No More Horizon Gallons at Whole Foods


Whole Foods announced that they’ll stop carrying gallon-size cartons of Horizon Organic milk so that they can make room for their new in-house brand.

But here’s the real question: Why does Whole Foods carry Horizon products at all? This Salon article exposed the inhumane conditions of the dairy company’s cows, so why does the feel-good chain give a pass to Horizon?

After all, Whole Foods now promotes its animal rights stance. The grocery store giant recently bullied Grimaud Farms into dropping Sonoma Foie Gras as a client, and this week Whole Foods spoke out against live soft shell crabs.

Hypocrisy from a giant company? I’m shocked. But I have to wonder how Whole Foods decides which battles to fight. I assume the company’s number crunchers have some sort of ratio between good press and lost business, just like their equivalents at Wal-Mart. Care to take a guess about which cause they’ll trumpet next?

Whole Foods lures in ethical eaters, but remember those Horizon cows: Whole Foods is just as ethical as they need to be to get your money.



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May 23rd, 2006
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Comment Number:
1
Written by:
Jack
Posted on:
May 23, 2006 at 11:29 pm

I’m not surprised. It seems that Whole Foods is suddenly turning into the Whole365 store. Everywhere you look now you see their store brand. Eggs (from Texas!?) get the premium shelf space in the egg section, etc., etc.

Whole Foods seems more interested in being like Safeway nowadays.

Anyone spot a smaller, younger chain doing Whole Foods better than Whole Foods?

Comment Number:
2
Written by:
ExtraMSG
Posted on:
May 24, 2006 at 10:29 am

This is exactly the type of thing that makes me scoff whenever a leftist accuses someone on the right of being absolutist. You guys let your idealism get in the way of what should be seen as progress from your perspective. Same with the Wal-Mart going organic issue. I think you guys think that somehow everyone in the world is going to be fed by 10 acre farms owned by Farmer John and that we’ll all just get our food from CSAs.

Anyone spot a smaller, younger chain doing Whole Foods better than Whole Foods?

Yeah, New Seasons in Portland, OR.

Comment Number:
3
Written by:
Derrick Schneider
Posted on:
May 24, 2006 at 10:41 am

ExtraMSG,

Actually, I disagree with Whole Foods’ stance against foie gras and live seafood, so I don’t view their decisions as progress at all.

But it seems to me that if you’re going to portray yourself as a goodie-two-shoes grocery store, you shouldn’t be wishy-washy about it. You either have principles that you follow, or you don’t. If Whole Foods wants to play the “animal welfare” card, they shouldn’t be hypocrites about it. Get rid of factory-farmed meat, dairy, and eggs, “organic” label or no.

As for Farmer John and CSAs, I’m sure you know that industrial agribusiness isn’t sustainable. It relies on serious environmental costs that get brushed under the carpet or into the stream. CSA’s may not be viable on a large scale, but agribusiness isn’t viable in the long term. Industrial organics may be progress in one sense, but not in the larger picture.

I’ve heard good things about New Seasons. Never been to one, but I hope to next time I’m in Portland.