Sprouts Farmers Market coming to Winter Park

A new healthy farmers market concept from Arizona is sprouting up in Winter Park.

Sprouts Farmers Market is coming soon to the shopping plaza at the corner of Aloma and Lakemont avenues that once housed a Whole Foods.

The market is known for providing healthy options at an affordable price, Sprouts spokesman Diego Romero said.

“Our produce is 20 to 25% less than at a conventional grocer,” Romero said. “You’ll find sales across the store. We really consider ourselves the healthy grocery store for the everyday shopper. … On any given day, a third of our store is on a promotion.”

But Sprouts offers more than just low prices, Romero said. The location will feature a butcher shop with fresh meat that’s never frozen, as well as a wide selection of gourmet cheeses, ready-to-eat meals, and natural vitamins and supplements.

But the real draw is the selection of produce, Romero said.

“We really flip the grocery model by dedicating about a quarter of our store to fresh produce right in the center of the store,” Romero said. “We take a different approach by focusing on fresh, natural organic foods and more better-for-you brands.”

The Sprouts concept first started in 2002 in Chandler, Arizona. It was founded by the Boney family, who had a produce business in San Diego. Starting from just a single fruit stand, the concept has grown all the way to the East Coast of the U.S. with 275 stores in 15 states.

Sprouts recently opened its first locations in Florida last year in the Tampa area. The Winter Park store will be the first location in Central Florida.

Winter Park Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Betsy Gardner Eckbert said she’s heard plenty of buzz about Sprouts coming to Winter Park.

“I think the more entries in that market, the better it is for everybody to get cost-effective, sustainably-sourced, quality healthy food,” Gardner Eckbert said. “You look at the Trader Joe’s parking lot on a Sunday, and you know there’s a need for more entries into this space.”