Story-Tell: Sitting Down with Grassroots Natural Market Co-Founder James Robison
Welcome back to EL’s “Story-tell” series! Our goal is to provide our readers with perspective on company culture, brand growth and overall experience as an entrepreneur. From scrappy beginnings to today — it’s time to be inspired!
Our founder, Megan Atkin, recently had the opportunity to sit down with James Robison, one of the co-founders of Grassroots Natural Market, an independent grocer predominantly located in the hipster area of Five Points in Riverside — an urban neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL. You may know them for their renowned juice bar, or as a friendly neighborhood stop for all your grocery essentials.
Keep reading to learn more about how Grassroots got started, some items to check out, and how the siblings have had to pivot during the craziness of the COVID pandemic. Let’s get to it!
Left to Right: Jack Robison, Anna Michal & James Robison — The three siblings that run Grassroots Natural Market
Q: Why did you start this business in the first place? Was it a long-term goal or come about more quickly?
A: It’s always been an interest of mine, and it aligned quite well with our passion for herbal medicine and organic foods. I was originally planning to pursue a MBA, graduate and work in a bank, but decided to do a 180 and choose a career path I actually enjoyed.
Q: Was there something missing in the market?
A: When we started, there weren’t any health food stores in Ortega and Avondale so we thought there was a need within the community.
Q: Why would a customer come to Grassroots over a larger-format grocer?
A: There is definitely a neighborhood convenience factor, and our product mix is normally a little more eclectic than a traditional grocer or a larger natural grocer (like a Whole Foods). We also generally carry more locally made goods, so if you’re passionate about eating local produce and supporting local businesses, Grassroots is a great place to shop.
Q: What is the one thing that you can only get at Grassroots over a larger-format grocer?
A: We’re known for our juice bar—there’s no ice, we use certified organic ingredients, everything is made-to-order, and we even make our own almond milk from scratch, which is pretty elaborate. We’ll make a few gallons every morning and then make more as needed throughout the day. It’s definitely a labor of love! There are no stabilizers—it’s just almonds, water and organic vanilla extract.
Q: How do you select local purveyors when finding a supplier? How does that decision-making process work?
A: Sometimes we’ll reach out to a vendor and actively solicit them based on customer demand. But “delivery convenience” can make things more difficult—there was a bakery in St. Petersburg, FL that we wanted to work with, but they didn’t have a route to get to us, so we weren’t able to carry their items. We actually just got a delivery from Clover Farms, and as of January, we’re going to be carrying their pasture raised ground beef and eggs!
Other times, it works the opposite way where vendors/growers/manufacturers will reach out to us and they’ll petition for us to carry their items. We’ll weigh the options and see if the new item will expand or dilute the category, and we’ll also reevaluate our mix to see if it’s a better option than something we’re already offering. And of course we’ll look at their production standards, their ingredient standards and pricing to make sure everything aligns.
Q: How has Covid changed the trajectory of your business? Do you foresee technology and delivery as part of your long-term plan?
A: We began working on technology efforts before Covid, actually. We were working on getting online ordering in place, but we’re a small team, so it’s a juggling act to get these things accomplished! Currently, we’re working through refining our website (less words!) to make online ordering faster and easier. We are close to having friends and family tinker with online ordering, so that is an exciting step. In the meantime, we’ve allowed customers to email their orders to us—which can be a bit cumbersome, but with the online platform, we’re creating a solution that ties directly to our current inventory system which will help us streamline and expand in the near future with curbside and delivery options.
Q: Have there been challenges getting certain items from suppliers with the pandemic i.e.: meat, paper products etc.?
A: Totally. It all feels like a blur now, but there was one day where sales suddenly doubled, so we started ordering large quantities of everything as fast as we could. We had to pick up additional suppliers rapidly just to meet the demand, which lasted for a few weeks, and then from April through the end of the year, we saw a slow decline in sales, which mirrors what other grocers had been experiencing as well around the country. We’re a small vendor and we’re friendly with our suppliers, so a lot of them took really good care of us. The supply chain is still...I’ll censor myself...the supply chain is not good. We’re still coming up on items that continue to be out of stock, but we’ve been able to be nimble and adapt.
Q: What has been your favorite part of owning/operating your business?
A: Definitely the flexibility, but it’s a favorite and least favorite. The best thing can also be the worst thing. You’re in control, but you also have to be. If you get to do something, it’s awesome, but if you have to do something, it’s awful. Having a family-owned business is interesting—my brother and I compliment each other pretty well. We have different skill sets and try to stay out of each other’s way—and my sister works here too, and we’re pretty alike.
Q: What can we look forward to seeing in the future—any new projects on the horizon?
A: Aside from enhanced online ordering, curb-side pickup and delivery, we have some new projects coming up, but I can’t disclose them at this time. But we do have some exciting things we’re working on, so stay tuned!
Q: How can our readers find you?
P: (904) 384-4474
A: 2007 Park St. Jacksonville, FL 32204
IG: @grassroots5pts
Interested in upping your healthy lifestyle game? Check out these 5 emerging health-centric brands currently at Grassroots that are a must try. Happy shopping and support local!