commodities natural market

What commodities natural market does

Commodities Natural Market is a family-owned natural and organic grocery store operating from a single physical storefront at 1650 Mountain Road in Stowe, Vermont, serving local residents, tourists visiting the Stowe resort area, and health-conscious consumers. The store offers a curated assortment across roughly a dozen departments including fresh organic produce, local cheese and dairy, a butcher counter, a large bulk department, craft beer, wine, cider and sake, grab-and-go items, fresh-pressed juices, freshly ground coffees and nut butters, health and beauty aids, household items, and pet food.

The business carries no proprietary technology platform; the underlying stack is a WordPress website with a content blog, an Instagram/Facebook/Pinterest social presence, an email newsletter, and a customer loyalty and rewards program. There is no mobile app, no API, no e-commerce checkout for groceries, and no disclosed use of AI or automation. Customer acquisition relies on foot traffic, word-of-mouth, community events, local PR, and the loyalty program; special ordering is available for items not in stock.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through one-time retail grocery sales at the storefront, supplemented by gift cards sold in-store, by phone, by email, and through the Stowe Area Association Visitor's Center. The Vermont operation was opened by Michael and Audra Hughes on January 30, 2015 at 512 Mountain Road, following their sale of an earlier Commodities Natural Market founded in New York City's East Village in 1993. The store outgrew its original space within six months and relocated to the larger 1650 Mountain Road facility in Fall 2024, more than doubling footprint and adding new departments.

Name

commodities natural market

Legal name

Commodities Natural Market

Website

https://commoditiesnaturalmarket.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Family-owned natural and organic grocery store operating a single physical storefront in Stowe, Vermont, serving local residents, tourists, and health-conscious consumers with curated fresh produce, local dairy, a butcher counter, bulk goods, and specialty items.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural and Organic Grocery Retail

NAICS

Food and Beverage Retailers (445), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural/Organic Supermarkets & Chains (CRAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organic Produce & Farm Market Retail (CRAHAEAD), Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops) (CRAHAGAO)

Keywords

• Organic grocery retail
• Natural foods store
• Specialty grocery
• Local produce market
• Craft beer wine

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: The primary revenue stream is through retail sales of groceries, organic produce, specialty items, wine and craft beer, grab-and-go items, and other natural food products. The store operates on a traditional retail model where customers purchase products directly at the store.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Commodities Natural Market is a family-owned natural foods grocery store in Stowe, Vermont that sells organic produce, local cheese and dairy, butcher counter meats, a bulk foods department, craft beer, wine, cider and sake, grab-and-go items, fresh-pressed juices, freshly ground coffees and nut butters, health and beauty aids, household items, and pet food. The store operates as a single physical retail location serving local residents and visitors, with a loyalty rewards program and gift cards as add-on customer engagement offerings.

