Australia’s longest-running certified organic retailer is open in Norwood

House of Health Collective co-owner Chester Frank admits that it’s hard to define the business, which has recently opened a second store in the former Brick + Mortar Creative premises at 49 George Street. “It’s one of the only certified organic fruit and veg retailers in South Australia and we used to say it was a health food store but I think that's too limiting,” he says, before offering his current alternative. “Now I call it a health/ whole foods/ lifestyle store.” 

House of Health Collective was formed when House of Health and Central Organics merged four years ago. And while both stores have been fixtures in the Adelaide Central Market since the 1970s, the extra space in the Norwood branch has allowed Chester to expand the range significantly. Add in Sunday trading, plenty of parking nearby and greater accessibility, and the move was a no-brainer. 

“Everyone loves the hustle and bustle of the Market, but it’s more of a casual shopping experience here where you can fill your basket in one place,” Chester explains as he walks between shelves and tubs filled with stock. In addition to organic fresh fruit and vegetables, there’s a bewildering array of flours, legumes, dried fruits and spices as well as kombucha on tap, freshly ground almond and peanut butter and crusty organic sourdough. 

The wet room holds eight types of bulk honey as well as vinegars, oils and syrups and if you don’t have a take-home container, you can always buy a glass jar or bottle for $1. House of Health is certified plastic-free, so “anything we provide to customers is glass or compostable,” and Chester has worked with his suppliers to cut down on the packaging associated with delivery. 

Because health and sustainability are such broad categories, vegan cheese sits in the fridge next to nitrate-free smallgoods and imported sockeye salmon (anyone who’s read Richard Flanagan’s Toxic will know why they don’t stock Tasmanian fish). And the lifestyle section includes everything from natural body products and cleaning supplies to meditation tools, compostable bin liners and wooden children’s toys. 

It is, Chester admits, a lot to take in at once. That's why he’s made it easy for shoppers to grab a drink as they browse. As well as locally roasted coffee (and plant-based milks at no extra charge), the instore café has a selection of grab & go snacks like bircher muesli, overnight oats, vegan panna cotta and raw slices, and an outdoor dining means there’s plenty of space for customers who want to take a load off. 

Because pursuing a healthy lifestyle involves far more than simply what we eat, Chester is also developing a wellness space upstairs that will host a range of activities including yoga classes, fermenting workshops and beeswax wrap tutorials. 

“We’ve had a lot of interest in that already,” he says with genuine enthusiasm. “And we really want to be involved in the community so we’re hoping locals will eventually use that space to run their own classes too.”