The delicious taste of quality awaits at Swiss Village Bulk Foods

Yes, feeding the family is a big deal. It matters what's put into our bodies. The family deserves the best food they can afford. But maybe what a family cannot afford is to eat a steady diet of food with too many fillers, additives, and chemicals.

We all know when it comes to food, natural is better than unnatural. So it's becoming easier to see the value in spending a few more dollars to put a healthier meal on the dinner table. The ideal solution of course, is when the more expensive choice ends up being the best value. One local retailer seems convinced they can do just that.

"If you buy a cheaper deli turkey, you're paying for a lot of fillers and water, really," said Nathan Miller, manager at Swiss Village Bulk Foods. "With a better quality turkey, you're getting more turkey for your money, even if you pay more per pound. We're trying to let people know what they're buying."

Miller isn't just talking turkey. That's merely one example of the Sugarcreek retailer's way of doing business. Owner Dustin Miller explained, "Our focus is not on having the lowest price, but on having the best quality we can find. When we find a better product than one we carry, we'll take ours off the shelf and bring in the better product."

With their 30th anniversary sale coming up, Swiss Village Bulk Foods is finding new ways to get better quality foods on their customer's table. Longer store hours, 'green' packaging, all-natural cleaners, and a constant search for better natural and organic products.

Their deli department switched to recyclable containers for all their meats and cheeses, instead of the standard plastic bag. "We're selling a better quality meat, shouldn't we package it in a better quality container?" asked Dustin Miller. That's just one way the store gives back, not just to the environment, but to their customers. The store gives a Rewards Card stamp for returning 25 containers, which are then recycled.

"Our customers love our Rewards Card program," said manager Elsie Hershberger. Purchases accrue stamps on the customers' card, earning a $10 gift card.

In fact, the staff at Swiss Village Bulk Foods seems quite ingenious at finding ways to give stuff away. Their weekly ads typically feature one product, explaining what makes it better, and include a coupon for a free sample. Customers are learning "there's no strings attached," said Nathan Miller. In addition, bonus reward stamps are given with the purchase of other featured items.

Besides all the natural and organic foods available, the store carries an array of vitamins and supplements. For a nominal fee, customers can take advantage of the Zyto scanner, using technology instead of guesswork to determine the nutrients their bodies need. A chiropractor and a massotherapist on site offer more ways to live a healthier life.

Their bulk foods are packaged on site, to maintain freshness. Canning and freezing supplies, over a hundred spices, health foods, it's all about quality. The store carries over 600 kitchen gadgets, with many more available on request.

Customers from all over the state return faithfully to buy their favorite products, and to find new ones. That's where the quality of staff comes in. "We have people in every department who are there to answer questions about any of our products," Dustin Miller said. "If a customer buys something, and doesn't like the taste of it, we'll take it back."

The staff tries to make sure you like what you buy. "If somebody has questions about a product, we may offer to open the bag, and let them try it," said Hershberger. They've even been known to make a quick trip to a local supplier for an out-of-stock item while a customer shops.

With 30 years under their belt, Swiss Village Bulk Foods has one thing figured out. There's more to business, and more to life, than trying to buy or sell for the lowest possible price. By faithfully rewarding their customers, in quality and in value, Dustin Miller and his staff have built a loyal following. As every gardener knows, you reap what you sow.