Earth Fare Natural Foods Supermarket Pleases Investors.(Originated from The Charlotte Observer, N.C.)

Dec. 10--When one of venture capitalist John Warner's partners went trolling for investments in Asheville earlier this year, he came back with two words: natural foods.

And then dared to utter two more: Earth Fare.

"I couldn't believe my ears," recalls Warner, president of Capital Insights, a Greenville, S.C., venture firm. "I said to myself it must be the air up there in the mountains."

But so far, the air in Asheville has turned out to be, er, down to earth. Capital Insights is pleased with its $750,000, or one-third ownership position, in Earth Fare Inc., an expansion-minded natural foods supermarket. The investment allowed Earth Fare …