Native Sun Natural Foods Market 10000 San Jose Blvd., 260-6950 11030 Baymeadows Road, 260-2791
When Native Sun Natural Foods Market opened in 2006, there weren’t a lot of local companies and farms from which to source, explains owner Aaron Gottlieb. Now there are a wealth of choices. “[Native Sun] uses the local foods in our deli and juice bar, but not exclusively. If kale is all coming from our local farm, then it is being used in the deli and juice bar. If local grouper is bought in seafood, then we use it in the hot bar. So, local is all over our store,” Gottlieb explains. Some of the suppliers include Shakti Life Kitchen, The Present Moment Café, Bold Bean Coffee Roasters, Bold City Brewery, Wainwright Dairy, local pasture eggs, Hoover Farms, KYV Farms, Spring Song Organic Farm, Cowboy Meats, Flat Creek Cheese, Life’s Healthy Pleasures cookies and Sweet Water Coffee. Shrimp and seafood are sourced locally when available. Native Sun’s two locations carry only 100 percent organic produce, preferring to offer chemical- and pesticide residue-free items. All meat, fresh or frozen, is free of nitrates and nitrites, preservatives found in processed meats. GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are prohibited from all products. The same goes for growth hormones, high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners.
Christopher’s Take Out & Catering 2021 St. Augustine Road, Ste. 8, 396-0330
Christopher Holmes, a recent graduate of the Art Institute of Jacksonville’s culinary school, models his lunch service after the Slow Food concept. He wants to create quality carry-out and pre-cooked dinners for today’s busy lifestyles. “Not everyone has the time to cook or the budget to go out every night.” Holmes grows his own organic collard greens and most of his fresh herbs, some of which are planted right outside the restaurant’s front door. “I really like the fact that guests can see the freshness when they walk in,” he says. The greens are grown at home, sans pesticides. “I grow items that I enjoy and incorporate them into my recipes. What is most important to me are quality ingredients at an affordable price.” By using his own sustainably grown ingredients, he stays more in control of quality and taste. “As soon as you bite into a dish using fresh herbs, you can immediately taste it.” He says the quality from local farmers is superior and lasts longer than grocery chain produce. By supporting the Beauclerc Village Arts & Farmers Market in Mandarin and Riverside Arts Market, he says he feels better connected to the ingredients and farmers. SEPTEMBER 25-OCTOBER 1, 2012 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 17