I'm a new customer to this health food shop and I was very happy with my first experience there. I was greeted once I walked in by a nice young lady named Julie. She's the manager I believe and was so helpful and knowledgeable about the items they carry. Not only will their great selection on amazing products make me a repeat customer, but also Julie did too! It's hard to find customer service and genuine kindness in retail nowadays. Julie if you see this thank you for your help and for being so sweet! You gained a customer :)! read more

Picked up an order from Too Good to Go and everything in the bag was food that expired. Some was as old as 5/2023and the newest food in the bag was chicken from 9/2024. Stay away from this dump. read more

Great place!! I am So glad we found it again after their move from Reading. Great staff! Great selection! Awesome! Laurie in Wakefield read more

I've been a customer for many years in Reading and was so disappointed in new location. Very hard to find. But I can deal with that.....but the prices were off the charts. So high. I know everyone has gone up in prices, inflation etc., but their prices are ridiculous. Example, Harmless Harvest coconut water $5.49 for a 12oz bottle! The young woman employee was pleasant at first but then I realized she would not stop talking. On and on explaining why this location is great but there are so many rules because it's a historical building etc. Never again and I'm so sad read more

rude owner who would not listen to other people. It's hard to deal with someone who would not let you speak and just wants to dictate his own stuff to you- should not ne in customer focused / facing business read more

I would not recommend shopping at Natural Food Exchange in Reading. I wanted to support a local business however I found the owner Eric to be very rude and disrespectful. He was argumentative and continued to point his finger at me while I was trying to discuss my reason for wanting to return an item. He would not listen and actually opened the door and told me I could leave now. I was shocked that he as the owner would treat a customer like this. I will not be shopping at Natural Food Exchange again and hope Eric will be kinder to his next customer. read more

This is the worst place ever! So this past week I purchased 3 tinctures because I have sibo. This young man that sold them to me said they would help. Am I wrong that your supposed to be knowledgeable? He said I could put them underneath my tongue. When I got back in my car, it said I had to mix it with water. So I went back in to make sure. He said yeah you can do that too. So I did. They ended up inducing me into a seizure. Side note, I'm also a recovering alcoholic. I was wondering why I had a seizure. I was so afraid to look at the bottle to see if it had alcohol in it. But I looked. And all 3 of them did. I was devastated! I've been sober over 9 years. Luckily I talked with my sponsor and he said you don't have to change your date because you didn't know and you stopped right away. . So I went back and explained the situation. The owner said he can't take them back because their open. I said can I exchange them for something else? He said nope! Then he said, have a nice holiday. And I left. Its supposed to be all natural, and I've never taken anything like this before. And their employees are supposed to be knowledgeable. So I will never recommend this place! read more

(3.75) ~ Good Small Local Health & Nutrition Store. Note: The Right side of the store seems to be focused on Foods & Beverages and the Left side is where the supplements are located. read more

Having been a customer here for over fifteen years, a new owner makes one nervous or skeptical at the least. I needed to get a supplement which is not carried by many. My husband suggested I try there... The manager, Julie was completely sympathetic and just listened. We ended up taking for over an hour. Nothing has changed. It's still the five star service I was accustomed to in years past. read more

I've been on the search for a more natural deodorant, which can be hard to find. During my journey, I came across the Natural Food Exchange which carried some of the brands I wanted to try out. I decided to take a trip there and they had a good variety of deodorants to offer. I was a bit overwhelmed and had no idea of what to buy. Then a very friendly sales person helped me and she seemed very knowledgable. She recommended me one of their deodorants as well as a body wash. She could probably tell that I still wasn't sure about the choices, since I've never tried the mentioned brands. So as she was ringing me up she assured me that if I had any allergic reactions or problems with the product, I could return it as long as I showed the receipt. Unfortunately, I became very itchy and brought the item back a week later. The new owner who introduced himself as "Eric", immediately came off as very unfriendly and cold, perhaps even insensitive. He told me that they changed their store policy and that I was not able to return it. He asked me which employee told me that I could return it after trying, to which I advised him. Surprised, Eric mentioned that their new policy was only returns for unopened items. I told him that I was not aware of the policy since I was reassured by their employee of the ability to return items which have an issue. Eric seemed super hesitant but he eventually allowed for me to use store credit on the spot, however he did insensitively insert a "not that I don't believe you" (in regards to my allergic reaction). I feel as though businesses should honor their word whether it was made in error or not, this applies even more so for a small business owner. Yes you do have to compete with Amazon's prices however, how you treat your customers can make them ultimately return. I believe that exceptions in any business are important, but if you choose to value profit margin by making statements such as "I can not possibly sell this back now, I shouldn't even take this item back", you show extreme insensitivity and lack of empathy therefore devaluing your customer. Shame on you as the new owner or as any sort of business "owner". read more

