Natural Grocers Kicks Off 71st Anniversary Celebration With Donation to Food Bank of the Rockies

LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Natural Grocers, the nation’s largest family-operated natural and organic grocery retailer, is celebrating 71 years of serving communities with a $71,000 product donation to Food Bank of the Rockies in collaboration with Colorado-based Pop Your Vitamins, a functional vitamin soda company. The donation reflects Natural Grocers’ longstanding commitment to supporting hunger-relief efforts across Colorado and helps kick off the company’s 71st anniversary celebration, August 13–15, 2026.

The donation includes thousands of wholesome snack items from Natural Grocers, including trail mixes, nuts, seeds and other grab-and-go favorites, plus more than 20,000 cans of functional wellness beverages donated by Pop Your Vitamins. Together, these products will help Food Bank of the Rockies continue its mission of supporting individuals and families facing hunger across the region.

“For 71 years, Natural Grocers has believed that healthy communities start with access to nutritious food,” said Raquel Isely, vice president of marketing at Natural Grocers. “We’re honored to support Food Bank of the Rockies and grateful to collaborate with Pop Your Vitamins as we kick off our anniversary celebration. Together, we’re demonstrating the power of community partnerships to make a meaningful difference for our neighbors.”

FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES AND NATURAL GROCERS

For more than two decades, Natural Grocers and its customers have supported Food Bank of the Rockies through shared efforts to combat hunger and strengthen communities across 32 counties in Colorado and 23 counties in Wyoming. The $71,000 product donation, made in partnership with Colorado-based Pop Your Vitamins, builds on that longstanding relationship and reflects Natural Grocers’ belief that everyone deserves access to nutritious food.

Through ongoing initiatives such as its Bring Your Own Bag Program and additional in-store donation campaigns, Natural Grocers has donated more than $1.3 million to Food Bank of the Rockies, helping provide more than four million meals to support the organization’s mission to nourish neighbors facing hunger.

“Right now, food insecurity is at its highest level in more than a decade, both locally and nationally,” said Mark Weslar, food sourcing director for Food Bank of the Rockies. “Because of committed partners like Natural Grocers, we can continue to show up for our neighbors with the nourishing food they need to thrive, wherever and whenever hunger rises.”

Food Bank of the Rockies recently opened its new 270,000-square-foot distribution center in Aurora, Colorado. The facility provides the capacity and flexibility to:

• Triple cold food storage space.
• Triple volunteer capacity.
• Increase fresh produce distribution by up to 50% over time.

Food Bank of the Rockies makes it easy to ignite the power of community to nourish people facing hunger through volunteer opportunities and charitable donations. Learn more at foodbankrockies.org.
Since its founding, Natural Grocers has championed independent and mission-driven brands that align with its standards and values. By providing shelf space, visibility and customer access for emerging companies, the retailer has helped introduce countless natural and organic products to shoppers while fostering innovation throughout the industry.

As one of the newest Colorado-based brands available at Natural Grocers, Pop Your Vitamins joins a long tradition of emerging companies that have found an early retail home at Natural Grocers as they grow their businesses and connect with customers. Through this donation collaboration, Natural Grocers and Pop Your Vitamins are demonstrating how local partnerships can create meaningful benefits for communities across Colorado.

“At Pop Your Vitamins, we believe that taking care of yourself shouldn’t feel complicated or out of reach,” said Kelly Bond, marketing and social media manager for Pop Your Vitamins. Food Bank of the Rockies does incredible work for Colorado and Wyoming families, and Natural Grocers has supported that mission for decades. We’re proud to partner with Natural Grocers by donating approximately 20,000 cans to help make healthy options more accessible for families across the region.”

The donation serves as the official kickoff to Natural Grocers’ 71st anniversary celebration. Founded in Lakewood, Colorado, in 1955, the company has spent more than seven decades helping customers achieve their health goals through premium-quality products, nutrition education and a deep commitment to the communities it serves. In-store anniversary festivities will take place Aug. 13–15 and feature the company’s biggest sale of the year, along with free food, giveaways and family-friendly fun.*

Customers can enter to win more than 4,200 prizes valued at more than $184,000, including a Toyota^® RAV4 Hybrid valued at $45,000.