Business seeks to sprout

Sprouts Farmers Market has selected Sarasota and Tampa as the latest proving grounds for a so-far successful strategy of selling natural and organic foods at discount prices.

The Phoenix food and health products retailer plans to open stores in Tampa's Carrollwood Commons, 15110 N. Dale Mabry, and Sarasota's Pelican Plaza, 8308 S. Tamiami Trail, in the second quarter. The chain also plans to open a store in Palm Harbor, Pinellas County, in 2017.

The Florida openings are part of a growth spurt that will add 35 stores this year to a roster of slightly more than 250 stores, most of which are concentrated in California, Arizona, Colorado and Texas.