March 25, 2026

This piece is sponsored by Pomegranate Market.

By 7 a.m., Natalie McFarland typically is already at work, overseeing the grocery section at the downtown Pomegranate Market store at Cherapa Place.

An hour later, her husband, Matt, has dropped off their daughter at school and is ready to begin his own day at one of the grocer’s two Sioux Falls locations.

“I think day to day, there’s times we spend more time together and other times not as much,” Matt said. “There’s a healthy balance.”

For the McFarlands, locally owned Pomegranate Market allows them to work in an industry they love — providing not just for their own family but offering healthier living to their community.

Natalie, a native of Avon, first began as a cashier and then a bulk buyer in the natural and organic grocery industry at the former Meadowsweet Market in Sioux Falls. The store transitioned much of its team to Pomegranate Market when it opened in 2010 at 4815 S. Louise Ave.

Matt thinks he might still hold the record for longest-serving employee at Sushi Masa in downtown Sioux Falls, where he worked for more than a decade.

“I ended up coming to Pomegranate Market and thought it was going to be a temporary gig and ended up working here 14 years,” he said.

In a way, it wasn’t that surprising of a move. Years ago, he and a cousin had an organic farm in the Brookings area, where they grew primarily squash for the restaurant industry.

“I was really driven by the idea of providing local foods to the community,” he said. “I’ve always been impressed we can do that as a hub at Pomegranate Market, so I’m driven by it in that sense.”

The couple met in their early 20s through mutual friends and married in 2008.

As the grocery buyer, Natalie purchases the items you find on shelves in the center of the store.

“I do the bulk of the merchandising you see outside of coolers, so I have a hand in most of it,” she said. “I’ll watch trends and really keep an eye on what is selling here. I try to add to the selection without adding too much because there’s a fine line with choices.”

After serving as general manager of the Louise Avenue store, Matt now is general operations manager with oversight of both locations.

“That can include anything from making sure facilities are maintained correctly to writing the schedule, overseeing our day-to-day finances and working closely with our buyers to make sure we’re hitting budgets and buying the right goods for the stores.”

At the downtown store, which is located at 350 N. Reid Place in The Clark building at Cherapa Place, Natalie has noticed “more of a trend toward global flavors and in general more flavorful foods,” she said. “In one brand of chips, we sell more of the lime flavor downtown, while on Louise it’s sea salt, so we’re seeing how customers are leaning.”

Trending items include beef tallow used in a variety of products — “I’m not really a chip person, but they have a distinct flavor, and they’re really good,” she said. “And outside of grocery, I’m really excited about our bistro food. It’s delicious, and once people try it, they come back.”

Matt has noticed “the shopping trends downtown are totally different,” he said. “A lot of folks come because of how close and convenient it is. They live nearby and run in and grab a few items and say they’ll see us tomorrow. It’s not as many people pushing full carts, and we’re still helping people understand how easy it is to shop here.”

Pull in the attached parking ramp from Sixth or Eighth streets, park free for two hours and push a cart directly into a Pomegranate Market entrance.

“It’s so easy, but it’s still a mental perception,” Matt said. “Once people do it once, they love it. We see a lot of people come in and order tacos or world bowls, and they love the hot bar and salad bar for convenience.”

They both regularly work on the floor and get to know their customers.

“There’s a feeling more like in a restaurant,” Matt said. “We get to know the guests more and build relationships. Everyone is on the floor, and we’ve built the company in such a way that the leaders are out working with the public.”

That translates to a powerful connection, Pomegranate Market founder Craig Snyder said.

“Matt and Natalie are the faces of POM. They have been with us from the beginning,” he said. “In a large part, it is because of them that Pomegranate Market has turned into a success in Sioux Falls. We could not be prouder of the difference they have made for the store and, in a larger sense, for healthy food and healthy living in our wonderful city.”

Husband and wife say each brings unique strengths to the store.

“I think Matt is a really good leader, and I trust the decisions he’s making, so in that sense it’s easy to work together,” Natalie said.

Natalie “is really good at what I’m not, so I appreciate what she has a watchful eye on,” Matt said.

While it’s common for people to “get burned out on retail” eventually, that’s not the case for the McFarlands, Natalie said.

“It’s different with this type of store,” she said. “We work for a good family, and we share their mission, so that makes it easy. Obviously, you have to have a profit to stay open, but it’s not necessarily profit-driven, so I feel good about that, and it helps me maintain a positive attitude because we’re providing a good service.”

As a local business, “we know the owners,” Matt added. “We interact with them on a regular basis, so it’s not like you’re working for a faceless company. We win together, we lose together, and if we put the time and energy into the right places, hopefully we can be successful together.”