Atlanta’s natural foods retail market reflects the city’s diverse and health-oriented consumer base, encompassing dedicated natural food cooperatives, specialty grocery stores, international markets with extensive natural products sections, and chains that have made natural and organic mainstream across the metro area. The natural foods segment in Atlanta has grown substantially over the past two decades as awareness of food ingredients, agricultural practices, and nutritional content has expanded beyond the early adopter community into the mainstream Atlanta shopper population. Georgia’s direct agricultural connection, including local farms, seasonal produce, and Georgia-made artisan food products, gives Atlanta natural food retailers a distinctly regional quality alongside national brand offerings.
When choosing a natural foods store in Atlanta, look for stores that can clearly articulate their product standards and what they exclude from their shelves. True natural foods retailers typically prohibit artificial colors, artificial flavors, synthetic preservatives, and other specified additives, and the best stores can provide written ingredient standards upon request. Assess the quality of bulk food sections, the turnover rate of produce, and the depth of refrigerated natural and organic product selections. Staff who can discuss specific brands, compare ingredient lists, and explain the practical differences between natural and organic claims provide meaningfully more value than standard grocery store employees.
Top Natural Foods Store Companies in Atlanta
1. Your DeKalb Farmers Market
Address: 3000 E Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 377-6400
Website: https://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com
Hours: Monday through Sunday 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Services:
- Natural and organic produce from around the world
- Natural bulk foods including grains, nuts, and spices
- Organic and natural meats and seafood
- Natural dairy and specialty cheeses
- Fresh baked goods and prepared foods
- Natural and organic international specialty products
About: Your DeKalb Farmers Market has operated for over 43 years as one of Atlanta’s most beloved and distinctive food destinations, spreading across 140,000 square feet in Decatur with an extraordinary selection of natural, organic, and international food products. The market imports directly from many regions of the world and maintains buying relationships that allow it to stock natural products that are unavailable at standard Atlanta supermarkets. Its bulk foods department offers one of the most extensive natural grain, legume, nut, seed, and spice selections in the Southeast, supporting natural foods cooking at every level of complexity. The market’s prepared foods section, juice bar, and in-house bakery make it a destination as much as a shopping stop.
2. Sevananda Natural Foods Market
Founded: 1974
Address: 467 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
Phone: (404) 681-2831
Website: https://sevananda.coop
Hours: Monday through Sunday 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Services:
- Consumer-owned natural foods cooperative
- Natural and organic bulk herbs and spices
- Local and organic produce
- Natural vitamins and supplements
- Vegan prepared foods
- Cooperative membership program
About: Sevananda Natural Foods Market was founded in October 1974 as a consumer cooperative in Little Five Points, making it one of Atlanta’s oldest and most historically significant natural foods retailers. As a fully vegan market carrying no meat for human consumption, Sevananda occupies a unique niche in Atlanta’s natural foods ecosystem, serving the city’s plant-based eating community alongside traditional natural foods buyers. The store’s bulk herbs and spices section is among the most comprehensive in metro Atlanta, supporting everything from everyday cooking to herbal health practices. Member-owners of the cooperative participate in governance and share in the store’s mission of providing access to natural, minimally processed foods in an Intown Atlanta community context.
3. Sprouts Farmers Market
Address: 1845 Piedmont Ave, Atlanta, GA 30324
Phone: (404) 751-0605
Website: https://www.sprouts.com
Services:
- Natural and organic fresh produce
- Natural vitamins, supplements, and herbs
- Natural bulk foods
- Natural meat, seafood, and dairy
- Natural personal care and cleaning products
- Weekly natural produce sales
About: Sprouts Farmers Market has made natural and organic food accessible to a broader Atlanta consumer base since its entry into the Georgia market, positioning itself as a natural foods store that delivers on both quality and value. The company’s mission, stated at its 2002 founding, was to make natural foods accessible to everyone at a time when natural grocers were either too expensive or too hard to find for most consumers. The Piedmont Avenue Atlanta location serves health-conscious shoppers from the surrounding neighborhoods with a farmers market atmosphere and pricing structure that makes natural eating a practical daily choice rather than an occasional splurge. Sprouts’ extensive natural supplement and body care sections complement its grocery offering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between natural and organic labels at Atlanta food stores?
A: The USDA regulates the organic label with a specific certification standard that prohibits synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, and other inputs. The natural label on food products carries no regulatory definition in the United States and can be applied to products that contain artificial ingredients in some circumstances. Natural foods stores in Atlanta that maintain genuine ingredient standards typically define their own exclusion lists that are more rigorous than what the unregulated natural label requires. Asking a store specifically what ingredients they prohibit is more informative than relying on the natural label alone.
Q: What types of products do Atlanta natural food stores carry beyond groceries?
A: Atlanta natural food stores typically carry vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, homeopathic remedies, natural personal care products, natural cleaning supplies, and household goods alongside their grocery offerings. Sevananda has an extensive supplements section alongside its grocery cooperative. Sprouts dedicates a substantial portion of its floor space to vitamins and natural body care. Your DeKalb Farmers Market specializes primarily in food but carries a notable selection of natural specialty items in its international products department.
Q: How do natural food stores in Atlanta compare in price to conventional grocery stores?
A: Natural food stores typically price 10 to 40 percent above conventional grocery equivalents, with the gap varying by product category. Bulk buying at stores like Sevananda and Your DeKalb reduces per-unit cost for staple items like grains, nuts, and spices. Sprouts’ weekly sale program regularly brings natural and organic produce prices to levels competitive with conventional grocery stores. For shoppers transitioning to natural foods, starting with the categories where ingredient quality matters most, such as produce, meat, and dairy, and buying conventional for lower-priority items manages the cost transition effectively.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s natural foods store landscape offers residents genuine choices across format, price point, and community character, from the historic cooperative model at Sevananda Natural Foods in Little Five Points to the international scope of Your DeKalb Farmers Market in Decatur and the accessible value of Sprouts on Piedmont. Each store brings a distinct approach to making natural foods available to the Atlanta community. Visit them directly or contact them to learn about bulk buying programs, cooperative membership, and current sales.