The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

dtheo — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:29:06 GMT

Good article, but there is one bit of misinformation regarding free-range chickens. They should be grass fed or pastuered as well as the beef. Free range is just another marketing term with no value at all. Chickens that are free range are pumped full of corn feed, even though it may be "organic" feed. But that is not good enough. And they never actually range freely.....beware what you eat.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

Jennihul — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:28:47 GMT

Seriously people...hippies are never happy. They beg, plead and fight for more people to show interest in organic food and then expect mom and pop farms to be able to supply the entire world when they finally get their wish. I'm a healthy food proponent but I harbor no illusions that the entire demand for organic food is going to magically materialize without factory organic farming.

Get real.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

Grubby — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:09:19 GMT

Whole Foods is a phenomenal company that has risen to prominence on the back of a healthy change in attitude to food consumption. But this is a company legally obliged to turn a profit. Whole Foods is not some kind of public service. Friends of mine who shop there regularly have a neo-religious affinity with the place. They are the best type of customer. Immersed in the ethic the company generates profits on.

I don't shop at Whole Foods. I'm quite cynical and Whole Foods brand of hard sell is not to my taste. The demographic that Whole Foods attracts are educated, rational people of (or aspire to) a particular class who have a sense of self worth that justifies the higher costs at the till. I am part of this demographic. That group that buys the BMW over the Honda, the Rolex watch over the Pulsar. Though I am cynical I know I am part of this demographic because I participate in self aggrandizing purchases; the Apple computer, the Audi etc. I am a consumer and I know my place, and I play the game. I've got nothing against capitalism either, as long as it is regulated sufficiently so that it works in society's best interest.

We should all be deeply suspicious of companies that make such obscene profits. Our planet is in the midst of an epic food shortage. Enormous profits made on out of season exotic fruit, grown to specific 1st world standards with that "heirloom" look, branded with the almost redundant monicker "organic", flown half way around the world and sold for obscene profit is not, in my opinion, reasonable. Grow a fruit tree of your own and swap fresh fruit among your pals: doesn't that sound a little more reasonable? Or just at least go to a farmers market. Some great produce comes from conscientious farmers who cannot afford organic certification.

The defenders of Whole Foods will cry "but there are some things you can only get there and it's not that expensive". That may be. I just feel I'm being sold the emperors new clothes.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

rigatoni — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:13:20 GMT

Mr. Mackey, the founder of Whole Foods is anti-union and believes in corporate personhood and does not get my money. I drive past Whole Foods to the next town and purchase products from a small, locally owned health food store. In the area where I reside, ther are five farmer's markets within a twenty mile radius with plenty of fresh, organically grown produce (as well as commercial ones), and I rather support the small family farmers directly then enriching a big conglomerate like Whole Foods.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

Melbourne — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:56:28 GMT

Whole Foods bought our local, thriving, large health food store in Melbourne-Palm Bay - Space Coast Florida - the onbly large natural foods -produce martket between West Palm Beach 2-1/2 hrs south and Orland 2 hrs west - and then they did a lot of things to probably purposely kill it aND NOW THEY ARE CLOSING IT. There is a lot of money in this area, just not that many 300,000/yr incomes but a lot of 50-80 K incomes - and this was the surfing capital of the east coast - Kelly Slater, world champ is from here. Wild Oats killed two produce stores trying to open in the area and now whole foods is trying to kill the community - I figure it might come under self defense to do the same thing for them in Austin. Evil Evil people.

we are actually looking for people to take it over immediately - there is an entire staff of managers that make it work, it is in a thriving area right down the stree from the boggest Mall in the area and next door to office depot. There is a health food store but much smaller 5 miles away but she has a 10,000 a month lease and can't get out of it.

Melbourne

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

TNSilverGirl — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:29:44 GMT

I really think Dr. Mercola means well in most all of his commentaries. Trying to ensure we all take responsibility for what we eat, buy, etc. Whole Foods market in the Memphis, TN area has been a great resource of healthy food choices. Local supermarkets are providing more and more organic choices at reasonable prices. I do not think the prices will get out of hand. Thanks, Dr. Mercola for keeping our minds, open, but please do not assume all Whole Foods markets are the same. Life is not always black and white - there are grey areas. Sometimes you spend too much time discounting and criticizing, rather than noting the good and giving gentle admonition about the negatives. The Whole Foods Market 'glass if more half full, rather than half empty.' To better health and eating for all... Be smart and read labels.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

carryit — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:56:42 GMT

unions are so highly protected they can legally lie to get you to join them, they protect some of the most unproductive members of the work force and they would sell out their members in a minute to keep check off. they are only interested in profit not in representing the union members. i joined the union in 1971, and i have seen little benefit.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

Christos — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:26:21 GMT

I am a Whole Foods employee. Without dwelling too far into it here, I think there are a few falsehoods regarding this article. Although, I did email the company about the "hidden MSG" thing to see if it is true.

But one thing that is downright false here is the rBGH thing. No dairy at Whole Foods has rBGH. They are very strict with that. I challenge anyone to find dairy there treated with rBGH.

