Victoria-based Pomme, a natural and organic grocery chain, now has an Island location.
Pomme, which operates two locations on the Lower Mainland, has acquired Nanaimo-based Island Natural Markets.
“It’s a beautiful store and there’s a great team there and we are really excited to have them join the Pomme family,” said Pomme co-founder Rasool Rayani.
Island Natural was founded 22 years ago by Rhonda Lambert and Casey Mitchell.
In a statement on their blog, Lambert and Mitchell noted they were passing the store to “a young and dynamic group passionate about excellent customer service and amazing natural products. With the same values and strong commitment to offer you the best selection of products and exceptional customer service, Pomme Natural Markets will be continuing in our footsteps.”
Rayani said the style of the Nanaimo store is consistent with Pomme’s operations and that branding of the location will likely happen later this year.
Pomme has operated a 16,000-square-foot store in Port Coquitlam since January 2014. Last month, the company opened a 5,000 square-foot location on Davie Street in Vancouver's West End.
Rayani said they remain committed to expanding further on Vancouver Island. There are ambitious expansion plans to establish 10 locations in 10 years.
“We started looking here, but opportunity led us to the mainland. We still have very strong convictions there will be opportunities to have locations on the south Island and further north as well,” he said.
The enthusiasm to have a store in Victoria within the next year and a half has also not been dampened by the recent announcement that Whole Foods would be opening at Uptown in the fall of 2016.
“We operate in the Vancouver region with Whole Foods in close proximity, and the Whole Foods experience is both conventional and natural products while we have a more curated offering,” said Rayani. “We also think on the Island there is a predisposition to locally owned and operated.”
