Natural Grocers by Vita Cottage (NYSE:NGVC)

Nutrition is in the news. We are warned against eating unhealthy, high fat, high salt, carbo laden foods. We are urged to eat healthy foods. Insurance providers, such as Health Traditions (part of Mayo Clinic) offer incentives to maintain a healthy life style. This includes eating more organic and natural foods.

This is what NGVC sells. Traditional grocers might have a shelf or two of this type of product, but NGVC does not sell anything but natural and organic foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics, body care and cleaning products. Customers do not have to worry about contamination from dyes, pesticides and additives in adjacent bins and shelves.

It offers free science-based nutrition coaching and seminars in stores and on-line. This reminds me of Home Depot which offered free instruction in home repairs which distinguished it from other building materials retailers. The web site offers internet and bulk order sales.

Everyone has to eat. Food purchases cannot be postponed for very long which makes the grocery industry somewhat recession resistant. In 2008 comparable store sales increased over 11%. In 2009 to 2011, sales growth was 2.6%, 2.1% and 4.9%. In 2012 the increase was back to 11.6%. During the recession, comparable store sales increased every year.