Whole Foods Market

[mcohen]

since trader joe's has its own topic, i think its only fair that whole foods gets its own as well. what do buy at whole foods?

i've heard a lot about whole foods 365 brand, specifically its extra virgin olive oil. but, when i stopped by one, i was overwhelmed by all the possible choices for 365 extra virgin olive oil- they had ones from california, italy, greece, etc... which 365 extra olive oil does everybody get again?

[LindsayAnn]

I have seen a few Trader Joes topics....yet none of Whole Foods. Not that the two are related...but where I live (Chicago) I often find Whole Foods (WF) locations near Trader Joes (TJ) locations. In my opinion, there are a lot of shoppers who frequent both stores - for different needs and reasons.

I, myself, love both stores. Some of my favorite items I can ONLY find at TJ, and some of my favorite items I can ONLY find at WF. Yet, there are certain product I buy at both WF and TJ that I can find in my large chain, discount grocery store, or non-specialty grocery stores....however I CHOOSE WF or TJ for either quality (often times WF, often times TJ), or for price (more likely TJ for lower prices...WF can be pricey...i.e. the phrase Whole Paycheck).

So, are you a Whole Foods shopper? If so - do you do all of your food shopping their, most of it, or just some of it. And, what are your FAVORITE finds at WF? Let's share...so we can all test out these superior products. Any products that you were disappointed by? And why?

I hope at Whole Foods for (ongoing basis items, repeat purchases):

Cheese selection - not bad at all in my opinion. Often times quite impressive actually

Meats sometimes, same with Seafood

Frozen items, specific favorites are the frozen taquitos (chicken, these are so good. 5 of them are only 180 cals, 3.5 grams of fat, and 5 grams of fiber....WOW), the Whole Foods brand Frozen CHEESE enchiladas. I love these. Two per package(which is one serving), the sauce on top is very yummy and the cheesy filling is the best. I get other things to from time to time...tater tots, fries, etc....

Fresh baked bread is pretty good, especially the sour dough.

Lots of their canned items are good (beans, tuna), and boxed meals with minimal preparation needed - like Annies shells and cheese (WHOLE GRAIN too! The Box I get). Good canned and boxed soups...some for a great price surprisingly too.

Their fruits can be really good if you pick em right (not sure about the veggies...I am not a big veggie eater unfortunately...I do love my fruits though.

Nice organic items if you go for those...I myself am not too specific on that front.

Their selection/variety for Chinese, Japanese, Thia foods are better than most I can find in my area. I am SURE China town is WAY better...but that's a trip for me and I don't usually do it (like ever).

I am sure I will think of more.....

[rotuts]

there should be a WF bashing event in the Olympics :

 

http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/25/news/companies/whole-foods-overcharging/

 

they seem to have been caught before if you can get to the bottom of this 'article'

 

the 'exact same weight' issue is interesting.

 

I wonder how their use  of scales compare to other food vendors.

[ElsieD]

I occasionally go to Whole Foods as they have a few things I can't find any where else. If I ever buy anything there that is sold by weight, I'll be sure to weigh it when I get home.

[FauxPas]

Yeah, they call it 'massive' overcharging. Wow. Those are strong words. So are these:

 

 

"Our inspectors tell me this is the worst case of mislabeling they have seen in their careers," said Julie Menin, the department's commissioner.

New York officials said that its investigation of 80 different types of pre-packaged products found none had correct weights, and that that 89% of packages violated federal rules for how much a package can deviate from actual weight.

[FauxPas]

I wonder if it is just in NYC?

[rotuts]

their stock didn't have a good day :

 

https://www.google.com/finance?q=wfm&ei=j95MVejyBuSCsQe26IG4DA

 

Ooooop!

[weinoo]

I don't seem to run into this problem.  When I buy a package of something that is pre-weighed and priced, I'll often throw it on a scale before I get to the checkout counter. Or if a bag of, say, baby red potatoes says 1.5 pounds, you can pretty much judge by holding the bag if one is larger than another, no?

 

If I have been mischarged at the register, or if someone rings up an incorrect produce item, or if the produce price doesn't match what the sign on the produce says, I bring it up right then and there, and they correct the mistake.

 

I remember when I lived in California and shopped at Safeway - it was kind of in the early days of scanners for checkout. They had a policy that if the scanned price didn't match the price marked in the aisle or on the item, you got it for free. I used to do pretty well back then! 

[rotuts]

""   and they correct the mistake  ""

 

fair enough.  but the problem is the 'mistake' in the first place.

 

they seem to make lots of them, and not in NYC

 

I wonder how the number of  these 'mistakes'  compare to other stores.

