Fresh Thyme Farmers Market

What Fresh Thyme Farmers Market does

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is a privately held Midwest-focused natural and organic grocery retailer operating approximately 70 brick-and-mortar stores across 10 states (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin), headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois. Founded in 2012, the company serves health-conscious and price-sensitive Midwest shoppers with fresh produce, natural and organic groceries, quality meats, supplements, bakery, deli, and prepared foods, alongside its own Fresh Thyme Brand private label portfolio. The company employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people and generates revenue primarily through traditional retail grocery transactions, supplemented by pickup and delivery services operated both directly and through third-party partners Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats.

The company's core technology stack consists of a mobile app and digital loyalty platform (MyThyme Rewards) that enables points-based customer engagement — members earn 10 points per dollar spent with no cap and redeem in $5-$20 increments through the app, with new members receiving a 10,000-point sign-on bonus after a $50 purchase. The platform integrates with e-commerce ordering, pickup/delivery logistics, and third-party delivery marketplaces to provide omnichannel reach beyond the physical store footprint. Marketing channels span weekly ad circulars, email newsletters, social media, dietitian-authored content, and earned media including four USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards in 2025 (Best Grocery Store, Best Produce, Best Prepared Food, Best Loyalty Program).

The business model is transaction-based retail with two revenue streams: (1) conventional retail grocery sales across all departments, and (2) Own Brand private label sales, which the company is actively expanding with the goal of doubling private label penetration within two years and eliminating more than 100 unwanted ingredients. Community-oriented partnerships with Vitamin Angels and Feeding America, plus holiday price-locks on essentials, support a positioning aimed at affordable natural and organic food access for Midwest families and health-conscious consumers.

Name

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market

Legal name

Fresh Thyme

Website

https://FreshThyme.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is a privately held Midwest natural and organic grocery retailer operating approximately 70 stores across 10 states, serving health-conscious and price-sensitive shoppers with fresh produce, private label products, and omnichannel pickup/delivery through Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural and Organic Grocery Retail

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (44523)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Produce & Farm Market Retail (CRAHAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE), Natural Specialty Food Stores (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Keto, Allergy-Friendly) (CRAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Natural grocery retail
• Organic food stores
• Private label products
• Grocery delivery service
• Loyalty program

Headquarters

HQ city

Downers Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: Traditional retail grocery model selling natural, organic, and conventional products through physical store locations and online ordering with pickup/delivery.
2. Private Label (Own Brand): Fresh Thyme Market operates its own brand portfolio featuring expanded trend-forward products, recharged packaging, and healthier choices targeting natural and organic assortments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is a Midwest regional natural and organic grocery retailer operating roughly 70 physical supermarkets across 10 U.S. Midwest states, selling fresh produce, natural and organic groceries, meat and seafood, dairy, bakery, supplements, and private-label products under the Fresh Thyme Brand. The company supplements its in-store retail with online ordering, in-store pickup, third-party delivery (Instacart, DoorDash, Uber Eats), catering services, and the MyThyme Rewards points-based loyalty program delivered through its mobile app.

