Sustainability

“Eating is an agricultural act.”  — Wendell Berry

We believe in local food as a solution to living in harmony with our local world. Here is our plan to make Chicory Market work to support a world in which food has a positive impact on our environment as well as our bodies.

  1. Supporting small farms & sustainable practices: The small farmers we work with care for the land they farm. North Mississippi is their home as well as ours. The food they grow comes to us straight from the farm, without the fuel consumption, extra packaging, and genetic modification that it takes to truck commercial produce and meat across the country.
  2. Reducing food waste: By designing menus around local and seasonal ingredients, the Chicory Kitchen is able to use more surplus produce, meat, and food products from small farms. This practice reduces the food waste that would otherwise end up in landfills producing greenhouse gases. It also allows us to buy more food from local farms.
  3. Cutting single-use packaging: Let’s be honest — plastic makes food last longer. But we are taking several steps to reduce our–and therefore your–reliance on single-use plastics to package and preserve your food. This plan includes:
    • Growing our BULK FOODS section and allowing customers to refill their own containers.
    • Using paper GROCERY BAGS instead of plastic and encouraging use of sustainably produced REUSABLE tote bags.
    • Switching to BIODEGRADABLE PAPER-BASED PACKAGING for all bulk and prepared foods by 2023.
    • Offering REFILLABLE SOAPS and detergents as well as Kitchen & Bath products with low-impact packaging.
  4. Supporting plant-based diets and responsible food companies: As a full-service natural foods grocery store, we offer a variety of ready-made, plant-based food products for customers who are trying to reduce the impact their food consumption has on the earth. Our food sourcing starts local and extends to small independent regional and national companies that are committed to sustainable farming practices, fair trade, and living wages.