When selecting our products, we avoid:
• Artificial ingredients (flavorings, colorings, additives) and preservatives.
• Hydrogenated oils and trans fats.
• Produce sprayed with chemical pesticides.

When selecting our products, we choose:
• All-organic fruits and vegetables.
• Locally-grown and produced food.
• Natural foods that are minimally processed, if at all.  
• Safe, nutritious foods that promote health.
• Companies that are socially and ethically responsible.
• Alternatives to "conventional" products that also suit special dietary needs.

Produce Department
The Produce Department contains all organic veggies and fruits. The only exception to this standard is hydroponically-grown vegetables. Since the Federal Government will not allow organic certification for hydroponically-grown vegetables products, we ensure with the distributor that they are pesticide free. The Produce Department prefers to purchase from local farms to guarantee that our veggies and fruits are the freshest while using the least amount of fuel possible during transportation.

Grocery Department
Our grocery products contain no hydrogenated fats, artificial flavors, colorings, or preservatives. More specifically, many of our grains, cereals, and pastas do not have bleached or bromated flour; the chips and packaged snacks contain no MSG, and we carry only natural sweeteners like molasses, agave-nectar, and turbinado sugar. The Grocery department is also conscious of the need to carry items for gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, low-salt, low-sugar, kosher, and raw diets.

Cheese Department
We offer a diverse selection of organic cheeses and ensure that none of our cheeses contain artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors. European-style cheeses, which often are not organic, are researched thoroughly to ensure that they are produced using traditional cheese-making methods, which discourage the use of growth hormones, antibiotics, and other artificial ingredients.

Dairy/Non-Dairy Department
Our customers can be guaranteed that they will enjoy milk, eggs, butter, and other refrigerated delights with no preservatives, antibiotics, or growth hormones. The majority of our dairy items are organic. Cage-free eggs are also a priority. We strive to have a diverse selection of non-dairy products for our special-diet customers.   Roots Market's soy products are 100% organic. When local is possible, local is chosen. Trickling Springs, located in Chambersburg, PA, delivers milks, creams, and butter directly from the farm.

Bulk Department
The Bulk Department offers nuts, rice, dried fruits, flour, oats, and other dry-cooking products are all organic unless labeled otherwise and over twenty different kinds of shade grown, fairly traded coffee. Due to the high cost of some products, from time to time, we bring in some bulk items that may not be organic.

Prepared Foods Department
We work with local companies that share our standards for the freshest, natural meals available. Sweet Sin, located in Gaithersburg, MD, delivers delicious baked goods; most of their products are wheat and gluten free and all are free of hydrogenated oils. Heba's, located in Manassas, VA, provides our customers with Mediterranean salads that contain no preservatives. Overall, the Prepared Foods department seeks to offer a variety of healthy, all natural foods that are a delicious, wholesome alternative to fast food.

Meat/Seafood Department
At Roots Market, our meat and poultry are organic and all-natural, containing no additives or preservatives. It is our goal to purchase the best chicken, beef, or seafood available and we seek companies that treat animals compassionately during their lifetime. Free-range chicken and beef is available daily, as well as kosher meats. We make certain that our seafood is either raised using sustainable fishing practices or wild-caught. One local company that provides us with poultry is Eberly's (Stevens, PA); their chickens are fed only wholesome organic feeds and delivered using little resources.

Supplements Department
We select our supplements carefully: choosing the highest and best quality products, ensuring potency and purity. All of our products are heavy-metal free with no artificial flavorings, and we strive to eliminate supplements that contain preservatives, fillers, or binders. The department offers vegetarian (no gelatin, animal cartilage, or hormones), vegan (no whey, honey, bee pollen, and egg), gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, pregnancy-safe, and children-safe options whenever possible.

Body Care Department
The Body Care Department strives to find the purest skin and hair care products as possible. We endeavor to avoid harmful chemicals and ingredients, consistently searching for healthier alternatives. We also do our best to choose skin and hair care products that have not been tested on animals, as well as containing any animal ingredients.

Listed below are twelve chemicals that the department avoids when selecting products. These harmful ingredients can cause short and long term problems: