APPLETON (NBC 26) — In Appleton, a new small business is testing the waters and hoping its approach to pricing will keep customers coming.
- Emery and Pearl Provisions is a new small business in Appleton aiming to be more than just a food market
- Owners Carl and Nikki Sanderfoot say they’re filling a need for fresh, affordable food downtown
- The store offers dairy, eggs, bread, fresh produce, and other grocery essentials
- Rising grocery costs present challenges, but they are committed to keeping prices accessible
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
In Appleton, a new small business is testing the waters and aiming to be more than just a food market.
Carl and Nikki Sanderfoot, the owners of Emery & Pearl Provisions, say they’re filling a need in the downtown Appleton area: providing fresh food options at fair prices. “There’s been a strong demand downtown with the growing population with Lawrence and apartments being built for some more fresh food options, grocery, deli, market kind of thing, and we decided, ‘why not us?’” Carl Sanderfoot said.
With grocery prices continuing to rise, they’re focused on keeping their prices accessible. “I think it’s important to have fresh, accessible food at a fair price point,” Sanderfoot said. That includes dairy, eggs, bread, and a variety of fresh produce.
But running a grocery-style business comes with its challenges. “It’s hard. Restaurant business has been hard. It’s always been said it’s one of the worst businesses you can get into from a profit margin standpoint. Groceries are actually worse, as it turns out,” he joked.
Still, they’re committed to making it work. “We run the lowest markup that we can on those so, again, it stays affordable and accessible for people,” Sanderfoot said.
Right now, they’re in a soft launch phase, but they’ve been overwhelmed with community support and promise to keep everyone updated on an official opening date.
You can learn more about Emery & Pearl Provisions here.
