SFR Interviews Sunflower Market CEO Mike Gilliland on video.


On Wednesday, January 13, Sunflower Market opened a second location in Santa Fe in the San Isidro Plaza, on the city's southside. The "natural" grocery franchise opened its first Santa Fe location in the DeVargas Center last year.

Although popular for its low prices and comfortable vibe, the original Sunflower irked some Santa Feans by almost immediately letting go of more than 40 employees as the economy hit the wall. In addition, the store was a frequent site of union protests because of issues during the  remodel construction.



Supporters love Sunflower's low prices and access to some organic and local foods to everyday bargain shoppers. Detractors think Sunflower is capitalizing on the green and organic trends without fully supporting the ideas behind the movements.

SFR caught up with the CEO during opening festivities and ducked into a (quasi-) quiet room for a few minutes of face time with founder and CEO Mike Gilliland.