On its first day of being open the new Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store in San Rafael not only drew throngs of shoppers, but also a group of about 40 protesters.

The store at 655 Irwin St. opened at 7 a.m. Wednesday and by 12:30 p.m. a group of protesters, mostly from the East Bay, had set up shop in front of the grocer, banging drums, chanting and using a megaphone to encourage people to boycott the store.

Vanessa Raditz, protest organizer, said people from Occupy the Farm, the Gill Tract, fast food workers and other food and climate justice communities are protesting the store’s treatment of its employees, stating workers deserve $15 an hour and a union.

“We don’t want a corporate, big box supermarket that is a union-buster and pays its employees lower wages,” Raditz said. “They’re known for exploiting their workers.”

In addition, the group is upset that Sprouts is part of a planned development on a portion of the University Village property along San Pablo Avenue in Albany. The University of California owns the land and the project has been approved by the city, but opponents such as Raditz contend the land was originally part of the Gill Tract and should be used for agricultural purposes.

“They’ve been trying to pave it for 20 years,” Raditz said.

Donna Egan, a spokeswoman for Sprouts Farmers Market, said the proposed Albany store sits on land that hasn’t been farmed for more than 70 years. It was once home to old World War II barracks.

“It’s not farmland. We’re a tenant in a much larger development with senior housing,” Egan said. “We’re trying to give Albany fresh, affordable food.”

But Raditz, a Gill Tract farmer and master of public health candidate at U.C. Berkeley, takes issue with the grocery store advertising itself as a farmers market when it trucks in food from other locations. She’s also upset about the university giving away what she considers public land.

“This is also about our public institution and holding them accountable,” Raditz said.

Egan said many San Rafael customers seemed confused by the discussion about the Albany store.

“I think it’s unfortunate that shoppers are being subjected to protests about something that’s in Albany. There’s a disconnect there,” Egan said.

Protesters have also visited Sprouts store locations in Walnut Creek and Petaluma.

Shopper Judy Wiesen, of San Rafael, said her children live in Los Angeles and regularly shop at a Sprouts Farmers Market. She said she didn’t know why the protesters were there.

“Actually when I got here, I thought they were waiting to get in,” Wiesen said. “I like the store’s fresh produce and the fresh meat. The selection is great.”

Standing outside holding fliers, Steve DeMartini, of San Rafael, said he decided to get involved in the protest after learning about it from his union representative. As an employee of Mollie Stone’s Markets, DeMartini is part of a worker’s union — a cause he fully supports.

“They don’t have the same benefits we have,” DeMartini said about Sprouts employees. “Right now when they retire, they have nothing.”

Follow Megan Hansen’s blog at http://blogs.marinij.com/bureaucratsandbaking.