Our Philosophy

Our mission is at the heart of everything we do.

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We believe that we can inspire real change through community engagement, starting right here in Richmond and spreading throughout the world like ripples of water.

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Our success relies on the happiness of our employees, customers, and in our ability to build strong, personal relationships within the local community.

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Ellwood’s strives to be a haven where you can go to slow down, escape from the hustle and bustle, and nourish your body and soul.

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Everyone we work with holds the Ellwood Thompson’s mission close.

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We truly believe that by buying local and organic, you’re not only bettering yourself, but the entire community and planet.

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Whether you’re just starting your health and wellness journey, or you’re an expert looking to trade tips, our stewards and partners are here to meet you where you are.

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Drop by the store today and let us help you guide you toward a healthier, happier life.

• We believe you deserve high quality food and product choices.
• We aim to maintain your trust by staying informed and aware about issues affecting food quality.
• We value our community. We stay socially and environmentally conscious, support local brands, local organizations, and non-profits.
• We focus on your well-being, providing you with healthy food and products that encourage a healthy lifestyle.
• We like to stay transparent, current and informative – giving you the confidence to make the best choices as a customer.

As a health conscious consumer, you like to stay up-to-date with your food and product information, making sure you’re aware of any potential purchasing risks that may impact you. At Ellwood Thompson’s, we strive to help you stay conscious and provide you with as many educational resources and shopping solutions we can. If we can’t find the right food or product option to meet your nutritional needs, we’ll still keep you informed, making sure you continue in the right direction without making any regretful purchases.

The need to protect true organic food is more dire than ever.

Corporate interests, fraudulent imported goods, the inclusion of hydroponically-grown produce, and the dilution of organic standards set forth by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) all play a critical role in the quality of organic products available to consumers.

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Reports emerge weekly uncovering falsely labeled organic imports from China, Turkey, and Ukraine, and the NOSB is stacked with corporate executives from big brand whose profits stand to benefit from more inclusive standards.

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Here’s our promise to you: We will be your watch-dog.

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At Ellwood’s, we do our homework to ensure that the quality and cleanliness of the products entering our store meets our rigorous standards. We go beyond the label to investigate any potential brands and are quick to seek alternatives if something falls short.

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Want to be a part of the conversation? Check our in-store “Local Food Hub” and our Facebook page for real time updates, articles, blog posts, resources, and educational opportunities.

Grocery, Produce, Dairy, Frozen, and Bulk are 100% Non-GMO

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Our grocery (center store) and produce department, dairy, frozen foods, and bulk bins are 100% Non-GMO.

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We removed every product in the grocery and produce department, dairy, frozen section, and bulk bins that contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

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A GMO is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

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There is always a risk that a supplier or manufacturer will change their ingredient formulation at any time without notice and introduce a genetically modified ingredient. Our stewards are aware of this issue and actively check our shelves to make sure these products are not brought into the store. If you see a product that contains a genetically modified ingredient, please let us know and we will remove it from our store.

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For more information, see the Non-GMO Project.

"This is the term for food products that are industrially produced, bear little resemblance to the foods from which they were derived, are made with ingredients that can’t be duplicated in home kitchens, are formulated to be “addictive” (“You can’t eat just one”), and are highly profitable. Overwhelmingly, research shows these products to be associated with excessive calorie intake, weight gain, and chronic disease." - Marion Nestle

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Ultra-processed foods are made mostly from substances extracted from foods, such as fats, starches, added sugars, and hydrogenated fats. They may also contain additives like artificial colors and flavors or stabilizers.

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At Ellwood's we believe in a whole foods diet with limited consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in sand, gravel, or liquid, without soil. We believe that healthy and organic soil is an integral part of the growing process and therefore do not carry hydroponic produce (except for watercress*).

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You may not be able to see them, but microorganisms in the soil have a big impact on human nutrition and health.

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There are billions of life forms in healthy soil. Through photosynthesis, plants create a sugary carbon fuel that supports their own growth. They don’t use all this fuel. 40 percent or more is streamed through their roots, delivering energy to microorganisms in the earth. In exchange, these microorganisms feed plants the mineral nutrients they extract from rock, sand, silt, and clay within the soil. Tiny mycorrhizal fungi supply the plant's roots with water and nutrients.

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Soils with lots of biodiversity have microbes that produce compounds that develop a robust set of defenses. Plants grown in this type of soil are able to fight off disease better than those grown hydroponically or in depleted soil and thereby offer a richer array of phytonutrients to the humans who eat them.

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Soil not only provides nutrients that are essential to our well being but delivers taste. Hydroponic raised produce lacks the complex flavors of organically raised food grown in soil outdoors. Produce needs the soil and outdoor elements to taste as it was intended to and to nourish us.

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We humans are complex biological systems. As we seek out food that nourishes us, we would do well to consider that our health is deeply connected to the biological systems that produce it. From the ground up.

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* In order to grow, watercress must be kept permanently wet. It grows best submerged in water

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For more information watch, Kiss The Ground (available on Netflix).

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SOURCES

• The Cornucopia Institute: Hydroponic Producer Calls Soil “Inert,” Soil Farmers Know Better
• Experience Life: Why Healthy Humans Need Healthy Soil
• The Guardian: You can grow watercress even if you don't have your own river
• Keep The Soil In Organic by Dave Chapman