Family-Owned Plum Market Coming to Aventura

Reflecting a rising trend of gourmet grocers, Plum Market will open its first Florida location at 17801 Biscayne Blvd. in Aventura Nov. 30.

The $10 million investment (not including real estate) will feature a 23,000-square-foot store stocked with all natural and organic foods, a prepared foods department and options for catering.

Unlike many popular grocery store chains, Plum Market is a family-owned business. The Jonna family first owned Merchant of Vino, which eventually became an eight-store chain. In 1999, Whole Foods purchased the wine stores and invited brothers Matthew and Marc Jonna to join the Whole Foods team, and they did, for a time. After their departure, the two created Plum Market in 2006 and opened the company’s first store with a focus on natural, organic and locally crafted items.

Today Plum Market has more than 25 multiple-format locations in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Texas, with new locations announced in Washington, D.C., Florida and California. Matthew – the company’s CEO – says the business is very personal for the family. His son will soon join the operation.

Plum Market’s full-service meat, seafood, produce, deli and bakery departments set them apart from other grocers, says Matthew. The company typically operates small-format stores but the Aventura location will be larger, with personnel on site in every department to assist customers with their shopping needs.

Plum Market Aventura will also offer takeaway catering service that features hot meals, hors d’oeuvres, sandwiches, charcuterie boards, artisanal cakes and more. An international section will feature foods from all over the world as well as kosher and diet-friendly options. The store will also offer a wine and caviar shipping service.

It’ll be “like Whole Foods, but better,” said Matthew with a grin.

The Jonna brothers say they were drawn to Florida because the state has such a diverse population, and attracts snowbirds and global tourists. They assessed different locations in the state for nearly two years before deciding on Aventura.

Supporting Local Businesses

The city was chosen in part for its large, involved, cultured community that shops natural and sustainably sourced. Translation: affluent. The brothers plan to expand to other parts of Florida – but would not share where with the Biscayne Times just yet.

According to MarketResearch.com, the sale of gourmet products has been benefiting from what’s known as the hourglass market phenomenon – when consumer demand for a product is strong at either the high end or the low end, and weak in the middle. Even during turbulent economic times, gourmet food and beverage products still sell well.

Matthew expressed that Plum Market doesn’t want to build a store just anywhere, because he and his brother want each outpost to be an essential part of its community. He hopes customers will get to know staff and have a comfortable experience at the Aventura location.

“We can’t wait to be part of the Miami community,” he said.

Plum Market’s primary goals are to genuinely inspire the community through passion, culture, experience, education, social responsibility and innovation.

Committed to making the community a better place one ingredient at a time, the company promises to bring fresh, organic, quality food to the table every day. It has collaborated with local community organizations to provide direct support through donations, volunteering and food rescue programs, and has promised to showcase locally sourced items from within a 350-mile radius.

Some local brands that will be available at Plum Market Aventura include but are not limited to McGregor’s Greens, BarbaCuban, The Empanada Girl, Sullivan Street Bakery, Mother Kombucha, Ella’s Flats, Cigar City Brewing, Fullei Fresh, Wish Farms and Funky Buddha Brewery.

A Welcoming Corporate Culture

The gourmet market also has a strong emphasis on sustainability. Plum Market uses compostable and reusable packaging, recycles, offers a bag credit at the register for using reusable bags, and participates in food recovery programs to collect and redistribute leftover food from its stores to underserved communities multiple times per week. The new Aventura location is partnering with Food Rescue US for redistribution in South Florida.

The company’s sustainability committee is always looking for more ways to be more environmentally friendly says Matthew. For example, all stores have free water bottle filling stations for team members.

He says that they like to give back to the communities where they have stores, and often donate Plum Market gift cards or gift baskets for auctions or use at special events. In the past, the company has donated to community nonprofits in sectors like cancer research, domestic abuse, animal rescue and at-risk youth programming, and has donated to and sponsored local school events and activities.

Plum Market has a diversity and inclusion committee made up of staff volunteers from each store who meet monthly to develop ongoing education and awareness for both staff and customers about culturally specific events, national holidays and observed months.

The committee works to create an environment of awareness, acceptance and safe spaces in the workplace through meaningful discussions and conscientious decisions. Once hired, all staff members must complete diversity and inclusion training. Equitability training options are also available for employees to utilize lessons learned and share them with others. Pronouns may be added to nametags and email signatures.

Matthew expects Plum Market to be a refreshing change for Florida shoppers. Being the “opposite of most stores,” said Matthew, “Miami is going to be very surprised.”

Ed. Note: After the Biscayne Times went to press with this story, Plum Market informed us that the opening date of the Aventura store has been pushed back; it will not be opening on Nov. 30.