Comments on: Slate Takes on Whole Foods http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/03/17/slate_takes_on_whole_foods/ From farm to table, and all the stops along the way. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:38:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Derrick Schneider http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/03/17/slate_takes_on_whole_foods/#comment-214 Tue, 21 Mar 2006 07:52:57 +0000 http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/03/17/slate_takes_on_whole_foods/#comment-214 Jack,<br /> Yeah, Whole Foods is providing the bare minimum for those of us who care about such things. <br /> <br /> I could see Whole Foods combatting Wal-Mart with more local, small farms as a differentiator, but it's tough to know. Currently WF can enjoy its reputation as the organic supermarket.<br /> <br /> I also caught that note about the produce section, by the way. I haven't visited enough WF's to know, but I'm pretty sure that the ones I've been to all have produce to one side. Jack,
Yeah, Whole Foods is providing the bare minimum for those of us who care about such things.

I could see Whole Foods combatting Wal-Mart with more local, small farms as a differentiator, but it’s tough to know. Currently WF can enjoy its reputation as the organic supermarket.

I also caught that note about the produce section, by the way. I haven’t visited enough WF’s to know, but I’m pretty sure that the ones I’ve been to all have produce to one side.

]]> by: Jack http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/03/17/slate_takes_on_whole_foods/#comment-213 Sat, 18 Mar 2006 20:36:13 +0000 http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/03/17/slate_takes_on_whole_foods/#comment-213 Field Mahoney talks about Organic Chile vs. Local Conventional. This is a big problem with Whole Foods. Specifically, there's too much conventional produce, too much produce from way, way too far away (Chile and now, China), and too much produce from big food rather than small, local farmers. I strongly feel Whole Foods compromises too much here.<br /> <br /> Whether this will change positively with Wal-mart jumping on the Organic band-wagon is a big question. I wouldn't count on it.<br /> <br /> And Derrick, comparing the amount of local produce in a Safeway vs. Whole Foods - well, there IS local produce in Whole Foods...is there ANY at Safeway?<br /> <br /> -- Jack<br /> <br /> P.S. And I don't understand the point of Field Mahoney stating "Take the produce section, usually located in the geographic center of the shopping floor and the spiritual heart of a Whole Foods outlet..." - this is not true. Not one of the six Whole Foods I have been to has the produce in the "geographic center".<br /> <br /> Field Mahoney talks about Organic Chile vs. Local Conventional. This is a big problem with Whole Foods. Specifically, there’s too much conventional produce, too much produce from way, way too far away (Chile and now, China), and too much produce from big food rather than small, local farmers. I strongly feel Whole Foods compromises too much here.

Whether this will change positively with Wal-mart jumping on the Organic band-wagon is a big question. I wouldn’t count on it.

And Derrick, comparing the amount of local produce in a Safeway vs. Whole Foods - well, there IS local produce in Whole Foods…is there ANY at Safeway?

– Jack

P.S. And I don’t understand the point of Field Mahoney stating “Take the produce section, usually located in the geographic center of the shopping floor and the spiritual heart of a Whole Foods outlet…” - this is not true. Not one of the six Whole Foods I have been to has the produce in the “geographic center”.

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