Erewhon Nixes NYC Popup Plans

Food and beverage brands hoping to be featured at rising specialty retailer Erewhon during a summer popup in New York will have to wait.

Despite previous indications on social media by another Erewhon executive, a spokesperson for the natural products retailer said it will not, in fact, be opening a previously teased New York City popup.

“At this time we will not be pursuing physical locations outside of Southern California as we focus on continuing to expand our local footprint,” Demiana Marie Alhaik, Erewhon’s VP of brand management told NOSH via email. “We look forward to opportunities in our future when we can deliver the full Erewhon experience to other cities and communities.”

The statement runs counter to statements posted on LinkedIn by Erewhon EVP Vito Antoci, who had stated the retailer was sorting through “hundreds” of inquiries from brands interested in participating in a NYC popup.

Antoci’s posts have been deleted.

The retailer is leaning into its ecommerce platform, launched in Summer 2022, Alhaik said. Overseeing the retailer’s digital expansion is chief growth officer Kabir Jain, who assumed the role in 2021. To bolster these efforts, Alhaik said, this year the company has added employees to its ecommerce team.

As of now, Erewhon’s online storefront offers over 200 food, beauty and wellness products, many under the Erewhon brand. Food offerings are currently shelf-stable, but Alhaik said the company is exploring perishable and cold-chain items as well.

As for further expansion, Alhaik noted, “Erewhon is always open to cultivating relationships and exploring how to reach our enthusiastic customer base outside of Los Angeles.”