News Room

Starting this month you will find some fun changes in our newsletter. In addition to changing our delivery to the first of the month, we’ll be adding a new column that we are very excited about: Talk Story with the Love Life! Team.

We're switching Earth News to a calendar month beginning January 1st. This will enable us to more closely align with popular monthly themes. With the New Year we will also introduce a new column, "Talk Story With the Love Life! Team." It will be a forum for members of our community outreach team to share information about their visits to local farmers, report on exciting events that we have underway, comment on topics of the day, and so forth.

Kailua, HI (December 12, 2013) – Down to Earth will hold its first ever Kailua Night Market and Holiday Sale at its Kailua store location on 201 Hamakua Drive, Tuesday, December 17th 5-7:30 pm. The event will feature local vendor exhibits and a sale where customers will receive 35% off 11 best-selling items. The list of vendors includes:

Down to Earth will launch a series of monthly night markets next Tuesday at its Kailua store, offering a dozen vendors, a cooking class and live entertainment.

The new venture will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at 201 Hamakua Drive (across from Safeway) with sales inside as well as outside the organic/vegetarian market. Down to Earth’s chef Mama T will conduct a holiday cooking class early – from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and live, healthy music will come from Paul Izak and Tubby Love.

Switching lighting, air conditioning and refrigeration to newer, more energy-efficient systems are some of the most complicated, expensive sustainability efforts to undertake. However, thanks to cheaper technology, “the payback periods have become very short,” says Mark Fergusson, chief organic officer at Down to Earth Organic and Natural, an all-vegetarian five-store chain in Hawaii. “Many of the payback periods for this work are less than three years, sometimes less than one year.”

As we move towards our long-term goal to be all-organic and GMO-free, we give priority to organic and Non-GMO Project Verified products in our purchasing decisions, and are gradually eliminating products that contain GMOs. Unfortunately, we are unaware of any grocery store in the USA that can claim to be GMO-free, though we are hopeful that one day, many stores, including Down to Earth, will be able to make that claim. Toward this end, we:

Retailer honors healthy people, animals and environment—Hawaiian style.

Inspired by Hawaii’s state motto, “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness” (Ua Mau ke Ea o ka 'Aina i ka Pono), the staff at Down to Earth Organic & Natural envisions a Hawaii where all people “cherish the land and live in health and harmony” (E Malama I Ka `Aina, E Ola Pono).

Down to Earth was named Vitamin Retailer’s 2013 Retailer of the Year! The announcement was the cover story of the August edition. Kudos to Carmela Wolf, Wellness Manager at the King St. store, whom the editor said has been a treasure trove of friendly and knowledgeable information during the year. And, of course, our fearless leaders Mark Fergusson, Down to Earth Chief Organic Officer (CEO/CFO) and Cliff Hiller, Down to Earth General Manager.

Our GMO Labeling Efforts Are Among Best in Southwest Region, Says Organic Consumers Association.

Down to Earth was named among the Top 10 “Right-to-Know Grocers” in the Southwest Region by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA). Nominations were submitted by customers and friends of Down to Earth. Thanks to all who helped to support us in this campaign!

For the seventh year in a row, readers of the Star-Advertiser named Down to Earth Organic & Natural “Hawaii’s Best 2013 People’s Choice Award for "Best Health Food Store!" Whole Foods came in 2nd, and Kale’s Natural Foods came in 3rd.

• Check out some photos from the awards night