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FRAMINGHAM – An upscale grocery store chain, that focuses on local produce and prepared meals plus wine, craft beers, and spirits wants to open in Framingham.

The Fresh market wants to move into the space formerly occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond on Route 9 East in Framingham.

Owned by Cencosud, The Fresh Market website stated “The Fresh Market, Inc. has helped guests make everyday eating extraordinary with time-saving meal solutions, unique ingredients and delicious food for any occasion. From fresh produce and exceptional meat and seafood, to signature baked goods and thousands of organic options, this specialty grocery retailer has something to please every palate.”

In regards to prepared meals, the Hingham store is offering a “Traditional Holiday Meal – Serves 8-10. Includes: Cooked Turkey (10-12 pounds), Yukon Gold Whipped Potatoes, Traditional Herb Stuffing, Homestyle Turkey Gravy, Cranberry Relish with Walnuts, and Soft Golden Dinner Rolls. $99.99 (Starting at $10 per person).”

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Started in 1982, The Fresh Market currently “operates 160 stores in 22 states across the U.S., inspiring guests to discover new flavors and cook with confidence.”

In May 2022 the Chilean retail company Cencosud acquired a 67% stake in The Fresh Market.

The first Massachusetts location is open in Hingham, a second location is underway in Mansfield, with Framingham the company’s third possible location in the Commonwealth.

The Fresh Market will go before the Framingham License Commission on Monday night, November 21, seeking a full all-alcohol license, said attorney Adam Barnosky, who is the ormer chair of the Framingham License Commission.

The Fresh Market would join a growing grocery market in Framingham-Natick-Ashland with Whole Foods, Aldi, Wegmans, a proposed Amazon Fresh for Shoppers World, along with Trader Joe’s, Stop & Shop, Roche Bros, Shaw’s, and Market Basket.

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About The Fresh Market

After returning from a trip to Europe, The Fresh Market Founders Ray Berry and his wife Beverly were inspired to bring the charm and essence of an open, European-style food market to America. They wanted to offer a more intimate and personalized shopping experience than the warehouse-type supermarkets popular at the time.

Leaving his job at The Southland Co. overseeing 3,600 7-Eleven stores, the Berry’s poured their life savings into their dream: creating a warm and inviting shopping experience filled with the freshest produce, meats hand-trimmed by butchers in-store, fresh-cut flowers, and the finest foods and ingredients from around the world.

While searching for the ideal place to make their dream a reality, the Berry’s fell in love with the quaint community of Greensboro, North Carolina.

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On March 5, 1982, the first The Fresh Market store opened in Greensboro on Lawndale Drive, where a store still stands today. Everything about this small, boutique specialty grocery store was designed to enhance the food shopping experience.

The initial 14,000-square-foot store differentiated itself from conventional supermarkets with a farmer’s market atmosphere, complete with locally-grown produce, bins of freshly roasted coffee, an old-world style butcher shop and fish market, in-store bakery, fresh cheeses and cured meats, and floral stands.

The original store became the blueprint for other locations to follow. Today, with 160 locations in 22 states, The Fresh Market is still committed to our original values of providing guests with inspiring, fresh food to make every day eating extraordinary.

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Courtesy photos

By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.