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Living a couple blocks away from Whole Foods has been very convenient. I can make quick runs every night and have fresh fish to cook for dinner. Or, I could go out and get some fresh pasta to make a quick lasagna. Before moving to San Francisco, I haven't shopped too much at Whole Foods, and was impressed by the array of fresh foods. Some of the foods are overpriced, and could be easily obtained at a farmer's market, but how often are farmer's markets open at 7PM on a Tuesday?
But something did bother me about Whole Foods. It's a great place to get all your fresh meats, cheese, pasta, and organic packaged foods. But, where were all the usual brand names that are at other grocery stores? I understand that their target customer is someone that would not need these brands, but, it still baffles me that I can't find a root beer that is not infused with vitamin C or ginseng. And, there's no Barq's!
So what do you think? Should Whole Foods lighten up a little and carry some "normal" brand names? I find that they often leave out the major brand just to have the I-don't-need-anything-that's-not-organic chic attitude.
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11-29-2005 @8:40PM Christy said... I have to agree, it would be nice to see some recognizable names there. Sure, it's great to go to Whole Foods and get all sorts of organic things, but after a visit to Whole Foods I find I still have to go to my normal grocery store to pick up things I consider essentials...Pepsi, Charmin, etc.
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11-29-2005 @8:39PM sam said... I think you need to read this opinion which should explain the philosophy:
http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php/2005/08/09/why_whole_foods_matters_or_why_safeway_h
on the Accidental Hedonist.
Really, if people wanted WHolefoods to be like Safeway then they'd just go to Safeway.
I think the fact that WF refuse to bow to the pressure of big name brands who want to buy supermarket space, instead remaining independent and supporting smaller brands is great.
I cant get the best soda in the world, Fizzy Lizzy, (which btw contains no ginseng, added sugar or corn syrup) or readymade handmade organic crepes at safeway, which is why i go to wholefoods for them. I don't go to WF to look at an aisle of Pepsi, that for sure.
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11-29-2005 @8:51PM sam said... and really think about what you are asking for and its all arse backwards- why not complain instead that after a visit to Safeway you still have to go to Wholefoods to pick up all your lovely "fresh meats, cheese, pasta, and organic packaged foods" and stuff. Instead of dissing on Wholefoods why not nark at Safeway for not being as responsible with the choices about what they sell as Wholefoods are.
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11-29-2005 @10:15PM deborah said... I love Whole Foods because of the fact that they don't carry all the high fructose corn syrup laden products that you can buy at any 7-eleven/supermarket in the US. Supermalls, Costco and other mega shopping places offer their own kind of experience, while Whole Foods is an oasis in the cookie-cutter shopping fare. I like the variety in knowing that there is a place like Whole Foods (and Trader Joes) that carries alternatives to the usual ... and hope not to see Coke, Pepsi, Ajax, even Barqs on their shelves.
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11-30-2005 @12:24AM TW said... I don't know. We don't have a Whole Foods within several hundred miles. I have however partaken of Whole Foods joy elsewhere.
However, we do have a local market in the quirky half very low income just like to have a grocer in the neighborhood because it isn't a quik stop half bohemian organic foodie area of town. Because of its diverse audience, it has both major brands and organic Whole Foods type of merchandise. The major brands are a small bit of it really but I am sometimes disarmed after passing through the organic witchcraft and healing herbs section to suddenly confront the bright packages of doritos and wonder bread in the "regular" grocery section.
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11-29-2005 @10:20PM Devin Lussier said... I go to the Wal-Mart Neighbourhood Market across the street for my average shopping and Whole Foods for the more special items. The fact that I save money on cheap food at Wal-Mart offsets the prices I pay at Whole Foods. I think a lot of people shop this way too, and thus won't really care about regular brands at Whole Foods since they get those items with their "normal" groceries.
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11-30-2005 @12:24AM Barbara said... Look, why should Whole Foods be like every other grocery store out there?
They cater to a niche market, it is what they do best, so leave them alone.
Kate is right--if you want them to be like Safeway--shop at Safeway.
And another thing--just because someone doesn't like high-fructose corn syrup laden processed food crap, doesn't mean they are trendy food snobs.
It means that they prefer food that actually starts out as food, not as something that comes out of a box with a bunch of unpronouncable ingredients.
How is that trendy? It used to be that processed food was the trendy luxury item. Now, real, fresh, recognizable food is suddenly snooty and trendy?
Please.
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11-29-2005 @10:51PM Hawk said... Let me get this straight. You want a grocery chain dedicated to carrying the things that your regular supermarket won't... to carry the things your regular supermarket does?
"I want my 16,000 dollar car to drive like a Lexus!"
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11-30-2005 @10:46AM Bear Silber said... Just go over to Trader Joes's, it's perfect. Also it's not over priced. Stick to the fresh meat at Whole Foods though.
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11-29-2005 @11:59PM Justin H. said... I think Whole Foods does not want to offend anyone, and the majority of people that shop at WF are easily offended. Clearly there are people like yourself who either aren't fully committed to the WF (marketing?) philosophy or just happen to find the food tastier. Or perhaps some people just want to be trendy and buy orgranic. I'm not saying that's you, but it's not really clear why you shop at WF if you find them more expensive and still want to drink Barq's (which is a product of the Coca-Cola company).
