What's natural, anyway? e operators, and their customers,
"natural" describes a class of food products made from
ingredients that are as toxin-free, additive-free and as
unadulterated possible. Natural foods include organically grown
produce; grocery products in environmentally friendly packaging,
and hormone-free and antibiotic-free meat, poultry and seafood.
Many bulk foods are also in the natural category. The natural
food products are offered in stores of either the full
supermarket or smaller variety. Stores of more than 10,000
square feet tend to be classified as supermarkets. Industry
sources estimate there are fewer than 100 natural food
supermarkets in the nation. The vast majority of natural food
stores are of the smaller mom-and-pop variety. Nonetheless, four
major natural supermarket chains have emerged. They are: Whole
Foods Market, Austin, Texas, with 35 stores, consisting of 18
Whole Foods stores in Texas, Louisiana, northern California,
Illinois and Michigan; seven Bread & Circus units in Mass