Know Your Farmer

Beer & Cider Tasting at The Annex – Sunday, August 23, 2026

August 6, 2026 by The Natural Grocery Company

Join us on Sunday, August 23, 2pm-5pm and sample IPA, Hazy, Sours, Hefe, Pilsners, Black Lagers, ciders and mead from craft breweries and find your new favorite!

$10 to taste samples from East Brother Brewing, Mare Island Brewing Company, Alvarado Street Brewery, Barrelhouse Brewing Company, Oakland United Beerworks, Barebottle Brewing Company, Berryessa Brewing Company, Headlands Brewing, Temescal Brewing, Farmstead Ciders, Lassen Ciders, & others!

10% discount on any Beer and/or Cider purchase with no minimum purchase required.

If you are 21+, please come join us at The Annex, 10387 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito!

Independence Matters in Organics

July 27, 2026 by The Natural Grocery Company

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.

Touring Norandino: Peruvian Coffee & Cacao Cooperative

July 22, 2026 by The Natural Grocery Company

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 2^nd-level cooperative. They are owned by many 1^st-level cooperatives. When Bob visited there in 2003 he thinks they had over 90 1^st-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 1^st-level cooperatives. 1^st-level cooperatives are usually on the village level, maybe 50 to 200 families.

Norandino

July 11 at 5:30 AM

Hay visitas que se convierten en tradición y amistades que trascienden el tiempo

Algunas relaciones comerciales nacen de un negocio. Las más valiosas nacen de la confianza y se fortalecen con los años.

Con mucha alegría, la Cooperativa Agraria Norandino recibió nuevamente la visita de Robert Gerner, fundador de The Natural Grocery Company de California (EE. UU.), un gran aliado y amigo de nuestra organización que, una vez más, volvió para reencontrarse con el origen de los productos que llegan a los consumidores de su país.

Durante su recorrido por nuestras plantas de panela, café y cacao, Robert pudo conocer los avances de Norandino, compartir con nuestro equipo y reafirmar el compromiso que nos une desde hace muchos años: llevar al mundo productos de alta calidad que nacen del esfuerzo de miles de familias productoras.

La visita fue acompañada por el equipo del Área de Mercado Local, liderado por Maribel Jaramillo, en un espacio de diálogo, intercambio de experiencias y renovación de una alianza basada en la confianza, el comercio justo y el respeto por quienes cultivan la tierra.

Gracias, Robert, por volver a Norandino. Porque cuando un amigo regresa al origen, confirma que las mejores alianzas no solo perduran en el tiempo… también siguen creciendo.

Some visits become tradition and friendships that last a lifetime.

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.

Westbrae Natural Foods – Our Roots

January 30, 2026 by The Natural Grocery Company

Do you remember Westbrae Natural Foods?

On Groundhog Day in 1971, Bob Gerner opened Westbrae Natural Foods at 1336 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA. Later the name was changed to Gilman Street Gourmet, and Bob continued operating it for three years and then sold it. The new owner didn’t work out so in 1982 it became The Berkeley Natural Grocery with Bob and his wife, Patty, at the helm.

Join Bob at Berkeley Natural Grocery on Monday, February 2, 2026, 1pm-3pm, to reminisce, ask questions about those early years and celebrate his 55 years as a leader in the Natural Foods Movement.

A message from our founder:

February 2026 Sales Flyer A (1/28-2/10)

January 28, 2026 by The Natural Grocery Company

February 2026 Sales Flyer A (1/28-2/10) (larger print)

Philippine Chocolate Talk & Tasting – Tuesday, November 18, 2025

November 4, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

Calling all chocolate connoisseurs!

Come learn about Philippine Chocolate at 7pm on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, with The Natural Grocery Company Founder, Bob Gerner.

We will be featuring Auro Chocolate, which is an internationally awarded tree-to-bar chocolate brand that promotes sustainability by working directly with local Filipino farmers.

The name originates from the combination of “Au” which is the chemical symbol of Gold in the periodic table, and “Oro” which is the Filipino and Spanish word for gold.

Auro represents the pursuit to refine Philippine cacao and elevate the lives of local Filipino farmers who are as precious as gold.