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11-30-2005 @12:27AM Kenza said... I go to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and my local farmer's market because they don't carry items that a regular supermarket does. I purchase food based on ingredients, color, texture and smell not because I am victim of marketing and advertising. Besides, isn't soda one of the leading cause for obesity in the US?
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11-30-2005 @12:39AM James said... I totally understand that WF captures a niche market, and that it does provide a great service both to the customers and the small businesses they support. But, I still stand firm to the belief that there are many more people like me who wouldn't mind seeing some bigger brands showing up on the aisles.
I'm not saying it should be exactly like a Safeway or an equivalent, but that it could benefit WF to carry some of the more popular products. It would be a great convenience, and sway people like me to use WF as a one stop shopping place.
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11-30-2005 @1:13AM sam said... James - people like you already shop at WF but until you change YOUR attitude, WF will never be a one-stop shop for you. How could they possibly stock every little thing that tickles your, and every other Tom, Dick & Harry's fancy?
You like 'Barq'. I don't even know what Barq is. Consider this - the world is made up of a lot of different people who maybe don't all think the same way as you do.
Popularity is no good indicator of quality and maybe, hopefully, WF have some principles they think it is a good idea to stick to, which doesn't mean pandering to the lowest common denominator, but standing firm by what they believe in, instead.
People drink pepsi and coke because they buy from Safeway and they have little other choice. They are not only strongly influeced by advertising, Coke & Pepsi buy up all the shelf space to lessen the amount of other soda choices people have. Then they hook you in, they buy your custom.
I am proud of wholefoods for taking a stand against this.
You would do more good to inverse your campaign and take it to the Walmarts and Safeways of the world. Try persuading them to support small businesses and good quality foods that you can already buy at Wholefoods. Why not?
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11-30-2005 @1:23AM Richard D. said... Well I have a WF within 5 mi. of my house, and I really honestly dont have the money to shop there. It's rather expensive for a lot of really neccesary food. I will go there every once in a while for something out of the ordinary, I go wherever or Trader Joe's.
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11-30-2005 @1:55AM U said... Interestingly, in Canada the big chains like Loblaws do offer all the organic foods that a person could want, *and* offer all the Barqs a regular Joe or James could desire. So, a Whole-Foods-type store would have trouble up here. If Safeway or other major chains in the US smarten up to organic foods, then Whole Foods may be in trouble.
That said, I suppose that Whole Foods' niche is in medium-sized local supermarkets, where larger chains can't go, due to their floorspace requirements... a bit like the 'Raba' chain in Toronto.
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11-30-2005 @2:07AM Dmnkly said... Actual conversation between me and a Whole Foods employee:
"Hey, you have 20-something varieties of extra virgin olive oil here, but I can't find any that isn't extra virgin. Do you have any?"
"Well, extra virgin is a much better, higher quality olive oil, beacuase it's first press--"
"Yeah, I know, I usually use extra virgin. But for what I'm making tonight I really need something a little less potent. Do you have any that isn't extra virgin?"
"Well, really, the extra virgin is a much better oil, because--"
"Yeah, thanks, but it's not what I want. I just need to know if you have any that isn't extra virgin or not."
"Well, I think you'll find that extra virgin--"
"Look, I KNOW that-- ahhh, forget it."
Yes, this is a single anecdote and an extreme example. But in short, it isn't the lack of certain items that keeps me away... it's the accompanying attitude of "why would you want THAT?"
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11-30-2005 @2:30AM Kate said... James,
The reason why you don't find barq's at WF is simply this...
Ingredient list for Barq's:
Barq'sŪ Root Beer Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup and/or Sucrose, Water, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (to protect taste), Citric Acid, Caffeine, Artificial and Natural Flavors, Acacia.
The for products at Whole Foods includes products using Benzoates.
Sorry dude, you're SOL. Either find a better soda, or be happy that Safeway carries Barqs.
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11-30-2005 @2:32AM Kate said... The link to Whole Foods No-No's is as follows:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/qualitystandards.html
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11-30-2005 @2:41AM bob said... When I started reading this, I was thinking "You live in SF and shop at WF? What's wrong with you, why not Rainbow?" Ok, you live nearby. Rainbow doesn't have meat or fish. Sure. Then... packaged food? Barq's? Gah. Just shop at Safeway.
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11-30-2005 @4:20AM kitchenmage said... (disclaimer: I don't live near a WF and haven't ever been in one so this is purely based on the link Kate offered.)
I have a question: Why isn't high-fructose corn syrup on their list of forbidden food? It's probably one of the worst things that has happened to food...ever. It's got to be a bigger issue than lead-soldered cans (which are on the list) and a few others.
They also sell farmed fish, albeit with a few caveats--but there's really no good farmed fish, neither the taste nor the environmental impact.
No conclusion here...just wondering out loud where (and how) the lines are drawn.
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