Photos by Michael Piazza

On the eve of Roots Natural Foods’ 20th anniversary, the market is reinventing itself. At the helm, second-generation owner Marieke Cormier is steering the market toward another two decades in business.

Eighteen-plus months into the pandemic, the Leominster-based market, once dominated by ready-to-eat sales, has paused much of its casual dining fare production and turned instead to produce and groceries. While some house-made smoothies, sweets, salads and entrees are available, Cormier and Kevin Williams, her kitchen manager and partner, are reevaluating.

In her 13 years with Roots Natural Foods, Cormier has strived to set the market apart—not just as a resource for fresh produce and hearty, healthy meals but as an oasis in a community she calls “a mecca for fast food.”

Cormier’s mother, Ellen Jonkers, market founder, remains at the top of the staff list on the “About Us” webpage a decade after her passing. In Cormier’s words, her mother’s goal was to feed and heal the community. After spending time studying in Alaska, Cormier returned to build on her mother’s foundation honoring her dedication to natural foods and the local community.

With a staff of 33 in 2019, Cormier and Williams had established a thriving clientele driven by their juice bar and casual-dining fare. Williams summarizes the kitchen’s mission as “organic always.” Cormier chimes in, adding: “The line was out the door every day.”

Affectionately known as “the captain,” in managing the market Cormier consistently turns to the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association. A group of 300 independent retailers, INFRA members communicate via listserv email—a resource she has turned to, been inspired by and helped strengthen.

At the onset of the pandemic, Cormier explains, Seattle-based INFRA members were detailing their experiences with the virus in one of the first viral hotspots for COVID-19 in the United States, so “we already knew what to do.”

COVID brought ups and downs to Roots Natural Foods. Like many retailers, Cormier and Williams faced a hard decision. Twenty-five staff were let go as the pandemic resulted in weeks-long quarantining and shop closures. On-site dining transitioned to between 60 and 80 curbside orders per day, navigation of distribution became an ongoing challenge and five weeks of road construction resulted in lost sales.

“We pivoted our business model to bear the storm,” says Cormier, and, “because we’re small, we could turn the ship pretty fast.”

While the pair chose to shut down much of the pre-pandemic offerings, Cormier says the decision “stabilized [the market] for the future” and continues to provide a solid profit during the ongoing economic uncertainty rocking the industry.

Along with the return of the fan favorite pumpkin pie smoothie, Cormier and Williams are excited to debut new products and services in the coming months. Expect the return of catering and holiday meals as well as yoga classes and a cookbook.

Hopeful for the future, Cormier says: “We have to figure out how to do the things that sustain our creativity while also meeting the needs of the business.”

rootsnaturalfoods.com

This story appeared in the Fall 2021 issue.