Natural food chain Sprouts Farmers Market will open its first local store in late March at 23105 Cinco Ranch Blvd. in Katy.

The Phoenix-based neighborhood grocery chain is planning five stores for the Houston area.

Last fall, the company’s local real estate scout said a site is being considering inside the Loop. Other local stores are planned in the Copperfield Village Shopping Center at FM 529 and Texas 6, and in Spring Cypress Village at FM 249 and Spring Cypress Road.

The Sprouts marketing approach is “Healthy Living for Less.” The stores are meant to feel like farmers markets with large displays of fresh produce and barrels of grains, nuts and sweets. They have more than 200 bins of bulk nuts, grains, spices, and trail mixes. Beef and sausages are ground in store.

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