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(Riverton, WY) — Flour, spices, and dried fruits are just a few items you can purchase at Miller Bulk Foods when it opens tomorrow, April 1.
Conveniently located at 110 N 6th St., it will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Millers, Candace and Michael, have been hard at work getting the store ready for the community, and the last pieces have fallen into place over the past week.
“There are quite a few little things that you’ve got to do,” shared Michael, who is also the City of Riverton’s Community Development Director.
The two have always lived in places with a bulk food-style store and wanted to bring that to Riverton. A place to get spices, flour, grains, seeds, baking essentials, nuts, and dried fruits in the amount you want.
Customers will be given bags in which they can put as much of the goods as they need. If they want a teaspoon, they can get one, or if they need a cup, they can just get a cup.
“This has been her dream for a while,” Michael said about Candace.
The Millers go straight to the source, cutting out vendors and bringing in high-quality products.
“We supply organic, but we don’t advertise everything’s organic,” Michael explained. “We just advertise this is exactly what it is.”
Their initial bulk food stock is based on community feedback. Candace posted on Facebook asking folks what they would like to have in the store. One example of that feedback is flour from Wheat Montana, which they sourced directly from Three Forks, Montana.
They are also trying to get products locally. One they’ve had difficulty getting is Wyoming sugar, but they’re not giving up.
“We’re trying to support local as much as we can,” Michael noted.
They recognize that they probably can’t compete with the 99-cent loaf of bread from the store. However, you are likely just eating a bag of carbohydrates and sugar. When you don’t factor in your time, you can make a loaf of bread for 99 cents, and with really high-quality, healthier ingredients.
“This isn’t for every single person,” Michael said. “It’s for the people that are looking for it.”
Both Candace and Michael are excited to open the store.
Michael is excited to hear the community’s stories about what they are making with the high-quality ingredients and to show folks the difference.
“(I’m) just excited to be here for the community,” Candace said. “I really am.
“It’ll be exciting for our kids to see this come to play, too, because they’re just as excited as we are.”
Michael also mentioned that there is a part of him that “wants to see the half-cent tax, have a beacon of success.”
In November 2023, they received funding from the EDGE Committee through the City of Riverton as part of the half-cent economic development fund.
“This one here is one that they can walk down the sidewalk and see,” he said. “A lot of what we got wouldn’t have been possible without the help from that. And that’s the point of the program.”
Learn more about Miller Bulk Foods by visiting their Facebook page.