Walk in, turn right, and dear Lord, you've died and gone to Celiac Heaven. If you need gluten free anything, you need to take a trip here. Dare to ride the Orange Line to Oak Grove, take the bus to Redstone Shopping Center, and hail a cab if need be. I have been a faithful customer for almost 10 years. I've watched this store evolve from a hole-in-the-wall with 1 type of rice pasta to a New England Celiac superstore (well, almost, I mean it is still on the small size but they've relocated to the revamped Stoneham Square). I love how they carry gluten free pseudo-KitKats and individual Annie's salad dressing packets and 4 brands of bagels. The staff is wonderful - helpful, friendly, and willing to search for new in-demand products. They also carry organic supplements and make-up, as well as low-carb products. Of course, the groceries are on the pricey side, so I pick up only a few choice items when I am in town. But people drive in from NH and Maine just to see for themselves what this store has to offer, and I guarantee you will find something you once thought you couldn't live without and can now enjoy again. read more

Not sure if it is the candle and essential oils section or what, but this place smells great!! :) This is more of a gluten free stock up destination place for me when in the area. The delicious gluten free samples they have put out have definitely enticed me to raid their shelves of products! lol! Think it was Katz' apricot cookies last time or something. With gluten free being pretty pricey, and not necessarily always tasty, nice to get a chance to sample before you buy. My positive experiences have been similar to the other users here as well, so no need to repeat. read more

I have been going to this place since the new owners took over and it is my go-to store for just about anything. They have a great selection. The owners and his staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about their products. I have attended some of the seminars as well which are very informative. I highly recommend!!!! read more

I go here at least once a week. I have a gluten allergy and I am also vegan. I reeeeally love the Peace Of Mind Baking Co items since they are really tasty and catered to people like me! Every time I go in I check for the pizza crusts and if they are there I buy them all. I also buy my bread here too. Ener-G makes really great tasting gluten free/ vegan bread items. I get the Tapioca Light and the english muffins. They are the best bread product I have found for myself and they are always fully stocked! I love trying new things from Natural Food Exchange. They have a lot to choose from. Really glad they remember people like me who do not eat dairy. Their skin care section is also really good. Their staff is very friendly too! read more

Valerie and the whole staff are not only knowledgeable but also personable! I love going here for all my natural healing remedies, household products and even a few snacks! I know that shopping online can be convenient, but nothing beats the experience of going in and getting to talk a little with the staff. I highly recommend NFE! read more

Big fan of this place. You might pay a TINCH more than wholepaychex but you're supporting an honest-to-goodness small business. Great selection of beauty stuff, supplements (and knowledgeable staff) and household products for those of us who DO care what we're putting in and on ourselves and into the environment. If you're north of Boston this is well worth the trip. read more

Tried this place again, Much better employees now, A fave new hotspot. --Haiku Review. read more

This place is amazing! Employees are great. Very helpful in navigating you around the store, and are knowledgeable on the products. All the staff are great. Will be shopping there regularly from now on! read more

I couldn't find yeast anywhere! Eric at the natural food exchange came to the rescue. Excellent customer service. I highly recommend!

The whole staff at Natural Food Exchange is extremely knowledgeable and always willing to help you find whatever you need. I love how the entire store is GMO-free, definitely puts me at ease every time I walk in. I love going here for all of my natural healing remedies and their snack section near the register always offers healthy, fresh treats. Definitely check this place out! read more

Prices were not easy to find. I was looking in the frozen section and there were no prices upfront. I bought 2 packs of frozen, gluten free bagels (for guests) assuming the price would not be ridiculous. 14$ + change!!! Three days later, I did eventually see a price sticker on the back of one of the bags. BTW people - take a science class and learn the truth about what a GMO really is (& the history behind genetically modified food). The mass hysteria involving this topic needs a sizable injection of scientific knowledge. read more

The new location in Reading is a little larger than their old Stoneham location but the new place simply "feels" bigger. With the extra space brings extra products - new mineral makeup line, more teas and bath and beauty products. Parking is much easier at the new store though I dearly miss being able to walk to the food exchange from the office. :-( read more

On one hand I'm happy this place exists because this area has a lack of natural stores. It is brightly lit, spacious and the employees are happy to help. I had a hard time stomaching the $10 box of Numi tea ($6 at Wegmans), Jason mouthwash ($3 cheaper elsewhere) but my deodorant is about what I pay for it at Amazon. So, for me not a one stop shop, but will come in handy in a pinch. read more

This is my favorite health store around. The staff here are great. Extremely helpful and informative! They have anything you can imigaine in health and beauty. Highly recommend to all! read more

I went to the Natural Food Exchange because I heard that they had gluten-free (GF) products. Usually I'm disappointed by such claims -- ending up staring at a selection of a shelf or two of product. But not this time! The Natural Food Exchange has the largest GF selection I've ever seen. In fact, they label the parts of the store that are NOT GF! A wonderful find for me and my child who is allergic to wheat. read more

