I stopped in at Sunflower Farmers Market out on Orange Grove Road the other day only to find a new sign indicating that Sprouts Farmers Market now runs the place. It looks like the other Sunflower locations in Tucson are following suit as well.
Inside, everything seemed calm and like it’s always been, but signs of change were afoot. Employees were donning their new Sprouts gear and signs assured shoppers that while things were going to be somewhat different, there would still be a commitment to quality.
I like the Sunflower/Sprouts model of grocery store, especially when you compare it to just about any other large grocery chain out there. I realize it bears no resemblance to a real farmers’ market – in a way, I don’t think they should even be allowed to call themselves one – but the food and drink selection is far better than at the Super Walmart or Safeway.
But hey, Sprouts, how about setting up a program to sell lots of stuff actually produced in and around Tucson? Maybe even just a section of one aisle where we can find things made by local Tucsonans? And, please put in a growler-filling station like they’ve installed at Whole Foods. Thank you.
This article appears in Aug 9-15, 2012.
We heard an employee at the Speedway store say, “Well, I’d rather be a Sprouts employee than unemployed.”
I fear prices will start to rise, quality will decline. No, I had never been in a former Sprouts store, just Sunflower units. I hope I am wrong.
I sent a letter to Sprouts Corp. regarding the lousy meat labels (you can’t read the price per pound and weight of the product). I complained this to the butchers and they said it’s been very difficult to read the labels themselves, because they have to do inventory everyday. Well…I bought some chicken on Aug 3rd, and using some heavy duty reading glasses, it indicated on the label to use by Aug 7th. It had a funny smell on the next day when I opened the package.
I agree with SonoranWinds, I believe the prices are going to sneak up.
I shop at both (former) Sunflower and Sprouts and I can tell you firsthand that Sprouts prices are lower (sometimes by a lot) and their selection is greater than Sunflower’s. I think you will welcome the change as I have.
Thanks for that reassurance, Craig. When I first heard about the change, never having shopped in a Sprouts myself, I did wonder how the two compared. I really liked Sunflower’s “serious food at silly prices.” I thought they were pretty dead-on with that little slogan!
Thanks, Craig.
I wasn’t looking forward to the change as I’d walked into Sprouts on Oracle before and wasn’t impressed at all. Sure enough, everything went downhill. At first I thought only the new packaging of the deli meats sucks, but so does the content – Black Forest ham and the roast beef are different and horrible. I think I’m done for the most part with this store. It just happens to be on my way, whereas I don’t always feel like going to Trader Joe’s, but I guess I’ll have to.
Now that Sunflower is Sprouts, some organic vegetables are showing up wrapped in plastic on paper trays. Since one of the main reasons for buying organic is to minimize negative environmental impacts this provides the exit for me. The same reason I will not buy produce from Trader Joes, (so much is plastic wrapped). I’ll be switching back to Whole Foods, the Food Coop, and 17th St market where you can but organic food not wrapped in plastic.
Just went in to buy tortillas, and they had only one kind of corn tortilla, $3 for 8… ????
Sprouts carries both capsules & powder bags of Moringa, the “miracle tree” product with multiple vitamins, minerals, amino acid, etc., unparalled by any other natural plant, fruit, vegetable or any combination of natural & lab made vitamin product.