Product overview

Fresh Thyme Market is a Midwest-based natural grocery retailer operating approximately 70 stores across 10 states. The company offers a unified product portfolio centered on its grocery retail operations, which includes Fresh Thyme Brand private label products, the MyThyme Rewards loyalty program with points-based earning and redemption, and online ordering capabilities with pickup and delivery services. The ecosystem integrates third-party delivery partners (Instacart, DoorDash, Uber Eats) to extend reach beyond physical store locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MyThyme Rewards Loyalty Program Customer loyalty program allowing members to earn points on grocery purchases, redeem rewards through the Fresh Thyme app, and receive personalized offers and digital savings.
• Fresh Thyme Brand (Private Label) Company's own private-label product line featuring natural and organic items across grocery categories with recharged packaging, expanded trend-forward assortment, and the elimination of more than 100 unwanted ingredients.
• Pickup and Delivery Service Online grocery ordering service with in-store pickup and delivery options delivered through Fresh Thyme's own platform and third-party integrations with Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats.
• Catering Service Catering service offered by Fresh Thyme Market for events and gatherings.
• Online Shopping Platform E-commerce platform enabling customers to browse Fresh Thyme products, create shopping lists, clip digital coupons, and place grocery orders online across all store departments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Own Brand penetration goal: double within two years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• RottenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 May 2026Rotten released and distributed its candy products including limited edition Sour Gummy Cruncheez at Fresh Thyme Market locations and events across the United States, as part of expansion through partnerships with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas.
• AzunacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 April 2026Azuna, a plant-powered home care brand, launched its tea tree oil-based odor elimination products in 69 Fresh Thyme stores across 10 Midwestern states. The partnership includes exclusive retail kits and refill pouches priced from $27.99 to $29.99, marking Azuna's expansion from direct-to-consumer subscription model into physical retail distribution.
• Eat Happy KitchencoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 March 2026Eat Happy Kitchen, a women-owned clean-label food brand, expanded its spice blends to 70 Fresh Thyme Market locations in the Midwest. The brand has grown to over 1,100 stores nationwide and doubled its pasta sauce distribution in 2024.
• Vitamin AngelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Fresh Thyme Market expanded its partnership with Vitamin Angels in 2026 to provide essential vitamins to underserved communities. The partnership is part of the company's renewed commitment to community health and hunger relief initiatives.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Fresh Thyme Market continued its partnership with Feeding America in 2026, supporting hunger relief programs that provide millions of meals to underserved communities. The company also implements price-locks on essentials during the holiday season.
• InstacartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFresh Thyme Market partners with Instacart for grocery delivery services, allowing customers to order online and receive delivery through the Instacart platform.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFresh Thyme Market partners with DoorDash for on-demand grocery delivery services, providing customers with convenient delivery options.
• Uber EatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFresh Thyme Market partners with Uber Eats for grocery delivery services through the Uber Eats platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Wegmans Food Markets: Wegmans is an East Coast premium grocery chain known for prepared food, fresh produce, and private label. Comparable to Fresh Thyme on fresh/prepared emphasis and quality positioning, with higher price points and limited Midwest overlap (Pennsylvania only).
• Hy-Vee: Hy-Vee is a large employee-owned grocery chain concentrated across the Midwest (Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota). Overlaps with Fresh Thyme on Midwest geography, fresh and prepared-food focus, and Midwest customer demographics, with a broader conventional assortment.
• Meijer: Meijer is a Midwest supercenter and grocery operator with stores across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. Competes directly with Fresh Thyme across the Midwest on fresh produce and grocery, with broader general-merchandise offering and lower price positioning.
• Publix Super Markets: Publix is a Southeast regional premium grocer with strong fresh, prepared-food, and loyalty programs. Comparable to Fresh Thyme on fresh-forward merchandising and loyalty engagement, with limited geographic overlap (Southeast vs. Midwest).

Direct peers

• Trader Joe's: Trader Joe's operates a national specialty grocery chain with strong private-label penetration, curated assortment, and a loyal value-conscious customer base. Comparable to Fresh Thyme on private-label intensity and treasure-hunt merchandising, though Trader Joe's has far greater national scale.
• Natural Grocers (Vitamin Cottage): Natural Grocers is a smaller-format natural and organic grocery chain specializing in dietary-specific, supplement-heavy assortments. Highly comparable to Fresh Thyme in customer demographic (health-first shoppers) and store size, though slightly more niche in supplement emphasis.
• Sprouts Farmers Market: Sprouts Farmers Market operates a similar farmers-market-format natural and organic grocery chain across the U.S. With comparable small-box store footprint, produce-forward assortment, and health-conscious customer base, Sprouts is the closest direct public comparable for Fresh Thyme's operating model and category mix.

Broad incumbents

• Aldi: Aldi is a global discount grocery chain with heavy private-label penetration and rapid Midwest U.S. expansion. Comparable on private-label intensity and Midwest density; competes for value-conscious natural-shopper basket with substantially lower price points.
• Whole Foods Market: Whole Foods Market is the largest U.S. natural and organic grocer, owned by Amazon, with national scale, broader assortment, and deeper prepared-food and private-label programs. Overlaps directly with Fresh Thyme's customer and category positioning but with substantially greater scale and omnichannel infrastructure.
• Kroger: Kroger is the largest U.S. pure-play grocery operator with national scale, expanding natural/organic private label (Simple Truth), and digital fulfillment. Comparable on retail-grocery fundamentals; competes for the same Midwest households with greater scale and supplier leverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/freshthymefm
• Facebookfacebook.com/freshthymefarmersmarkets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2928343

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fresh Thyme Farmers Market