Know Crunchy

Who is The Crunchy Grocer™? Why did you open your awesome store?

The Crunchy Grocer is Northern Colorado’s emancipated food market™. We provide the highest quality, clean, organic food, supplements, and personal care products in the area.

The Crunchy Grocer was opened because local bellies were hungry for healthy, safe, pure whole foods and ingredients. At a time when our nation’s conventional food system is suspect – and large, corporate natural grocery stores aren’t always what they seem – we are a trustworthy source for shoppers looking for only clean, nutritious foods free of GMOs, preservatives, artificial additives, and other "dirty words."

What do you mean by “emancipated”?

The Crunchy Grocer is an emancipated food market™ because we are independent, locally-owned, and free of restrictions placed on other natural food markets by their corporate leaders and board of directors. We challenge the corporate and industrial food system with affordable, organic clean food that’s grown, raised, and made by trustworthy people.

We embrace the word “emancipated” because it reflects our crunchy values. We choose to work with local vendors, small artisan companies, and regional partners because we want to know where our food products come from and what’s in them. You can’t do that very effectively if your hands are constrained by corporate policies or practices that focus on the financial bottom line rather than on customers.

What does it mean to be “Crunchy”?

Everyone seems to have their own definition of “crunchy,” but we believe it describes people who live consciously and in harmony with their environment through their choices in food, eco-friendly practices, and general lifestyle.

Some other great crunchy things we like: nut butter, quinoa, kombucha, leafy greens, coconut oil, tinctures, juicers, bulk bins, reusable shopping bags, recycling and up-cycling, composting, shopping local, acoustic guitars and outdoor concerts, backyard chicken coops, hand-knit hats and scarves, used books, school and community gardens, open minds and open hearts, great friends and family.

Why should I choose to shop at The Crunchy Grocer? Is it more awesome than other natural food stores or conventional grocery stores?

Our fresh, clean, organic food is certainly one reason to shop at The Crunchy Grocer. We’ve also devoted considerable time and effort investigating our vendors’ ingredients, quality, production, and distribution practices to ensure only safe, clean, natural items line our shelves and fill our refrigerators. Our competitors can’t all claim this same dedication to examining labels and communicating to their customers, and some of these stores are still many years away from having their shelves fully labeled.

You could also choose The Crunchy Grocer because of the convenience of shopping locally, and knowing the Crunchy Ambassadors (a.k.a our employees) like your own friends. Or, you might even point to our competitive prices -- we continue to negotiate great deals with our vendors and pass that along to you.

But, equally important is our dedication to cultivating a community invested in natural health and wellness where you can learn, share, and shop. We believe our business is personal and our customers are an extension of our own family (minus any sibling rivalry or family squabbles during the holidays, of course).

What’s the deal with GMOs?

That’s a dirty word. GMOs are “genetically modified organisms.” These are plants or animals – used throughout our nation’s food supply – created through gene splicing, genetic engineering (GE) and other experimental technology. This results in unstable, Frankenstein-like organisms that don’t occur in nature.

It’s risky to your body – and to the environment – to have foods containing GMOs:
•Shown to cause allergies in some people
•Reduce the efficacy of antibiotic medications in our bodies
•May have contributed to the rise in autoimmune diseases and gastrointestinal problems in the U.S.
•Puts the safety, quality, and reliance of our food supply at risk
•May encourage increased use of pesticides and herbicides to treat crops
•Lack of labeling requirements means consumers aren’t aware of foods containing GMOs

Avoiding foods containing GMOs is a fundamental practice at The Crunchy Grocer and drives what we choose to bring into the store. We offer mostly items that are free of GMOs, many which are “Non-GMO Project Verified.” The Non-GMO Project is a wealth of useful information about GMOs, efforts to require labeling, and more. You can visit their website at www.nongmoproject.org.

Are your products organic?

All of our fresh & frozen produce and herbs are certified organic or are grown by local farmers following strict organic practices. The majority of the other food products in our store - including our bulk bins - are also organic. The remaining products are all-natural, where "natural" actually means natural.

Choosing organic products is also a great step in avoiding GMOs. Look for products labeled “Certified Organic” and “Non-GMO Project Verified” for the safest, healthiest foods.

Do you label your food products?

We believe in label transparency! Our customers can rest assured that our food items have been investigated thoroughly to ensure that only safe and all-natural items are on our shelves and in our refrigerators. We don’t stock conventional food items.

In this practice, we are way ahead of our competitors who are still developing plans for labeling their store shelves.

If we are not able to find a suitable organic or non-GMO product to fill a category need in our store, then we’ll choose the healthiest option and label it accordingly. Label transparency = informed consumer decisions.

I hear the phrase “clean food.” What does that mean? Is eating clean just a trend?

Clean food describes items that go beyond what the government and USDA deems “safe” and “organic.” Clean food is frequently locally-sourced and in-season to reflect premium quality and freshness. Clean foods retain more of their nutritional density, and therefore, are healthier for you to consume.

“Eating clean” is not a passing trend, a short-lived fad, or the name of a super-cool garage band. It’s a choice to eat and cook with foods that are whole, unprocessed (or minimally-processed), unrefined, and generally free of unnecessary additives and preservatives. Look for foods labeled “organic” and “no GMOs” when you seek out clean foods.