I went on a day that you could get an herbal consult from an herbalist.She charged me $15 for 15 minutes.Her advice was so awful I didn't even want to pay her( I did pay her to be polite).I do not recommend the advice of that herbalist.I felt like she didn't really list to me,then suggested I buy TONS of the most EXPENSIVE supplements and take them all at once........Was she working on a product commission that day or what? It was kinda a turn off. The store it's self wasn't bad.I've seen better prices else where on a lot of items.I liked the loose teas.They did carry natural henna hair color and other hard to find beauty products at reasonable prices.They also had raw honey and brown rice syrup for about $8 a jar. read more

About a 35 minute drive from my home in Swampscott in very to light to almost nonexistent traffic. Completely 100% worth it and in fact I'd even go further to get here. You'll definitely be happy with the well curated selection of supplements, as well as natural skin care. So happy to see a grocery section well stocked with plenty of gluten free items! I noticed there is also a good amount of other allergen friendly stuff. Was pleasantly surprised to also find not only fermented foods but some grass fed beef too, among other things that caught my eye in their delicious foodstuff area. Julie rocks! She was super helpful, friendly, accommodating, and great with the recommendations. Owner (Erik?) is very nice and helpful too. I always love shopping small, and this place makes it so easy. Great products in a very inviting space with an amazing staff, too. I will be back, and frequently. read more

I am not a health nut, but I have always found this place to be great. They have so much variety here, and if they don't have something, the staff can special order for you. The staff is very knowledgeable and they can always recommend good product. I really don't know why anyone would ever give this place a bad review. read more

This is an excellent course for anyone looking for gluten free items! The staff is also very helpful!! If they are out of something, they will re-order for you - and they were also very helpful after I inquired about a certain product and it took a while to order, they called and let me know it was there & stored it for me in the back! It's definitely expensive - but if you're looking for a wide variety of GF items (including Joans GF Great Bakes!!) you will find it here! read more

Wonderful local business! I called the other day to see if they had a particular product I had read about and ended up learning so much about other, more natural alternatives from Marianne. She seemed so knowledgeable I had to go in and check the store out and have been very happy with the items I bought on her recommendation. I was so impressed by the variety in products and the knowledgeable staff I will definitely be back! read more

I come to this store when I am looking for organic or natural teas, essential oils or herbs. The staff is always professional and they know their products and the information we all need to use the products. Yes you will pay more but do your research and then look at the Natural Food Exchange for what you need. My favorite staff person is Hal, although everyone is excellent and helpful. I was looking for a variety of different teas. I e-mailed and got an answer to my questions. They ordered the products I was looking for and contacted me when they arrived. Can you get that kind of service at your local drug or grocery store? I don't think so. I have recommended this store to people I know and I will continue to go to them. Cathy, Wilmington read more

Love this place! All of the staff are super friendly and take the time to talk to you and understand what you're looking for and why so they can make recommendations. It is also very well taken care of and bright, which you don't always get in these types of stores. It's definitely one of the biggest things I miss since moving out of Massachusetts. I highly recommend! read more

I was overcharged today based on the sticker prices of the items I bought and was then told sometimes things get labeled wrong. I've bought the same products at another store and they were the same price there as the sticker prices here, so I doubt that is what happened. First and last time shopping here! read more

I love this store. The people are extremely friendly and helpful, they'll order something you need if they don't have it. They have a ton of gluten free stuff if you need that. They also stock bulk herbs, beans and grains, oatmeal, all sorts of teas, and brands like Alba for body care products. They're very focused on natural and organic foods. I find a lot of stuff here that I normally look for in Bread and Circus (like kombu, tahini, all kinds of honey). They even stock kimchee! read more

Easy access, ample parking and helpful staff keep me coming back. It can overwhelming to walk through endless isles in the big box stores and not be sure what is right for you. However, here the staff was able and willing to answer my questions and point me in the right direction. read more

I have been shopping at this store for years and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in purchasing healthier foods and products. The staff is incredibly friendly, knowledgable, and helpful. If they don't carry a product, they will special order it for you. If a product they normally carry is sold out, they will hold one for you when the next order arrives and call you so you can pick it up. Plus it is a locally owned business which I always want to support. read more

I buy my vitamins at the Natural Food Exchange. I do not do any research beforehand. Each time I go in, informed staff is available to help me make a selection and answer questions. I have been happy with every bottle of vitamins I have bought here. read more

They have a great selection of natural as well as gluten free products. The staff is very knowledgeable and doesn't try to sell you things you don't want or need. They have even ordered hard to find items for me. Even bought some allergen free nail polish for a teen who usually can't wear nail polish. She was thrilled! read more