DENVER, April 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Natural Grocers today announced it has increased the minimum pay at all company stores to $11 per hour. All Natural Grocers good4u^SM crew members also receive an additional $1 per hour in Vitamin Bucks, which can be used for in-store purchases. The minimum pay increase applies to both part-time and full-time Natural Grocers employees and will immediately benefit approximately 700 good4u crew members.

"This decision is a reflection of our continued commitment to our employees," said Natural Grocers Co-President Kemper Isely. "It has always been our policy to offer pay that is above the legally-mandated minimum wage. This increase, when paired with the company's Vitamin Bucks program, sets Natural Grocers' pay at the forefront of the grocery industry."

Natural Grocers has a long history of investing in its good4u team members. As part of the company's five founding principles, Natural Grocers supports its employees by offering:

• Natural Grocers' Vitamin Bucks program, which provides an extra $1 per hour of in-store spending money for every regular hour worked. Company founder Margaret Isely provided a 'community cabinet' consisting of lunch items and supplements for all employees to access. It was her desire to ensure her staff received a nourishing lunch and had access to vital, health-promoting supplements. As the company grew, the cabinet evolved into the Vitamin Bucks program, a unique benefit that has been voted as one of crew members' favorites.
• Birthday bonuses equal to one day's pay. Margaret Isely was a true lover of life. She sincerely appreciated her employees' choice to share their talents each day at Natural Grocers. In appreciation for the amazing opportunity she was given to be on the planet at the same time as those she was fortunate to work with, she would take them out to lunch on their birthday. In honor of their mother and in the spirit of her lunch celebrations, her children, the current executives of the company, implemented birthday pay to continue to celebrate the lives of their employees and to say, "thank you for working with us."
• Company discounts of up to 30 percent. The discounts enjoyed by the good4u crew offer substantial savings on high-quality groceries and supplements at prices that are already Always Affordable^SM. This discount gives crew members more purchasing power to choose healthy options for themselves and their families, and the ability to retain more of their hard-earned dollars.
• Paid nutrition education. Crew members have access to nutrition education through formal company-wide video training, free coaching sessions with an in-store Nutritional Health Coach, a library of system-based training modules and access to nutrition literature, resource guides and books.
• Paid holidays. A healthy life includes sharing special moments and traditions with family and friends. It is a tradition at Natural Grocers to remain closed on major holidays and pay both part-time and full-time crew members to enjoy this time with their loved ones.
• Comprehensive benefits. Natural Grocers also offers a comprehensive benefits package to the more than 80 percent of its employees who average 30 hours or more per week. These offerings include medical, dental and vision insurance; flexible spending and health savings accounts; company paid short-term disability and life insurance; maternity/paternity pay; long-term disability insurance; ancillary accident/illness insurance; a 401K savings plan; generous paid time off; flexible hours and scheduling.

Natural Grocers offers 100-percent organic produce, all meat is humanely raised without antibiotics, hormones or other growth promotors, 100-percent free-range eggs, 100-percent pasture-based dairy, non-GMO prepackaged bulk products, groceries that don't contain any artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives and more.

About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC; NaturalGrocers.com) is an 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 146 stores in 19 states.

SOURCE Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.