“I was, and am, extremely saddened by the closing of Katuah [Market] and have the utmost respect and appreciation to Swann for creating such a meaningful and healthy place…. But I am not convinced that it’s due to people not willing to purchase locally.”
“The impression given is that we member-owners of the co-op only called our meeting after learning of Katuah’s planned closing, like we were ‘jumping’ on an opportunity to take advantage of someone else’s misfortune. “
Despite efforts to tweak the store model and cut costs, new competition in the past year from national brands like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods made it nearly impossible for Katuah Market to compete, says owner John Swann.
The Asheville Vegan Society and Katuah Market on Hendersonville Road will host a benefit on Sunday, March 29, 4-6 p.m. The event is intended to raise funds for food, fencing and housing of chickens at the sanctuary and will feature free (vegan) hors d’oevres and nonalcoholic beverages.
“I think we have consistently proven that our products don’t fit into either of those categories of being vegetable meat or being the substance that wants to taste like meat,” says Sadrah Schadel, co-owner of No Evil Foods. “We are plant meat. We are meat. We provide that same satisfaction.”
Throughout his years of restaurant work, Dan Sobalsky saw the advantage of plating each dish. Carefully arranging the components for optimal presentation, when the food went out to the customer, there was no question how it would look. Now as the food service director at Katuah Market, that control is out of his hands in […]
John Swann has no problem admitting his aversion to big business. “I’m not a good corporate guy,” he says. “I’m way too entrepreneurial.” Katuah Market owner Swann has had his hands in natural foods since the early 1970s, when he worked with the famous Food Conspiracy Co-op in Tuscon, Ariz. and later managed the Mountain […]
It turns out it’s not just dogs that come running at the first whiff of bacon in the air. Just over 2,000 Ashvilleans flocked to Highland Brewery Saturday for the artery-clogging-but-delicious second annual BaconFest Asheville. Click through for a full report and slide show.
If you’re a true Romeo (or Romea), you’ve no doubt got everything worked out for celebrating Valentine’s Day: flower delivery scheduled, champagne chilling and — most importantly — dinner reservations made. If you’re like the rest of us workaday schlubs however, your dinner reservations for the Big Day Of Love are no more real at this point than a bow-wielding winged baby.
The 11,000-square-foot, natural-food store is the project of John Swann, a former owner of Greenlife.
