Rectifying North Redondo’s shortage of an all-natural grocery, Natural World Market & Cafe opened on July 27. Located at 2302 Artesia Blvd., the all-in-one market, cafe, and bakery offer items that make sustainable consumerism more convenient.
“Something that we were lacking here in North Redondo was a walking-distance cafe, family-oriented store, and a grocery store that offers high-quality food,” said store owner Rosanyeling Rodriguez.
Local resident David DahDah concurs, saying that “It’s good to have a place in the neighborhood that’s within walking distance. It really helps the community.”
Rodriguez operates the store as a “family effort” with her siblings and father, working as a team to offer eco-friendly products that are organic, compostable, free of red meat, chemical-free and free of genetically-modified organisms.
For now, the store only carries vegan dairy options, because it has been difficult to find a humane creamery in the area.
“In general, the cattle industry is not good for the environment and we want to be 100 percent green, so we shouldn’t carry any dairy or meat products that come from that industry,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez ensures that their products come from a sustainable background. The store supplies chicken and eggs that are certified humane, free-range and organic, and their salmon, which is served at the cafe, is specifically wild-caught by a local fisherman in Redondo Beach. For her, wild-caught fish are a more sustainable alternative to farm-raised ones.
Inside the market, a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables are displayed, as well as a row of dispensers for nuts and grains.
Natural World Market’s bakery is popular in the mornings for fresh, vegan pastries. The in-store cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and specializes in smoothies and other meals, such as panini sandwiches and their cashew alfredo pasta.
The store values support of small businesses as well, as the market provides items from numerous small and local companies such as their granola, which is sourced from Mar Vista.
“We are a small business, so I feel a commitment to help the community. Not only the customers, but also the smaller businesses. That’s why I go to the local farmers market and I try to find products that I know will be suitable for my store,” Rodriguez said.
With 15 years of experience in supply chain management and working for Johnson & Johnson’s cosmetics division, Rodriguez was influenced to create a cosmetics shelf in the market, which includes items such as deodorants and lotions, many of which come from the same local companies.
Along with their cosmetics section, the market contains a sundries section dedicated to reusable products such as paper towels, compost bins, and sealable bags.
Customers might assume that premium products would translate to higher costs, but Rodriguez said that her family has decided to “make sacrifices” on their profit margins by attempting to achieve a price balance between that of a typical supermarket and Whole Foods.
Above all, the family-run business values bringing healthfulness to the community,
while leaving a minimal footprint on the planet.
“I think it’s important that we offer healthy options and that we as humans eat healthier, and eat healthier for the planet. That’s why we believe in the message, ‘healthy for you, healthy for the planet,’” Rodriguez said.
