Independently owned, organic grocery store. Our Annex serves prepared foods and offers a selection of wine and beer. Our florists are here to help you with fresh local cuts and dried bouquets.
Independence matters.
Not only are we proud to be an independent retailer, we’re also proud to carry countless independent organic brands.
Thanks to the @cornucopiainstitute “Who Owns Organic” list, you can choose to shop brands that align with your values. Here are a few of our favorites:
Alvarado Street Bakery
Organic Valley
Bionaturae
Brew Dr.
Cult Crackers
Equal Exchange
Dr Bronners
Nixie
Pick up a Cornucopia “Who Owns Organic” Booklet in our stores or visit their website to learn more.
Our founder, Bob Gerner, recently returned from a tour of Peruvian Co-op Norandino. He went with Josué, who was a barista in The Annex, his wife Natali as well as Bob’s goddaughter, Yuliana.
Norandino supplies Equal Exchange with coffee as well as many of our chocolate brands with cacao. They sell to many manufacturers and importers. They are located in the northern Peruvian city and province of Piura.
The Natural Grocery Company has carried their coffee through Equal Exchange since the 1990s. In 2003 they hosted Bob for a week on a coffee farm in the village of Coyona. They also hosted one of our customers, who won our 25th anniversary contest of a trip to Peru in 2007.
They are what is known as a 2nd-level cooperative. They are owned by many 1st-level cooperatives. When Bob visited there in 2003 he thinks they had over 90 1st-level cooperatives in their organization. Each cooperative has one vote, and they elect the President of Norandino. Norandino is more of a marketing and processing cooperative and provides funding and organic services for the 1st-level cooperatives. 1st-level cooperatives are usually on the village level, maybe 50 to 200 families.
Hay visitas que se convierten en tradición y amistades que trascienden el tiempo
Some business relationships are born from a shared business. The most valuable ones are born from trust and grow stronger over the years.With great joy, the Norandino Agricultural Cooperative once again received a visit from Robert Gerner, founder of The Natural Grocery Company in California (USA), a great ally and friend of our organization who once again returned to reconnect with the origin of the products that reach consumers in his country.During his tour of our panela, coffee, and cocoa plantations, Robert was able to learn about the progress of Norandino, share experiences with our team, and reaffirm the commitment that has been between us for many years: to bring high-quality products that come from the effort of thousands of producer families.The visit was accompanied by the Local Market Team, led by Maribel Jaramillo, in a space of dialogue, exchange of experiences, and renewal of a partnership based on trust, fair trade, and respect for those who cultivate the land.Thank you, Robert, for coming back to Norandino. Because when a friend returns to the origin, it confirms that the best alliances not only last over time… they also continue to grow.
Independent Doesn’t Mean Alone!
One of our team members from The Natural Grocery Company is learning lots this week at the INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailer Association) Annual Conference!
We can’t wait for them to come back with ways to serve you better. Best of all? We’ve got exciting new products coming soon from INFRA’s show deals!
Thanks for a great week!
Photo from INFRA
The Cornucopia Institute’s Independent Organic Brand List is your roadmap to consumer choice.
Indie or industry? We’re partnering with The Cornucopia Institute to bring you the scoop on organic brands. Join the movement to celebrate the value of independence. As an informed shopper, you can strengthen the marketplace and pave the way for tomorrow’s top brands. Learn more here:
https://www.cornucopia.org/independent-organic-brands/ or pick up a free booklet in our stores.
Berkeley Natural Grocery
8:30am – 6:30pm
El Cerrito Natural Grocery
8:30am – 6:30pm
The Annex
7:30am – 6:30pm
We definitely believe that World Fair Trade Day is an occasion to be celebrated. After all, it helps to create a more ethical world!
The Fair Trade movement campaigns to improve the lives of workers and small producers, especially those within developing economies, by asserting their rights and raising their visibility within international trade.
World Fair Trade Day was started by the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) in 2002, though the WFTO itself came into existence 15 years earlier, in 1989.
WFTO is a global association of 324 organizations in over 70 countries, and World Fair Trade Day takes place on the second Saturday of May of each year, and it is an inclusive worldwide festival of events celebrating Fair Trade as a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty and exploitation, climate change and the economic crisis that has the greatest impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations.
If you want to take part in this special day, researching the work conditions of people around the world would be a good place to start, just so you can get a general idea about how some people are forced to live. You are likely to be shocked at how the things you enjoy on an everyday basis are made, but awareness is the first step towards making any kind of change.
When workers are paid fairly, they and their families are able to lead better lives. Everyone benefits because there is a fairer and healthier world. It helps to open our eyes to some of the injustices in the world so that we can all fight to do better.
Start with today and make the simple but effective promise to only buy certified Fair Trade products whenever possible, thereby giving your hard-earned money to only those companies that truly care about the well-being of those less fortunate.
🌟 Calling all El Cerrito friends, family, and neighbors! 🌟
The Natural Grocery Company is proud to be part of this amazing city, and we’d be honored to be recognized in the Best of El Cerrito 2025 awards!
If you love what we do, please consider nominating us by visiting the ballot link below. Whether it is for our Grocery Store or The Annex, please let us know if you like what we are doing!
Your support helps shine a spotlight on the people and businesses that make El Cerrito such a special place.
👉 https://www.elcerritochamber.org/best-of-ec
Let’s put El Cerrito on the map together! 💛
We have an exciting announcement! Starting on January 1, 2025, we’ll be changing our monthly sales to a more dynamic sale period, with two sales a month instead of one! This change means that you’ll get even more opportunities to save on your favorite natural foods products.
Stay tuned for updates! Sign up for our email newsletter to stay informed about our upcoming sales and promotions.
Don’t procrastinate on securing the main attraction of your Christmas feast!
Pre-order your turkey, ham or roast ASAP!
How? Call or come in! Order from the location you want to pick up from!
Turkeys, Hams & Roasts Available for Pre-Order at Berkeley
Berkeley 510-526-2456
Turkeys, Hams & Roasts Available for Pre-Order at El Cerrito
El Cerrito 510-526-1155
Turkeys arrive the Friday before Christmas (12/20/24) and will be ready for pick-up beginning Saturday, December 21, 2024.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from The Natural Grocery Company!
