MaMa Jean’s wins national recognition

A Springfield retailer earned national recognition for its grocery store focused on local, organic and natural foods.

New Jersey-based WholeFoods Magazine on May 25 named MaMa Jean’s Natural Foods Market LLC the 2018 Retailer of the Year.

Since owners Susie Farbin and Diana Hicks established the first store at 1727 S. Campbell Ave. in 2002, the magazine notes MaMa Jean’s has grown to four locations and increased its staff from six employees to nearly 200.

“Receiving national recognition is great,” said marketing director Amber Wilkerson. “That means we have to be doing something right.”

She said MaMa Jean’s didn’t apply for the award, and isn’t aware of anyone nominating them. She also noted the magazine is not related to Whole Foods Market. As a recipient, MaMa Jean's will be featured in the magazine's July issue.

“What separates us is being a local company, supporting local and giving people options,” Wilkerson said. “Being women-owned sets us apart, as well as our customer service and our staff.”

MaMa Jean’s topped Springfield Business Journal’s 2018 list of the area’s largest majority-owned women businesses with, at the time, 170 employees. 

The company is a five-time SBJ Dynamic Dozen honoree, most recently in 2015 with a reported annual revenue of $18 million, representing three-year revenue growth of 64 percent.