Whole Paycheck?

This is a very interesting article.  Actually, there have been a slew of interesting articles lately about Whole Foods and the FTC trying to block their purchase of Wild Oats.  I've been following the "drama" mostly because I'm the purveyor of a very small tea business and I'm hoping that someday soon those teas are going to be available on the shelves of health food stores near you.

I'm also following this story because there's rumblings in our own little Santa Cruz that Whole Foods is coming to town.  It plans to open not one, but TWO locations here in a town that already has many health food store options of its own.

And this revelation about its business practices in relation to its competitors makes me just a little bit nervous.  I will admit that when I first heard that Whole Foods was coming to Santa Cruz I actually cheered.  While I absolutely LOVE Staff of Life (my very local health food store), there are some things that I am able to get at Whole Foods that I just can not get at Staff of Life.  And because I am the only one on the planet who seems to ever "request" these items from Staff of Life, they just never carry them.  And you know what?  That's okay.  I just stop at Whole Foods whenever I'm near one (and they're all a substantial driving distance away...so that isn't all that often) and pick up the things that they carry that I can not get in Santa Cruz.  It's all good.

But...having a Whole Foods that is actually here in town?  Right down the street?  Well, I was genuinely excited if for the gas savings alone.  However, now, I'm not so sure. 

You see, I'm quite attached to Staff of Life.  And the folks who work there.  And the fact that even though they may not have ALL the things I want on an everyday basis, they always know me, they always have fantastic sales and they really do represent "Santa Cruz" to me.  I don't want Whole Foods opening right down the street to create an environment that doesn't allow for fair competition.  It will be my intention to shop at BOTH stores.  But this article (and the others that have preceded it) makes me very nervous.   It seems that Whole Foods isn't so much about fair competition as it is about taking the entire paycheck!

I guess it all remains to be seen what will happen.  The store(s) here in Santa Cruz haven't opened yet and don't even seem like they'll be opening any time soon.  It's all, as they say, just organic food for thought.

Comments

[TheShrone]

I'm glad I'm not the only one to have made this observation about Whole Foods = Whole paycheck. My peeve is this: why do only the middle and upper middle class get to buy healthy, organic foods? It's classist and elitist. My nearest Whole Foods is in an affluent community. The cars in the parking lot scream wealth. Meanwhile, across town where the discount grocer is, where a typical family shops because its only where they can afford, I see a lot of non-white folks trying to stretch their dollars. Nothing in the store is organic, and healthy becomes a relative term. I'm a little disappointed that there isn't more of a movement to make good foods affordable and accessible to all socioeconmic classes. I'm off my soapbox. Thanks for letting me "peeve" a little.

[nakedjen]

I wonder if that's because technically the other location is considered CAPITOLA?? They're taking over the Ralph's location on 41st Avenue right next to Long's Drug Store.

[Peter]

Y'all. I sent a mail to Whole Foods about this... They say:

Hello Peter,

Thank you for contacting Whole Foods Market. At this time we only have one location in the works for the Santa Cruz area. We appreciate your concerns and have forwarded them to the Northern California regional office so they may benefit from your feedback.

For store opening information and updates, please visit http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/newstores.html

Best regards,
Rachael

Rachael Gruver | Global Customer Information Specialist | Whole Foods Market | 550 Bowie Street | Austin, Texas 78703

[Grace D]

Oh, gosh, did I spell Whole Foods wrong and typed WHORE foods instead? Gosh, what was I thinking? Jeepers. Wow.

[Grace D]

Honey, you wished these stores on us! You sent the letters! You filled the universe with your longing!

Nah, I'm not blaming you. Really. I'm with you - I'll keep shopping Staff of Life and New Leaf and, my very favorite, Shoppers Corner and never set foot in the Whore Foods stores. Just like how I deal with the downtown Borders, I've never been in the place and I never will. Molly has also been trained thusly.

xoxox