 

does the NYC Mistake Commision publish its results for other stores ?

[Edward J]

I've got a "thing" with W.F., but it has nothing to do with packaging or weights. 

 

I produce chocolate bars, we've got them in about 30 stores now, including two national chains.  We've approached W.F. several times now, but get a variety of excuses. 

 

When talking with other suppliers, we found out the "real" reason:  We don't go through a distributer.  And we won't do that since we don't want our product marked up three times instead of two....... 

[Toliver]

I wonder if it is just in NYC?

Nope. The state of California discovered the same weight/pricing problem a few years back. I believe Whole Foods was fined a chunk of change at the time.

 

Interesting Karmic timing on all of this considering how they were in the spotlight recently for their proposed downsized "365" stores and also for their new "Organic" rating policy that has the organic farmers/producers up in arms.

[rotuts]

Im getting more and more confused.

 

1 ) a NYC agency, i.e. a gov. agency, goes around and checks the accuracy of weights on consumer goods

 

2) that agency has found inaccuracies of 'xxx' proportion at WF.  some of these inaccuracies violate federal law.

 

3) that agency then proposes a financial settlement to WF which WF rejects.

 

then this spills into the media as WF has resisted the financial settlement.

 

are there no public records no matter how obscure that document with data the violations ?

 

is this then a 'semi-public-private' affair between the Agency and WF, where WF might have just coughed up some bucks and

 

it would have gone away, or now due to resistance it becomes public only because of this resistance ?

 

Is this a civil violation and not a criminal violation ?

 

it seems to me that these 'charges' have to have a documented public face or is the system really that corrupt 

 

where WF could have just payed up in a less than public manner and who knows where that pay-up would have

 

ended up ?

 

it seems each side might have a bit of 'odor' if the agency did not publicly document the data.

[rotuts]

first they say " No No No " not us !

 

then they say  " Yes Yes Us "

 

whats the matter with feting up first thing ?  and they pay for the advice they get ?  with your money ?

 

http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/02/news/companies/whole-foods-overcharge-apology/

Edited July 2, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[gfweb]

I'm more disgusted by the "apology" than the crime.

[rotuts]

Oooops :

 

https://www.google.com/finance?q=wfm&ei=j95MVejyBuSCsQe26IG4DA

 

( FD: this probably has more to do with Greece that than systemic endemic fraud at WF.  but it is what it is. )

Edited July 2, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Shel_B]

For those interested in this story, here's a little more ....

 

http://www.cornucopia.org/2015/06/whole-foods-faces-ftc-mislabeling-investigation/?utm_source=eNews&utm_medium=email&utm_content=7.4.15&utm_campaign=WFFTC

[Shel_B]

Most recent information from Cornucopia Institute

[rotuts]

and

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/business/decelerating-same-store-sales-at-whole-foods-cause-sell-off.html?_r=0

 

and

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/business/decelerating-same-store-sales-at-whole-foods-cause-sell-off.html

 

WSJ  ( a pay site ) suggested a lot of the above was due to the Overcharging issue.

Edited August 1, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[lindag]

I see that Portland (OR) is going to get one of the first five Whole Foods 365 stores next year. 

[rotuts]

I seem to be having some trouble w Copy/paste

 

look here  re overcharging etc

 

https://www.google.com/finance?q=wfm&ei=j95MVejyBuSCsQe26IG4DA

[Deryn]

If you would buy this asparagus water at Whole Foods, I have a timeshare in Florida for you.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/trending/whole-foods-pulls-6-dollar-asparagus-water-after-internet-backlash-1.3180697

[rotuts]

thank you.   I tried to enlarge the A.W. picture but could not read the "Warning" on the label 

 

""  "It was made incorrectly and has since been removed." ""

 

who made it I wonder ?

 

did they stock " correctly made "  A.W. ?

 

what about Mushroom water ?

 

this is a whole new field of Rips !

Edited August 7, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

https://www.distractify.com/lauracunha-whole-foods-selling-bs-1283035899.html

20 Times Whole Foods Tried To Sell Us Bulls**t

[Norm Matthews]

The boneless watermelon reminded me of a time I was in a grocery store and was drawn to the meat counter to check out some strangely white packages beside the pork chops.  Turned out it was pork fat (lard) and was labeled Pork, the other White Meat.

[dcarch]

If you would buy this asparagus water at Whole Foods, I have a timeshare in Florida for you.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/trending/whole-foods-pulls-6-dollar-asparagus-water-after-internet-backlash-1.3180697

 

I don't feel that is expensive.

 

They use free ranged asparagus. You know it takes a lot of labor to catch a free ranged asparagus?

 

dcarch