Store goes beyond gluten-free

A new location for Sydney’s Health Market means more shelves, and different kinds of products filling those shelves.

Sydney’s opened in 2007 as a gluten-free grocery store in north Fargo’s Evergreen Conference Center.

Owner Stephanie Engel’s daughter, Sydney, now 9, has celiac disease, an inability to tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

Engel had to read thousands of food labels to find products for Sydney to eat. She opened the store to provide more selection for others with the disease.

“In those 2½ years, I was amazed how many people have a food issue, sensitivity or allergies,” she said.

In addition to people who need to eat certain products, many customers were coming in because they wanted to eat healthy, organic or all-natural foods, Engel said.

The store’s new location at 810 30th Ave. S. in Moorhead still has a gluten-free section. But its shelves also contain organic foods, fair-trade coffee, nutritional supplements, personal hygiene and household goods.

Engel also has a new business partner, Darby Smith.

“People want to eat healthier,” Smith said. “We definitely want to have the best selection and the best prices.”

Smith points to the increase in organic food sales. The Organic Trade Association said U.S. sales of organic food and beverages grew from $1 billion in 1990 to $20 billion in 2007, and sales are projected to increase 18 percent each year.

The new Moorhead store, in the Southmoor shopping center off Interstate 94 and Eighth Street South, more than quadruples the space of the old location. It is also more visible. The green-and-white store sign is easily seen from the interstate off-ramp.

Sydney’s opened for business in its new location March 1. There will likely be a grand opening in May.

Engel and Smith plan to offer several locally produced products, such as Fargo-made Sunbutter and Moorhead-based Lynn Brakke meats and Askegaard Organic flour and flax. They also provide a resource center for nutrition information, with books and Internet access.

“We’re here to bring the products in that people want in this community,” Engel said. “In my five-year business plan, absolutely we wanted to expand and grow and become a natural foods store. But for it to happen as quickly as it did is amazing.”

Business profile

Sydney's Health Market

• Ownership: Stephanie Engel and Darby Smith
• Where: 810 30th Ave. S., Moorhead
• Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
• Contact: (218) 233-3310 or info@sydneyshealthmarket.com
• Online: http://sydneyshealthmarket.com

Readers can reach Forum reporter Sherri Richards at (701) 241-5556

Tags: sydneys health market, gluten, food, moorhead, minnesota, communities, business