Other than two discount general stores, the B Street Market is the only full-sized grocery store in Mountainair and the only source of local, natural and organic foods for the town. The B Street Market recently joined the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association to offer natural products at reasonable prices.
Nancy McCloud opened the market six and a half years ago and it is the only indoor farmers market open year-round in New Mexico. The market’s produce supply comes from McCloud’s own garden, five local farmers and three farmers from Belen. The store’s meat selection is supplied by Mesa Meats in Mountainair and Red Doc Farm in Belen. McCloud also sells elk and venison from Colorado. McCloud is currently working to find a pork supplier.
“We try to have everything as local as possible,” McCloud said. “So in line with that, I joined the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association. They negotiate with our wholesaler, KeHE Food Distributor, so now we have a huge range to choose from. The smallest stores have to pay the most to get their groceries which is so upside down. I have been trying to find a way to bring better food to the community that is organic and doesn’t cost a fortune.”
INFRA is a purchasing cooperative that strives to make healthy, sustainable foods accessible to all and serves communities in 46 states. McCloud, who also has a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of New Mexico, said by joining the cooperative, the market will receive a whole new product line.
“They have a house organic brand called Cadia that is held to a higher standard of excellence than other corporations,” McCloud said. “They are all extremely reasonably priced to the point it’s on a par with the dollar stores, except that everything is organic.”
The market also has its own no-waste system, a model McCloud has been trying to encourage to other stores around the state. The market’s waste is fed to the market’s 80 chickens and after the chickens consume the waste, their manure is used for compost for the garden. The chicken eggs are also sold in the market.
Along with joining INFRA, the market was awarded a grant from New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Healthy Food Financing Fund, which will be used to expand the store and make improvements with equipment like refrigeration.
“People wouldn’t really have to go to Albuquerque if they didn’t want to,” McCloud said. “It is bringing organic food to the community at the price of conventional food. It is important to me to have the foods be the best quality we can get, there is no reason that rural stores shouldn’t have good food. I think when people eat healthier, they stay healthier.”
The market is also hosting a tasting party on Saturday, March 9 from 1 to 3 p.m.
B Street Market 204 W Broadway, Mountainair
But she still doesn’t honor her commitment to me to make my purse. I gave her a down payment of 300 $ 3-4 years ago and she refuses to make good on our agreement. Glad she’s doing good for the community …. but….