Anecdotal info: I've been shopping at our Whole Foods for over ten years. Ate lunch there today! There are a few negatives, though. First, many of the products which they have carried exclusively for years (Hain, Arrowhead Mills, Fantastic Foods, Amy's frozen dinners (yummy!), etc. are being sold at the regular supermarket chains at lower prices. Economy of scale, I guess. The supers are even starting to carry organic produce and things like the organic milk, tofu and "humane" eggs, though not in the amounts and of the quality of Whole Foods. WF will have to cut their prices on these items to compete. On the other hand, they are rapidly introducing their own line of products (called "365" - presumably to be used each day of the year). These are food products and household cleaning products and appear to be of really high quality. The stores no longer have that 60's "peace, love, granola" feel to them - they're more yuppified, which is probably good. The employees, though, at least in my store (which is the oldest one of the chain - lower Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas) all look like extras from Easy Rider .
I just wonder if the market share of this company will be abducted by the mainstream supers as they realize that the "health food crowd" is a real and growing market.
Stream of consciousness, man <ggg> |
