Ozark Natural Foods Cooperative has been a staple provider of natural foods and products in Fayetteville since 1971. Currently located in a strip mall on College Avenue in mid-town Fayetteville, ONF looks forward to an upcoming move to the heart of downtown. This opportunity presented itself when the only downtown grocer in Fayetteville closed their doors on a valuable piece of real estate.
Ozark Natural Foods was a natural fit for this location and General Manager Mike Anzalone approached the ASBTDC to assist him in convincing his board that the location was right and to secure the funding for relocation. The ASBTDC first assisted Mike by providing valuable market research about the consumers within proximity of the new location. He was able to use this information to confirm his beliefs that his target customer base resided in the area surrounding this property. That confirmed the notion that the real estate was in fact a good fit. The next hurdle was securing the financing needed to purchase the building. Board and bank approval were needed. Mike and ONF finance manager Gary Cook worked with the ASBTDC to create financial projections based on their growth strategies and a relocation to this property. These projections, coupled with the market research, enabled them to secure the financing needed to purchase the property and expand the business according to growth plans.
