Sprouts Farmers Market has shared its plans to open 13 new stores in the third quarter of 2018, which include its entry into Pennsylvania and Washington state.
The new store locations will include one each in Durham, N.C.; El Paso, Texas; Lodi, Calif.; Mill Creek, Wash.; Oklahoma City; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Sacramento, Calif.; Vacaville, Calif.; and Towson, Md.; as well as three in Las Vegas. Opening dates will be shared at a later time. Each store will bring approximately 140 new jobs to its local neighborhood.
Phoenix-based Sprouts is opening 16 stores during 2018’s first half, including its first location in South Carolina. It expects to operate in 19 stores by the end of the year.
“As we continue to enter new markets, we’re pleased with the customer response to Sprouts’ unique combination of health and value,” said Sprouts Chief Development Officer Ted Frumkin. “We’re looking forward to bringing healthy living for less to new neighbors in Philadelphia and the Mill Creek area of Seattle later this year.”
Sprouts’ bold expansion plans come along with its investment not just in just its team members, but also in revamped grass-roots marketing efforts to grow brand awareness, especially in new markets, which has contributed to stronger performance, CEO Amin Maredia said during the company’s Q4 and fiscal 2017 earnings call in February. Also boosting performance were improved analytics, including better promotional decisions and costs improvements, and continued commitment to sustainability and its zero-waste threshold by 2020, focusing on three major areas: food, field and feed.