Product overview

Commodities Natural Market is a family-owned organic grocery store offering a diverse portfolio of departments including fresh organic produce, local cheese and dairy, a butcher counter, craft beer/wine/cider/sake, a large bulk department, health and beauty aids, grab-and-go items, fresh-pressed juices, freshly ground coffees and nut butters, household items, and pet food. The store operates as a single unified retail location with gift cards and a loyalty/rewards program as customer engagement add-ons. The new 1652 Mountain Road location (opened Fall 2024) more than doubled the original 512 Mountain Road space and introduced a butcher counter, grab-and-go items, fresh-pressed juices, and house-branded items.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Produce Department Department within the Stowe, VT store offering organic produce including berries, greens, and root vegetables, carefully sourced for quality.
• Local Cheese & Dairy Department Department offering cheeses and dairy products sourced from nearby farms, including artisanal Vermont options.
• Butcher Counter Fresh meat selections from a butcher counter added at the relocated, expanded Stowe store in Fall 2024.
• Beer, Wine, Cider, and Sake Selection Curated selection of craft beers, cider, wine, and sake carried at the Stowe store.
• Bulk Department Bulk foods department featuring grains, nuts, seeds, and pantry staples for customizable-quantity purchasing.
• Grab & Go Items Ready-to-eat fresh food options for quick meals on the move, introduced at the relocated, expanded Stowe store.
• Fresh-Pressed Juices Freshly pressed juices made in-store at the relocated, expanded Stowe location.
• Freshly Ground Coffees Freshly ground coffee selections carried at the Stowe store.
• Freshly Ground Nut Butters House-made nut butters ground fresh in-store at the relocated, expanded Stowe location.
• Health & Beauty Aids / Wellness Department offering natural health and beauty aid products at the Stowe store.
• Household Items General household products and essentials carried at the Stowe store.
• Pet Food Pet food products including natural and organic options carried at the Stowe store.
• Gift Cards Gift certificates available for purchase in-store, by phone, or email and also redeemable through the Stowe Area Association Visitor's Center; online gift cards were being developed.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stowe Area AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommodities Natural Market is part of the Stowe Area Association network of area businesses. The store participates in the SAA gift card program, allowing customers to purchase and redeem SAA gift cards at the store.
• Archory CloseminorOthersCo-located commercial tenant sharing ground floor space with Commodities Natural Market at the new 1650 Mountain Road location.
• Pinnacle SportsminorOthersNeighboring business located next to Commodities Natural Market at 1650 Mountain Road location in the Whiskers building.
• Sun & Ski/Stowe BowlminorOthersNeighboring business located across the street from Commodities Natural Market at the new Mountain Road location.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Healthy Living Market: Burlington, VT-based natural foods market co-recognized with Commodities Natural Market as a Vermont Green Grocery Environmental Leader. Operates a similar multi-department natural and organic grocery format in the same Vermont market.
• Hunger Mountain Coop: Montpelier, VT member-owned natural foods co-op also designated a Vermont Green Grocery Environmental Leader alongside Commodities. Competes directly for Vermont organic-produce and local-supplier dollars with a comparable curated assortment.
• Natural Grocers (Vitamin Cottage): National chain specializing strictly in natural and organic groceries, supplements, and produce. Closest national analog to Commodities' format and category focus, with similar emphasis on education and quality standards.
• City Market (Onion River Co-op): Burlington, VT-based natural foods co-op serving a similar Vermont customer base with organic produce, local dairy, bulk, and prepared foods. Competes with Commodities for southern/central Vermont organic grocery spend.
• Sprouts Farmers Market: Specialty natural and organic grocery chain emphasizing fresh produce, bulk foods, supplements, and natural wellness products. Closest scaled US analog to Commodities' category mix and health-focused positioning.
• New Seasons Market: Worker-owned regional natural and specialty grocery chain known for curated local sourcing, organic produce, butcher, and prepared foods. Operates a very similar department mix and curated-local sourcing model to Commodities Natural Market.
• MOM's Organic Market: Mid-Atlantic chain focused exclusively on organic, natural, and locally-sourced groceries with strong sustainability positioning. Closely comparable mission, certification standards, and product mix to Commodities.

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: National natural and organic supermarket leader (Amazon-owned). Provides overlapping assortment in produce, bulk, supplements, beer/wine, and prepared foods, but operates at vastly broader scale and competes in different geographies.
• Trader Joe's: National specialty grocery chain offering curated natural, organic, and private-label products. Overlaps with Commodities on organic, specialty, and grab-and-go categories, but competes on price rather than hyper-local Vermont curation.

Regional players

• Bristol Farms: Southern California specialty grocer emphasizing fresh produce, butcher, prepared foods, and a curated natural/organic assortment. Closest regional analog in store format, multi-department layout, and premium positioning to a small-format natural market like Commodities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/commoditiesnaturalmarket
• Instagraminstagram.com/commodities_stowe
• Pinterestpinterest.com/commoditiesn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commodities-natural-market

Compliance1 record

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 commodities natural market