Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has been named 2025 Retailer of the Year by Store Brands, recognising the US grocer’s continued expansion of its private-label range and its focus on affordable, health-led products.
The award was announced on December 29 and reflects the retailer’s private-label performance throughout 2025, a year marked by steady range growth across food, household, body care and wellness categories.
Natural Grocers operates 168 stores across 21 US states and positions its own-brand offer as a core part of its value proposition, under its Always Affordable pricing model.
During 2025, the retailer introduced a wide mix of new private-label products, including organic household cleaners, organic pasta, skincare items and seasonal lines. Products are developed to meet the company’s internal quality standards, which vary by category but include non-GMO, pasture-based, cruelty-free and environmentally responsible sourcing requirements.
Private label has been a strategic focus for the business since the launch of the Natural Grocers Brand in 2016. The range has since grown to more than 900 items, sold exclusively through the chain’s own stores.
Alongside range expansion, Natural Grocers continues to position transparency and customer education as part of its own-label strategy. In-store nutrition coaching, shelf signage, sampling activity and digital education content are used to explain sourcing choices and product standards to shoppers.
Looking ahead, the retailer plans further private-label expansion in 2026, with new lines expected in dairy, frozen foods and body care. These products will be rolled out across existing stores and new locations scheduled to open next year.
The Retailer of the Year award is run by Store Brands, a leading global media title covering private label and own-brand strategy. The programme recognises retailers that demonstrate consistency, innovation and alignment between brand values and commercial execution.
For Natural Grocers, the recognition underlines how private label continues to support differentiation in a competitive US grocery market, particularly as shoppers look for affordable products without compromising on perceived quality or standards.
Why It Matters
Private label is no longer just a margin lever. For US grocers like Natural Grocers, own-brand ranges are increasingly used to signal trust, transparency and long-term value, especially in health-focused categories where shoppers scrutinise ingredients and sourcing more closely.
Editor’s note: Based on company announcement and Store Brands award information.
