Thirty-three years ago, Sevananda Community-Owned Natural Foods Market began as a small group of dedicated enthusiasts searching for a way to buy whole and organic foods. Today, Sevananda Natural Foods Market is one of the largest natural foods cooperatives in the southeastern United States. In 1974, Sevananda incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. One year later, Sevananda moved to Moreland Avenue in the heart of Little 5 Points in Atlanta, GA. Although still a not-for-profit business under Georgia law, Sevananda had members who paid a yearly fee, received profits of the business in the form of point-of-purchase discounts, and acquired the right to vote in Board of Directors elections, bylaw changes, and product policy. Original Staff @ Sevananda   By 1984, community support and need for Sevananda was so strong that the co-op moved down the street to a larger building at 1111 Euclid Avenue. In recent years, Sevananda has grown with the rapidly expanding natural foods industry. Currently, the cooperative has over 3000 members and serves many other customers as well. Since Georgia has no statutes providing for consumer cooperatives, Sevananda reincorporated on January 1, 1995, under the state of Wisconsin’s cooperative statutes and legally became a cooperative. Members of Sevananda now buy one Full Class A Share (consisting of six individual shares) in the co-op. Members vote in Board elections and receive a portion of store profits, in the form of an annual patronage refund. In 1999, Sevananda relocated to a larger facility on Moreland Avenue, close to its original home in Little Five Points. Sevananda in 1984 @ 1111 Euclid Avenue   Sevananda has been transformed from a small but spirited enterprise where shoppers made their own change from a cigar box to a multi-million dollar natural foods supermarket. Sevananda offers customers the highest quality products available while playing a vital part in Atlanta’s natural foods community. However, Sevananda is more that just a place to buy groceries. It is a business owned and operated by its members. This affects everything from the products we sell to the way we conduct business. Current 29,000 square foot facility @ 467 Moreland Avenue NE
	Our GREEN PRACTICES
	Sevananda Natural Foods Market is more than just a place to buy groceries, it is a business owned and operated by its members. Being a consumer-owned cooperative affects the products we sell, the way we conduct business and how we support our community. That means the member/owners of Sevananda have a voice in all that we do. Along with employees and the board of directors Sevananda Natural Foods Market promotes sustainability and living on this earth with the least amount of impact. How do we do this? First, we have been supporting local farmers and businesses for 33 years by selling local products. This includes everything from seasonal organic produce, natural groceries to health and wellness products. An on-going campaign with Georgia Organics promotes buying local. This included working with local farmers to supply our member/owners and shoppers fresh, organic produce that was grown within 200 miles of our store. By supporting local businesses we are cutting down on the amount of fuel used in the transportation of products and decreasing our impact on the planet while keeping more dollars in our community. Second, we have integrated many green practices into our store facility. Within the past 5 years, Sevananda has been repainted with Low VOC paint which cuts down the emissions of harmful toxins released and sustains a healthier environment. We also recycle cardboard, plastic, glass and office paper. Third, Sevananda Natural Foods Market is the only natural foods market that contributes back to the energy grid. We have 24 solar panels installed on the roof of our building that provide an annual reduction of 5% in our energy consumption. That might not sound like a lot, however, for a 29,000 square foot facility; we believe any decrease in impact is positive. Finally, Sevananda Natural Foods Market avoids purchasing from companies that disregard human rights and environmental health. We give preference to local suppliers, producers, and growers, and those who demonstrate humane and non-exploitative business practices. We also exclude from our product line those products containing artificial chemicals, genetically-engineered or irradiated foods. We exclude products that contain refined sugar. We exclude from our human product line all animal products or by-products for which the animal must be slaughtered including beef, fowl, and fish. We also exclude soaps and cosmetics that have been developed using cruel and abusive animal laboratory tests.