One of the most exciting things about single origin chocolate is discovering the unique flavor profile that each bar would be able to offer. A 70% chocolate bar from two different origins could taste entirely different and at times, bars from the same origin can also vary in flavor notes because of the different protocols followed.

Join us to learn about sourcing, processing and quality!

This is a free community event at The Annex, 10387 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94530, (510) 526-5150.

Hoes Down Harvest Festival at Full Belly Farm – October 4, 2025

September 17, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

Over 30 years ago, the Full Belly Farm “Hoes Down Harvest Festival” was started to bring people out to the country and deepen their connection with food and land.

Today, Hoes Down is a festival fundraiser focused on educating people first-hand about the positive impacts of farming. At Hoes Down, guests experience activities like pruning trees, milking a cow, making compost and seasonal cooking. They eat local organic food and dance to the tunes of bluegrass and contra dance with one another. Attendees camp under the stars in their walnut orchard and wake up to a farm fresh breakfast.

Full Belly Farm invites you to join them in celebrating farming and rural living with your two feet in the soil!

Saturday, October 4, 2025

https://www.eco-farm.org/hoes-down

Know Your Farmer: Full Belly Farm

September 16, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

Did you know that organic farming practices can support healtheir soil, ecosystems, and communities?

This organic month, shop healthy produce grown right here in your community at The Natural Grocery Company stores!

We’re proud to partner with Full Belly Farm to bring you a wide variety of locally grown veg and other products like their jams, tea cakes and fresh flower bouquets. Each carrot, onion, or radish was grown sustainably on their organic farm! 🚜

“Full Belly Farm is a certified organic farm located in the beautiful Capay Valley of northern California. We are committed to fostering sustainability on all levels, from fertility in our soil and care for the environment, to stable employment for our farm workers. We strive to be good stewards of this farm, so that this generation and future generations may continue to be nourished by the healthy and vibrant food that we produce. Our farm has been certified organic since 1985, and we strive to continue to support local food systems and create a strong local food economy.”

https://fullbellyfarm.com/

Want to visit and learn more about Full Belly Farm? Attend their Annual Hoes Down Festival on October 4. Information and tickets available at

https://www.eco-farm.org/hoes-down

Mini Wine Tasting at The Annex: Guelbenzu – Thursday, September 11, 2025

August 29, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

Please join us at The Annex, 10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, to taste and learn about Guelbenzu Wines from Spain with Felix Jimenez on Thursday, September 11, 2025, 5pm-6pm. There is a $5 tasting fee and you must be 21+ to participate.

Guelbenzu is a historic winery founded in Navarra in 1851. Guelbenzu won its first international competitions in 1880 and is currently in consideration for the highest quality distinction in Spain – Vino de Pago status. Their location is unique with many climatic influences – the Mediterranean, the Moncayo mountain and the prevailing “Cierzo” wind. Guelbenzu wines gracefully blend native varieties Tempranillo and Graciano with international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

Chocolate Trail Mix Bars Recipe

February 10, 2025 by The Natural Grocery Company

These delicious chocolate trail mix bars are perfect whenever you’re on the go!

Plus, they’re made of pantry staples you probably already have on hand – including oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. And if you don’t have them on hand you know you can get them at our stores!

Chocolate Trail Mix Bars

Makes 8

Total time: 35 Minutes

Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

½ cup trail mix

½ cup mixed roasted nuts, roughly chopped

⅓ cup chocolate chips

½ cup roasted sunflower seeds

¼ cup sesame seeds

¼ cup currants

½ cup honey or brown rice syrup

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter

2 ounces chocolate, chopped

¼ teaspoon avocado oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine oats, trail mix, nuts, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and currants.
Heat peanut butter and honey in a small saucepan and stir until bubbling. Pour over oat mixture and stir until well blended and everything is coated.
Line a 9”x9” baking pan with parchment paper. Add mixture to the pan and with wet hands, press mixture flat.
Bake for 15 minutes. Allow bars to cool before removing from the pan.
Cut into eight bars and place on a cooling rack.
Fill a medium-sized pot with two inches of water and place a heatproof metal or glass mixing bowl on top. You want it to fit snugly without touching the water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the chocolate and avocado oil to the bowl and stir until melted and combined. Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled bars.

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