PCC Natural Markets, the Seattlebased grocery co-op, plans to open its ninth store, in Edmonds, by the end of June, coming as a flurry of much larger U.S. grocery and retail chains aggressively move into its market: environmentally friendly and health-conscious grocers. For example, Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market, the world's largest retailer of natural and organic foods, has set up locations in Redmond, Bellevue and Seattle. Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger Co., one of the nation's largest traditional grocers, which owns QFC and Fred Meyer, has cut energy use by 20 percent through a variety of eco-friendly measures. And even Wal- Mart has opened what it calls "High-Efficiency Supercenter" stores to reduce energy use.

While CEO Tracy Wolpert says watching the major chains follow PCC's lead in sustainability is like "sharing the wealth in a way," PCC is making moves to avoid being outshone. For example, in November 2007, a month after ridding its eight stores of plastic shopping bags (they're not as sustainable as paper bags), PCC boosted its healthfood credibility by banning products containing high-fructose corn syrup, which has been blamed for exacerbating the country's obesity epidemic. The result: not a box of Nabisco Wheat Thins or Kellogg's Raisin Bran in sight.

PCC is also competing in design. Its Redmond store was the first in the nation to achieve Gold LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, which awards points to energy-efficient and conservation-minded building designs. It hopes the Edmonds store, in a remodeled former Albertsons, will win Platinum certification.