Natural food supermarket Planet Organic Health has opened its first store in Calgary to capitalize on increasing consumer demand, it said this week. The 10,824-square-foot store is the company's third organic and natural foods supermarket.
"We're on track with our strategic plan to build Planet Organic into a corporation with annual sales of C$50 million in five to seven years," said CEO and president Mark Craft. "We have the foundation of revenue earnings and shareholder value that will allow us to continue a carefully-staged consolidation in the natural food industry, like the profitable consolidations in other sectors."
Craft said that consumers are increasingly concerned about pesticides, damaging agro-chemicals, genetically modified food and food additives.
"At the same time, they want tasty, wholesome and organic food - and they are growing tired of shopping in sterile warehouses or small independent stores that lack selection."
The Planet Organic Market has an in-store bakery, a deli and offers a range of specialty foods including wheat-free, dairy-free and low-fat salads, entrees and desserts. There is also a wide selection of prairie pulses and grains, organic groceries, supplements and aromatherapy, said the company.
Planet Organic opened its first store in early 2002 in Edmonton.It has since acquired Capers Community Market in Victoria from Colorado-based Wild Oats Markets, apparently raising combined revenues of the two stores to nearly C$7 million a year. The opening of the Calgary store is expected to increase Planet Organic's revenues by about 30 per cent.
A fourth store in Western Canada is planned for later this year, as part of the goal to open up to 20 stores in the next five years.