Royal River Natural Foods began in 1994 when Ruth wanted good organic food for her family without having to travel to Portland to get it.

And, so began RRNF in a very small shop in Yarmouth with Ruth and a crew of women passionate about good food and good health. We managed to fit a lot of product in a very tight space but we quickly outgrew the shop. And, it was not uncommon to enter the back room only to find boxes of cereal strewn across the floor because our meager back stock shelf had collapsed once again. (Clearly, we needed more room!)

In 1997, we made the move to our own building on Route 1 in Yarmouth and grew some more, providing a larger selection of local produce, groceries, and supplements. We added a kitchen with daily soups and sandwiches…and we were off!

In 1999, we realized we needed more space yet again so we moved a few miles up the road to Freeport and we think it is just right. We are able to carry local products from over 200 Maine vendors, give a full experience to our customers, provide good jobs with great benefits and contribute to our community.

In 2013, we had another milestone, this time without moving trucks. Long-time employee Tina, who began working at RRNF at the very first store in 1996, became the new owner with the intention of following in Ruth’s generous footsteps and to continue the great place Ruth started. Today, we have a staff of over 25 people, many of whom have been here 10 years or more.