Also, the local thing is getting much better. My store used to be WIld Oats, and we have much more local than WO ever did. Much more local produce, local bagels, bread, body care...local has been very abundant there. I honestly believe, by working with this stuff first hand (and being totally honest as an organic consumer for almost a decade), they standards there for organic and food prep are VERY strict. I don't think they are greedy and corporate like Wal-Mart (Mackey only makes $1 a year, and even lowest employees are paid well with high benefits). Someone should read his essay called "Conscious Capitalism." It is very good, true, and shows how it isn't a typical corporate greedy company. Again, I have seen standards, customer care, and employee care raise very drastically since the WFM/WO merge.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

mosskat — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:07:05 GMT

Okay that's it. I'm buying a cow, a few chickens and growing some vegetables out in the country somewhere.

Or maybe a goat... goat's are smaller... 9_9;;;

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

ryree — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:54:40 GMT

Warning: Just because its from a local farmer or market doesn't mean its organic. I live in a rural farming community and people here love their chemicals. Just like doctors are wooed by pharmacuetical companies, farmers here are done the same way by big chemical companies. There are always workshops and seminars showing the advantage of using their chemicals and genetically modified seeds.I went to a local farm market where I bought some corn and tomatoes.. After I got home and tried them I could tell they weren't garden tomatoes but tasted like the tasteless and hard store bought kind. The corn wasn't any better. After some questoning on the next trip we found out he was a buyer and bought from a commercial farm that used chemicals. Nothing different than what you buy from the grocery store. So buyer beware.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

AnnaSiciliana — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:16:25 GMT

Whole Foods is bogus! i first noticed this when they bought out the smaller company and got rid of the women who knew everything about the herb/supplment stock. Now they've got younger clerks who do not know very much. When i saw their PET FOOD WITH ANIMAL BY PRODUCTS i knew they were full of crap, trying to represent as a wholisitc, organic market.

ps WORKERS NEED PROTECTION--UNIONS exist to protect the rights of salaried and wage earning employess. (REAL UNIONS, LED by workers, NOT PHONY, EMPLOYER CONTROLLED "UNIONS" In name only, which hurts the working people of America).

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

DrSaks — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:16:16 GMT

What's worse is it seems the large "natural" food distributors like United (UNFI.com) and others seems to be conspiring against small food co-ops by not allowing you to open an account unless you are a specific distance from a Whole Foods or other corporate natural market. Last I inquired it was15 miles.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

StellaMaris — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:54:41 GMT

I don't know that New Seasons is as big a chain outside the Northwest(a big competitor with Whole Foods here), but that's where I shop for organic, healthy, non-GMO, MSG-free, less toxic products. I've never felt like they were trying to "deceive" me by carrying a processed food that contains some "hydrolized protein"(one of those variations of MSG), because I figure that people like me who are concerned about such things are already informing themselves and reading labels! And, I can almost always find a better alternative among any type of product there. Someone who just puts blind faith in a product because it says it's "natural", is frankly being rather sloppy and gullible in their quest for healthy products(though I DO think labeling should be as honest and transparent as possible!).

New Seasons carries a good variety of products in each category, ranging from quite healthy, to questionable but better than what you'd find in your average supermarket, to a smattering of quite mainstream products. I don't mind that 1/8 of the toothpaste brands offered are like Crest and Aquafresh---these are always the cheaper brands, and someone on a tight budget can pick and choose how they want to spend more or less for healthier products.

I don't know if they are unionized, but I get the impression their employees are happy to work there. They are all very friendly and knowledgeable about the products/area they specialize in. Their customer service policies are outstanding, and all-in-all they seem very "human friendly".

A New Seasons recently opened up in my neighborhood. Shortly before this, the local Albertsons and Safeway scrambled to add organic/more healthy alternatives. This can only be a good thing! I don't know how much better they are than Whole Foods, but I do know they rarely offer out-of-season produce that has to be shipped in from other countries. Hopefully they will become an increasingly viable competitor with Whole Foods!

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

STEPcoach — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:53:03 GMT

some good tips, but the only sure way to avoid BSE, rBGH, etc is to just stop eating meat. I quit last year when I was diagnosed with high diabetes, cholesterol, and BP. Six months on a vegan diet (per Dr. Neal Barnard's book) and all my numbers were healthy, plus I lost 30 pounds! My blog tells my whole story: www.step-carefully.blogspot.com - all non-commercial, just sharing good news.

re: The Whole Story About Whole Foods Market

Charisse — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:04:32 GMT

BRINOGORDON, right you are about public schools...in that respect the public gets what they demand...people talk about "public schools" like they're this automatic machine...they're only that if parents don't get involved and don't demand what they want....only the majority works with public schools...so if parents are apathetic in your area...and you are in the minority, I agree, move to an area that is more in line with what you want taught to your kids...we VOTE on this stuff via elected officials/positions.....get invloved....If you think No Child Left Behind is GREAT for your child, then you are NOT involved and deserve what you get.....When people bash public schools, they bash themselves...for not caring.....and not getting involved.....