LAKEWOOD, Colo., Nov. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As companies grow, it can be challenging to maintain the founding values of the business amidst the outside pressure to conform to industry standards, but Natural Grocers continues to keep its values intact by making decisions based on its original founding principles.

"Commitment to employees is one of our 5 founding principles," said company Co-President Kemper Isely. "In the early years when we had just a few stores my mother, Margaret Isely, did everything she could to make employees feel at home and cared for. We want to continue that legacy even as we grow."

Natural Grocers' over 3,000 retail employees will most certainly feel that commitment as they spend Thanksgiving Day with their friends and family. Importantly, Natural Grocers employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week will also receive 8 hours of holiday pay. With over 85% of Natural Grocers employees working 30 or more hours per week, most workers will receive a full day's pay for the holiday.

Although some retailers open on Thanksgiving will provide a special holiday increase or overtime rate, many do not offer special incentives to employees required to work on the holiday. This means for the nearly 5 million¹ retail sales workers in the United States, the holidays are just another work day.

"We want the people who work for us to know that every moment of their time is meaningful, so we pride ourselves on doing more than traditional retailers to showcase the genuine care and appreciation we feel for our employees," said company Executive Vice President Heather Isely. "Thanksgiving is a family holiday and an American tradition, so we celebrate it in a way that's consistent with our deeply rooted family values."

Natural Grocers will be open during its normal business hours on Friday, November 25.

Natural Grocers' employee benefit offerings

• Competitive pay, including the exclusive Natural Grocers Vitamin Bucks program, which provides employees an extra $1 per hour worked of in-store spending money.
• Birthday bonuses equal to 1 day's pay, which originated from founder Margaret Isely's tradition of celebrating the birthdays of all employees by preparing lunch for them. Once the company became larger, her children, the current executives of the company, implemented the policy of providing each employee with a full day's pay on their birthday to say "thank you for working with us."
• Company-wide store discounts and credits of up to 30% on all Natural Grocers products, which provides employees substantial savings on high quality groceries and supplements and helps them retain more of the dollars they earn.
• Natural Grocers also offers comprehensive benefits packages to the over 80% of its employees who are full time, including medical, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending and health savings accounts; short- and long-term disability and life insurance; a 401K savings plan; generous paid time off; and extensive free nutrition education programs.

Natural Grocers store offerings

• Highest quality organic and natural groceries, dietary supplements and body care products
• Always Affordable^SM pricing
• Free science-based nutrition classes, health coaching, cooking demos and more
• No artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives and harmful trans-fats
• 100 percent USDA Certified Organic produce
• Strict meat standards – raised without antibiotics, growth promoters or feed containing animal by-products
• Pasture-based dairy standard – dairy products that come exclusively from confinement-free dairies
• Free range egg standard – eggs that are not only cage-free, but are provided with sufficient space to move – both indoors and outdoors – and exhibit their natural behaviors
• A Nutritional Health Coach (NHC) in every store
• Knowledgeable staff offering world-class customer service
• Support for local community organizations

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Retail Sales Workers. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/retail-sales-workers.htm

About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC; NaturalGrocers.com) is a rapidly expanding specialty retailer of organic and natural groceries, body care and dietary supplements. The company offers a flexible, neighborhood-store format, affordable prices and free, science-based nutrition education programs to help customers make informed health and nutrition choices. Founded in Colorado in 1955, Natural Grocers has more than 3,000 employees and operates 127 stores in 19 states.

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SOURCE Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.