SACRAMENTO, CA - The first of anything is always really exciting—the first time going to a restaurant, creating a new dish, visiting a new country… the list goes on and on. West Sacramento-based Raley’s knows this firsthand, after its new Market 5-ONE-5 opened to the public on Tuesday, March 15th, at 7:00 a.m.

The market opened up in urban downtown Sacramento at the corner of R and 10th Street, bringing an inventory that is uniquely focused. ONE is an acronym for its organic selection (O), its nutrition focus (N), and its educational opportunities (E), both online and in the store; the number 5 is symbolic of the five senses and the beauty found in quality foods that cater to them.

"We think that we are doing something really different and exciting—we are changing how people view what a grocery store is, and we are really eager to offer the community some better options and at an affordable price for everyone,” Levi Wingo, General Manager for Market 5-ONE-5, tells me. “We have a really strict set of standards for each department, and that can be seen throughout the store. For example, all of our produce is organically farmed. Right now, everything in produce is certified organic. Our meat department is hormone free, antibiotic free, and responsibly raised. We have grass-fed beef, and our seafood is wild and sustainable.”

The benefits of being based in California go beyond the coastal views that are, at their worst, a few hours of driving away. Levi tells me that being based in the heart of growing country is a lucky thing for the new market, with a lot of items grown in Northern California and some sourced from other places. All of which are up to the retailer’s unique set of standards for organic and quality.

“One of the people on staff is our registered dietician, and she helped curate all the assortment down the aisles to make sure we only have products that meet our strict standards and are truly better for you—minimally processed, no artificial ingredients," Levi adds.

With such committed gusto, the company carves its own path in this arena, catering to an audience all its own. The focus is so direct that the market sits at approximately one-fifth the size of standard supermarkets, as the retailer hones in on its consumers’ wants and needs for all things organic- and nutrition-focused. I can’t help wonder if this is the first of more-to-come, and Levi provides me some insight into the long-term goals for the market.

"What we want to do here is really learn what the customers want and need, and then make adjustments to meet those needs. That will trigger our response to expand more,” he explains, sharing that, in its entirety, the market provides a devotion to a consumer-base that is all its own. “You can go around to other retailers and find pieces of what we are doing here, but no one is doing this in one place and no one is putting as much emphasis on health and wellness and then the education that goes with that—being able to speak to everything that you sell on where it came from, why it’s better for us, and how it is of better quality in general. I really think the service we provide here is what customers will really come to want and love."

Will this latest launch become a catalyst for other retailers to adopt a smaller format that caters to specific aspects of the grocery industry? Will this niche concept become more widely duplicated by other retail chains, and, if so, what will those concepts shape up to be? AndNowUKnow will continue to report with the latest industry trends.

Market 5-ONE-5