A new grocery store has opened in the Penrose neighborhood.

The new Save-A-Lot Food Store opened its doors this month at 4447 Natural Bridge, the site of the old Renderers Drug Store. The new store boasts a nice selection of fresh, healthy vegetables and fruits, as well as affordable prices on other foods — up to 40 percent savings compared to conventional grocery stores, according to the company.

Save-A-Lot is one of the nation’s leading extreme value, carefully selected assortment grocery chains, operating nearly 1,200 value-oriented stores in all types of neighborhoods — urban, rural and suburban.

The Save-A-Lot grocery store network spans from Maine to California, serving more than 4 million shoppers each week. Customers enjoy grocery store bargains on exclusive Save-A-Lot brands and national brands, plus USDA-inspected beef, pork and poultry, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables and non-food items.

“It’s great to see new businesses coming to the 21st Ward,” said Alderman Antonio French. “Especially one that will provide affordable fresh fruits and vegetables in our community.”

The company has local roots. In 1977, company founder and Illinois native Bill Moran developed a business model that would allow small grocery stores to compete against large chain groceries by offering a limited number of high-quality products. The first Save-A-Lot opened in Cahokia, Ill. in 1977.

Later that year, General Grocer Co., working from Moran’s model, opened five more stores in the St. Louis area. By the next year, the store had 20 additional locations. Just three years later, it had 52 locations and a  large warehouse located in Jackson, Tenn.

Now, Save-A-Lot is a Fortune 100 company and one of the largest grocery companies in the United States. It also owns the Shop’n Save chain, which will oversee this location’s pharmacy services.

According to the Save-A-Lot website, the company’s goal is to offer “great food, great prices, great people.” Because they have their own highly efficient supply chain, they are able to offer their own house brands (including Baumann’s Best, Cowboy Billy’s, Ferratto’s and World’s Fair) at a price far below their competitors’.

The company adds that it strives to create a positive shopping experience for its customers by making sure stores are clean, bright, and staffed by helpful, friendly and respectful staff.

Save-A-Lot says it also strives to be “consumer-centric,” and hopes to save customers time previously spent comparison-shopping. They also hope that the money customers save on food  can be used for having fun with their families.

In addition to fresh produce, the store carries basic staples that can be used to cook healthy meals, including a variety of frozen foods; rice, pasta and beans; hot breakfast cereals; and baking supplies.

They will also be a convenient stop-off for young families, as they carry a number of baby supplies, baby foods, and household supplies.

One of Save-A-Lot’s primary goals is to promote healthy eating on a budget, and offers options for shoppers who want a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner for under $5. They also have options for those who are on special diets, including diabetics.

The company’s resident nutrition experts advise those looking to purchase healthy food to “shop the perimeter,” of the store, where they stock fresh fruits and vegetables, plus meat and dairy products.

They also advise shoppers to purchase less fatty meats, such as chicken breasts, fish, turkey and lean beef, and to choose skim over whole milk.

Save-A-Lot says it also has healthy options in its aisles, including whole wheat breads and rolls and frozen fruits and vegetables, which have more vitamins than canned. Beans and rice can be a low-fat-, healthy alternative to meat that also saves quite a bit on a weekly food budget. They also advise people to shop on a full stomach, in order to resist the pull of sugary or salty snack foods, which only offer empty calories.

The company’s website, save-a-lot.com, offers special offers, a Smart Shoppers’ Club, recipes, and advice on how to shop healthy on a budget.