We’re asking customers to share what they love about their local natural products store. This month, the spotlight shines on one shopper’s experience at New Morning Market in Woodbury, CT.
New Morning Market & Vitality Center has been fostering wellness in the Woodbury community since opening in 1971. The independently owned natural and organic marketplace, which recently celebrated its 50-year anniversary, consciously stocks sustainable products to support a healthy lifestyle, including wholesome prepared foods, local organic produce, special diet items (including keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free), meat raised without antibiotics and hormones, cheeses (with an array of international and locally made artisanal cheeses), quality supplements and healthcare items, giftware (featuring items from local makers within the community as well as artisans from across the globe), and more. Their vision, as outlined on the store’s website: “to become a leader who continually creates an environment that fosters meaningful exchanges of knowledge, services and products to sustain a healthy learning and growing community.”They are succeeding in that vision. Satisfied shopper Eril Eti, Founder of Shopfood.com, shares what he loves about the market: “In addition to working closely with local producers and sourcing farm-fresh dairy products and organic vegetables, what makes New Morning Market unique is that they promote a sense of community and a healthier lifestyle. They offer a VitalityCenter inside their store where customers can get classes from yoga to mediation to cooking and more. They bring customers and local communities together through food and experiences. They also offer online grocery shopping and curbside pickup service to customers who have limited time but want to access organic food without browsing the aisles in-store.”
Social responsibility is also at the heart of everything New Morning does. One popular initiative is “Round-up for a Cause.” How it works: Customers have the opportunity to support the highlighted organization by rounding up their change, and New Morning Market additionally matches all donations up to $500. For the month of January, the market partnered with Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust, which provides environmental education to children, youth and adults.
Another aspect that sets New Morning Market apart from other stores in the area is its commitment to sustainability. A little history from their website: In 2012, New Morning’s fourth and final storefront was built with the ecological footprint of the store’s blueprint factored into every square foot. A defunct bowling alley was torn down, and the store was built on the site using recycled materials, including materials salvaged from the old bowling alley and items reclaimed from a 1792 barn. The site explains: “Environmental consideration is the cornerstone of New Morning Market’s mission and is evident in everything we do—from our community initiatives to our product offerings.”
