Apple Crate Naturals: Community, Culture, Family

SARA FULTON-KOERBLING RETAIL MARKETING LEAD

In the 90s, Brenda Harris couldn’t find the natural foods and supplements she was looking for in her community. Like many independent natural food store founders, she saw this gap as an opportunity. After taking business classes at the local community college to get the foundational knowledge of running a business, she opened Apple Crate Naturals in 1997. INFRA Members since 2013, the women at Apple Crate can be seen at in-person events, workshops, tradeshows, and more. I caught up with the three of them in Nashville at an INFRA Marketing Share Group last month where we chatted about product standards, what keeps them motivated, and how they’ve weathered the changes this industry has faced in their 25+ years of operation.

Apple Crate has always been a family affair. Brenda and her daughters, Allison and Emily, are the heart of a family-owned and community-grown mission to provide a space for discovery, education, and support for their neighbors on a quest to live a healthy life.

“As a mother and business owner,” Brenda says, “it’s been such a joy to work alongside my daughters and see them grow and thrive in the business. Allison and Emily grew up in the store and have always been passionate about health and wellness, so it’s been a natural fit for them to join the Apple Crate crew.”

The Apple Crate crew attends events to learn about the latest innovations and to find community with their peers in the industry. With stringent and straightforward product standards, they are armed to make informed decisions when considering new products to bring to their community. From a 100% organic produce department to species-specific meat standards, shoppers at Apple Crate Naturals know that all the fresh food they find within the four walls of the store is nourishing and better for their body and the planet. They also won’t carry products with GMOs or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

“We take our product standards very seriously and are committed to carrying only the highest quality, sustainably sourced products. We research every product thoroughly, looking at the ingredients, sourcing, third party verifications, and manufacturing practices. Non-GMO is a big sticking point for us, in our grocery department especially, but we have customized standards for each department of the store.”

Shoppers can rest easy knowing that Brenda and her team have read the labels and done the research. These clear and specific standards also mean that buyers can walk the show floor at events and zero in on products that their shoppers have come to expect from Apple Crate Naturals. Emily explains how she approaches the show floor:

“When we attend trade shows, we are always on the lookout for new and innovative products that align with our values and meet our high standards. The ‘try before you buy’ aspect of expos is always one of my favorites. We love the opportunity to work deals and ask questions about products directly. We also value the opportunity to connect with other retailers and industry experts, and to stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices.”

Being a family-owned company, they like meeting the folks behind brands to understand the company’s story and values. As consumers value Apple Crate as a community-grown company, they also want the products they buy to come from companies with similar values. As an independent store in their community, they are honored to connect people to products that help them on their health journey. In fact, their tagline is “Connecting people to real food and natural alternatives.” That connection is the foundation of their success.

They say it takes a village, and as amazing as we think Brenda, Allison, and Emily are, they couldn’t do it alone. We chatted about the staffing challenges that many retailers have faced over the past several years and how they foster a culture that keeps their staff and their shoppers happy:

“Creating a positive environment at Apple Crate is so important to us because we didn’t always have it. Being a great place to work takes a lot of work–mostly on yourself. We believe that happy employees lead to happy customers though, so we have worked hard to create a supportive, collaborative workplace culture. We give lots of opportunities for staff to give and get feedback through our quarterly conversations, and we no longer let folks stick around who don’t fit our core values. We also prioritize ongoing training and education for our staff, which helps them feel empowered and invested in the success of the store. The positive impacts of our efforts are evidenced not only in our staff’s smiling faces but in our customers’ feedback as well.”

With the knowledge and experience of over 25 years in the industry, shoppers and employees alike flock to Apple Crate as a positive force in the community. It’s evidenced by long conversations in the aisles in their store and the smiling faces on social media.

“We have certainly seen a lot of changes in the industry over the years, with increased awareness and demand for natural and organic products as well as increased competition,” said Emily Davis. “However, our commitment to providing high-quality, locally sourced products and personalized customer service has remained the same, and we feel it’s what sets us apart from our competition.”

One thing is for sure, Apple Crate Naturals has been a fixture in their Fayetteville, NC community and the independent natural food scene. Brenda, Allison, and Emily will be at the helm for many years to come! Look for them at the INFRA Annual Conference in St. Paul this June. They “always look forward to connecting with our fellow INFRA Retailers and vendors and learning from the amazing lineup of speakers and presenters!”

To learn more about Apple Crate Naturals, visit them online, on Facebook, and on Instagram.