our story

Richard Austin started Rainbow Wholefoods in Norwich in 1976.

The first Rainbow Wholefoods shop was in Dove Street, where we stayed for almost 30 years.

Next came our shop in Norwich's historic Labour In Vain Yard (only a yard or two from Dove Street). After a fire in April 2018 we temporarily moved around the corner to a shop in Lower Goat Lane but after a year, and a complete refurbishment, we returned to Labour In Vain Yard.

In the Summer of 2021 we moved to Davey Place (only a few yards away from Labour In Vain Yard). The famous old pedestrian street that connects Norwich Castle to Norwich Market

Rainbow Wholefoods is still 100% vegetarian, GM-free and dedicated to organic food and wholefood in general.

We have won the Provamel award for Best Healthfood Shop in the UK, and been commended on more than one occasion by Natural Products News in their annual awards for excellence in health food shops.

Richard Austin started Rainbow Wholefoods in 1976 and is still working on the project. Here is an article outlining his views on wholefoods: Natural Products News

Richard owned and ran a Rainbow Wholefoods wholesaling business from 1980 to March 2020. That side of the business was disposed of in 2020 and as a result there are no links between Rainbow Wholefoods and any wholefood wholesalers. Richard also owns and runs Kingfisher Natural Toothpaste and works with his daughter Bessie on a business that they started in 2017 called Austin Austin.

On behalf of the Rainbow team Richard was awarded Alternative Business Person of the Year at the Natural Products Fringe Awards at Olympia, London and also was presented with the James Henry Cook Award by Ray Hill on behalf of the HFMA. He has also won several Natural Products Europe best product awards for Kingfisher Natural Toothpaste as well as D&AD and London International Advertising honours.