen in each store, where customers can participate in free consultations and learn how to make healthy meals.

“We are big on education,” Kirkham said. “We just want to be active in the community.”

Now that the organic food store has opened in Denton, residents will now have various options on where to purchase organic foods including Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger and Cupboard.

With the growth of Denton in recent years, competition was inevitable as the need for healthy food continues to grow, Cupboard general manager Paul Tannis said.

“We know that there is enough room for more than one natural grocery store in town,” Tannis said. “We pride ourselves on being part of the community.”

The main difference between the two organic-focused stores is that Cupboard is locally owned and Natural Grocers is a chain. Cupboard’s main selling point is a deli where customers can order various items, while Natural Grocers offers a broader selection of products.

UNT students already see the choices as a positive trend, as various stores give them multiple options.

“I think having Natural Grocers is definitely helpful for students,” sociology junior Hannah Armstrong said. “It gives us the opportunity to price match, which is a must when shopping.”

Both stores stress the importance of healthy eating. Through competition, each business hopes to give Denton residents more choice in choosing where they purchase their organic products.

“I think long term, having Natural Grocers here is a good thing,” Tannis said. “More exposure to this sort of thing will help change people’s patterns in eating.”