2024 Natural Grocers Sustainability Report

1958 | The first brick and mortar store opened in Denver, CO and was called “The Builder’s Foundation”

1980-81 | Margaret was president of the Rocky Mountain Regional division of the National Nutritional Foods Association. This position included organizing local trade shows, and lobbying to protect the right to access vitamins and supplements that

1955 | Founders Margaret and Philip

1963 | The Iselys converted a cottage-style house into their new store, inspiring the name change from “The Builder’s Foundation” to “Vitamin Cottage”

Isely went door-to-door selling whole-grain bread and loaning out books on nutrition to help educate and spread the joys of healthy living to neighbors in Golden, CO

1974 | Opened second location in East Denver

support health and wellbeing.

ORGANIZATIONAL MILESTONES

1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s

Margaret spearheaded a grass-roots letter writing campaign that secured the passage of the Proxmire Amendment, legislation that was key to preserving access to dietary supplements

We started pre-packing all bulk foods and refrigerating select bulk (nuts, seeds, and flours) to ensure quality, cleanliness, and freshness Nutrition Education was one of the core founding principles of the business— the Iselys taught the community that nutrition was an essential building block for excellent health

PRODUCT

STANDARDS

Formal Nutrition Education program established

1950s–2000s | Minimum standard cage free 2016–Present | Minimum standard free range

EGGS

NUTRITION

EDUCATION

6

NATURAL GROCERS ® | SUSTAINABILITY REPORT