The Tale of Erewhon
“Erewhon is more than a grocery store, we are a community of people who are united in our love for pure products that protect the health of people and our planet.”
In a country where portion sizes are tripled and national holidays are devoted to devouring specific dishes, food dictates everything we do. Shopping for our favorite foods can be tiresome as we scan the labels looking for clean ingredients and good macros. When you peruse a store with shelves stocked full of products pumped full of GMOs, artificial flavorings and colors, hydrogenated seed oils and high fructose corn syrups, it can certainly be overwhelming, disheartening and simply unpleasant. But what if the store only carried products that met certain health thresholds? This would remove the need for label analysis and allow for browsing and shopping for fun and flavor. Erewhon is just that.
Founded in 1966 under the guise of a food stand in Boston, Michio and Aveline Kushi sold macrobiotic foods such as freshly harvested whole grains, homegrown vegetables, fruits and beans. Three years later, the couple relocated to Los Angeles and established a strict macrobiotic diet and processes for food that would be prepared and sold in their stores.
In LA, the store started off small and had a very niche clientele of what we would deem today as “crunchy granola” and only turned into a celebrity-influencer hot spot in 2011 when Tony and Josephine Antoci purchased Erewhon from the Kushi’s. Erewhon is now the latest and greatest grocery store for consumers who care about quality ingredients and want to be seen. Erehwon is now as heavily photographed as fine-dining establishments. The store has a cult-like following and has been able to charge exorbitant prices for everyday items simply due to the buzz on social media and support from consumers.
Erewhon is best known for its private-label items and popular “raw” renditions of treats that, if purchased at typical grocers, would be deemed a guilty pleasure. Everything from Erewhon branded juices, to the TikTok famous cloud smoothie and “raw” pizza. Currently only located on the West Coast, Erewhon is a place we Elon students can only currently dream of, but you, too, can stock your pantry with some Erewhon staples by ordering shelf-stable items directly from their website.