A national chain market offering products different from a typical grocery store will debut in Middletown on Friday, Dec. 6.
The second Sprouts Farmers Market in Delaware opens at 431 Middletown Warwick Road, next to Target, joining the state’s first Sprouts, now 4 years old, near the Concord Mall in Brandywine Hundred.
At about 23,000 square feet, the Middletown Sprouts specializes in fresh fruits and vegetables along with a variety of healthy food and snack brands you won’t find in most supermarkets including a wide selection of organic, gluten-free and non-GMO items along with plant-based replacements for meat and dairy items. While you can still buy milk and ground beef, you're likely to see selections labeled “100% grass fed.”
The company doesn’t carry the top-selling food and drink brands.
“We bring to market the latest and greatest in delicious foods, better-for-you options and surprising treats. That means no Coke, Pepsi or Cheerios,” said Courtney Schrauben Haik, Sprouts senior public relations specialist.
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Examples include organic sweet potato blueberry banana smart bars by CereBelly and organic Thai lemon rice by Tasty Bite.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Sprouts employs about 33,000 team members at over 420 stores in 24 states, but with a farm-stand heritage, the company’s focus is still on fruits and vegetables.
“We’re known for the season’s freshest, most delicious produce around, and take extra care in curating attribute-driven healthy products to fit any lifestyle,” Schrauben Haik said.
Across the country, Sprouts partners with local farmers. The Middletown market will be working with growers including Fifer Orchards and JIM Rash Watermelons.
Many of the fruits and vegetables have signs with information about the farmer such as apples from “a fourth generation family-owned farm in Milton, New York.”
“Shopping here is an experience,” said store manager Nick DiIenno, who grew up in the Pike Creek area. “We’re always bringing in new products. We have an innovation table with new items, and you can always sample an item before you buy it.”
At the deli department, you can order a sandwich in addition to sliced meats and cheeses. The carry-out meal section has individual and family-sized portions to cook or just heat up that have been prepared in the store.
Sprouts has a bakery section including a variety of breads and an area with old-fashioned bulk items you scoop yourself, some in wooden barrels, like nuts, candy and dried fruit.
The store also has a large wellness section with vitamins, supplements, oils, aromatherapy items and skin care products, most with all-natural ingredients.
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Giving back to the community and helping the environment
Company leaders said their team is committed to the environment and operating the business in a way that reduces its carbon footprint, limits natural resource use and diverts waste from landfills.
Through the Sprouts Food Rescue program, the store will donate groceries that are no longer fit for sale but remain perfectly edible and nutrient-rich to the Food Bank of Delaware.
Customers are encouraged to bring in their own reusable bags, but the stores do sell reusable bags for 10 cents.
Sprouts estimates it has recycled 1.4 million pounds of plastic bags and plastic film and has avoided using 130 million single-use bags.
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Middletown Mayor Ken Branner said Sprouts Farmers Market will be helping the town in two important ways.
“This new addition to our community not only provides access to fresh, healthy food options but also creates job opportunities for our residents,” Branner said.
The store employs about 80 workers.
During the opening celebration Dec. 6-8, a “pop-up party” out front will give guests the chance to taste seasonal produce and enter a “guess the weight” contest of an oversized fruit or vegetable.
Shoppers who text “TOWN” to 777-688 will receive 20% off their purchase over the grand opening weekend when they scan their app account barcode at checkout.
The store is also giving away a $500 Sprouts gift card on the Sprouts website on the Middletown store page.
Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business news. Reach him at [email protected].