Earlier this month, Rockville, MD-based MOM’s Organic Market opened its first location in New England and its 23rd store overall.

Located just outside Boston in Burlington, MA, the new MOM’s store is approximately 12,000 square feet and, like all MOM’s markets, features an exclusively organic produce department.

Longtime Produce Director Chris Miller said he and the rest of the MOM’s team are very excited about expanding into New England.

“I have been around at MOM's long enough to remember when it was a ‘major expansion’ to open our first store in the Baltimore area, which is only about 40 miles north of where the business started and is headquartered,” Miller said. “We were nervous and excited with that first step into a new market. From there, we opened stores in the Philadelphia region and more recently in the NYC metro area. We have had a goal to work our way up into the Boston regional market for many years, and with the new store opening in Burlington, MA, we are extremely excited to engage with a new community of customers.”

Chris Miller, Produce Director, MOM's Organic Market

The produce manager for the new Burlington location is Joe Welsh, a nine-year veteran of MOM’s who transferred from the company’s store in Waldorf, MD.

"We have had a goal to work our way up into the Boston regional market for many years, and with the new store opening in Burlington, MA, we are extremely excited to engage with a new community of customers.” - Chris Miller

“Joe is extremely passionate about our products but more importantly is driven by a desire to provide the best customer service in the game. Joe knew most of his Maryland customers by name, and they were sad to see him go, but it is such an honor that he is the person introducing MOM's to a whole new community and region. Joe is looking forward to learning from our new customers to offer a well-cultivated selection of the highest quality, 100% certified organic produce day in and day out!” 

MOM’s sources its organic produce primarily from Four Seasons, an Ephrata, PA-based wholesaler, though it works with other regional and local suppliers as well.

Joe Welsh, Produce Manager, MOM's new store in Burlington, MA; Brian Dey, Senior Merchandiser, Four Seasons Produce; Todd Quaerna, Regional Produce Specialist, MOM's

“Our partnership with Four Seasons has been a cornerstone of the success in our produce business at MOM's,” said Miller. “Lancaster Farm Fresh is another consistent and amazing regional supplier that will play a big part in our new regions as we expand. On top of that, we are excited to be working with Myers Produce. They are doing a great job building out a regional organic and sustainable small farm network in the Northeast, and we look forward to working with them alongside other direct small/medium farmer partners."

Over the past couple of years, MOM’s has expanded into the NYC metro region, opening two stores—one in Dobbs Ferry, NY, and the other in Paramus, NJ.

“Our partnership with Four Seasons has been a cornerstone of the success in our produce business at MOM's." - Chris Miller

“We are extremely excited about the momentum that our new stores in the NYC metro market have had. Our new communities and customers have been amazing and supportive, and we are hoping to keep building on that support!” said Miller.

When asked about overall trends affecting MOM’s markets, Miller cited a softening in demand related to inflation. “We all see the industry-wide metrics regarding reduced consumption of fresh produce, and it is concerning to see the economic realities have an impact across the board, whether on organic or conventional,” he said.

“We have seen price point and promotional opportunity drive volume in a more significant way currently than it has in the past,” Miller added. “This is a great moment to find opportunistic partnerships between the supply and retail sides in order to provide value and drive volume where we can. Simply put, consumers are seeking value—which I believe is the crossroad between quality and price point—more than ever at this moment.”

When it comes to current popular items at MOM’s, Miller said there are many to choose from. “Honestly, this is a great time of year for us. We have wonderful partnerships that allow us to offer everything from the most gorgeous curly parsley grown by our longtime East Coast partner Lady Moon Farms to some of the finest specialty citrus that can be found from our ethically and environmentally aligned partner Homegrown Organic Farms on the West Coast.”

“We have seen price point and promotional opportunity drive volume in a more significant way currently than it has in the past. … Consumers are seeking value—which I believe is the crossroad between quality and price point—more than ever at this moment.” - Chris Miller

Miller noted that Homegrown’s Cara Cara oranges are a personal favorite of his, and he also praised the company and its leadership for their focus on worker welfare (Homegrown is employee owned and was recently certified by the Equitable Food Initiative).

Reflecting on the new Boston-area MOM’s location, Miller said, “It’s been so awesome talking to the store team and hearing about the excitement and buzz there. I am just extremely excited and grateful to be talking about having a store in Boston. I started working at MOM's when we were four stores in a 20-square-mile radius, and it brings me so much personal pride and joy to feel welcomed this far away from where we started. Many of us at MOM's have been with the company from the early days. As we grow, I continue to value the heart, soul, and ‘sweat equity’ that so many have brought to the table to allow us continued growth.”