Organic (etc.) Products at Chain Supermarkets

[Chris Amirault]

There's much buzz about Walmart starting to carry organic food here in the US, but I'm noticing trends in lots of directions at some of the large chain stores in New England.

Up until about four or five months ago, the supermarkets at which we regularly shopped for staple items (Shaw's and Stop n Shop) were carrying a pretty decent array of natural and/or organic meats; I'd usually bring home some lamb, beef, or chicken along with the laundry detergent and bulk onions. Now most of those items have disappeared from their special little case to be replaced with lousy home replacement meal items ("blackened chicken" and that sort of thing), and they're hard to find elsewhere in the store. Meanwhile, the egg selection has exploded to include every variation on size, natural, organic, omega-3, local, free-range, "happy chickens" -- you name it.

What's going on at your local supermarket chain? (ETA: Not just in the U.S., btw.) Can you find more organic, natural, local products on the shelves? What sorts of things are appearing or disappearing?

Edited February 17, 2007 by chrisamirault (log)

[Mallet]

There used to be a wall of candy at the A&P near our house that was recently replaced with various 'health foods' (organic tahini, dips, spreads, cereals etc..)

[annecros]

Publix has the led way in natural and organic product here in Florida. The special section has done nothing but expand over the last three years, and seems to be continuing to expand presently. The other chains are just now playing catch up. Publix really leads the way in customer service as well. The staff is generally friendly, and happy to split a package of meat if I want a particular steak, or just sell me two hamburger buns in the bakery instead of the whole 8 pack. Boar's head deli products, which I like reasonably well. They are the only major chain down here that does not do the "customer appreciation" card scam as well. They just keep the prices a point lower, rather than jack them up in order to accomadate the discount cards.

Albertson's was just bought out by a subsidary of SuperValu, and W. Newell took over their produce. Sadly, it seems to have gone downhill. California citrus, lettuce and strawberries in a South Florida store? Doesn't make sense. The quality suffers because of the transport time, and I don't have to point out the expense.

Winn Dixie has shown vast improvement over the last two years after a reorganization. The stores are a lot cleaner now, and they are working hard to come up to a competitive position. Better produce than Albertson's, but not up to Publix. Forget the deli and bakery there.

Across the board, and probably due in part to our demographic, the hispanic section is generally an entire aisle these days. Speaking of which, Sedano's a local chain that specializes in hispanic food throughout the store is a real up and comer. If they haven't gone public yet, they will soon. I think it would be a decent stock to buy.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_..._v12/ai_9290938

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedano's

They sell a great line of organic meat, and only USDA graded beef. I love the place, and the produce is on a Farmer's Market level of quality. I expect them to expand out of South Florida in the future and be very successful if they manage to maintain the quality and low price point.

The technical name for that garbage taking over the meat case is "meal solutions" and a trend started in the frozen section about 6 years ago by the monstrosities like Tyson and ConAgra. I was doing Plan-O-Grams for a broker at the time, and remember cutting them into the frozen case when everybody jumped on the bandwagon. The whole "meal solutions" concept was dreamed up by the marketing geniouses at the major manufacturers, and almost had to be shoved down the throats of the major chains at the time. They are wasted space to my mind, because they really don't save that much time and are inferior to home preparation, but I suppose they sell and fit into a certain lifestyle.

All that being said, I do the majority of my shopping at Farmer's Markets and Delaware Chicken Farm and Seafood Market.

http://www.delawarechicken.com/

Dozen select oysters for 5.99 this week. Not too shabby.

[piperdown]

A bunch of years Loblaws (largest Canadian grocery store chain), started their PC organics line, with not only organic produce but also organic pastas sauces and other products. My father was one of the people that were really pushing this development at Loblaw's and he got a lot of resistance from the higher ups. They just didn't think that people would pay a premium price for organic food. Today the line keeps growing and growing, and has urned out to be quite successful.

I think their biggest problem was finding sources that could fill the need of a chain of grocery stores, but not more farmers are turning organic so it's been easier. I think this is one of the benefits of chains going organic, it allows farmers to see a wider market, and therefore see a profit from the added expense of using organic production methods.

[annecros]

A bunch of years Loblaws (largest Canadian grocery store chain), started their PC organics line, with not only organic produce but also organic pastas sauces and other products. My father was one of the people that were really pushing this development at Loblaw's and he got a lot of resistance from the higher ups. They just didn't think that people would pay a premium price for organic food. Today the line keeps growing and growing, and has urned out to be quite successful.

I think their biggest problem was finding sources that could fill the need of a chain of grocery stores, but not more farmers are turning organic so it's been easier. I think this is one of the benefits of chains going organic, it allows farmers to see a wider market, and therefore see a profit from the added expense of using organic production methods.

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For the large chains in the US, it is not just the sourcing (which is a huge big fat hairy deal and hard to do at a competitive price point), but the distribution chain that makes organics more expensive. The distributor has to be certified organic before the product can be sold as organic.

Of course, the distributors actually have stricter guidelines than the USDA for quality in house for the most part, and most just call in the USDA when they need to document a quality problem with a source or to document a non quality problem that happens when a produce manager over orders then refuses the produce.

People don't mind paying the premium. They also don't mind paying the premium for the cryovaced blackened chicken breast.

I've been doing government work for too long.

ETA: I am very selfish as well. I want the best, I want it now, and I want it cheap!

It's a wonderful world.

Edited February 17, 2007 by annecros (log)

[PamelaF]

I'm in California and Safeway has been promoting their line of "O Organics" for the last year or so.

I do not shop at Safeway that much, but it from casual observation it seems that they run aggressive specials on this brand that price the items well below their competitors. So if you are at all price conscious, you will choose their item over the competitor.

[Chris Amirault]

What does the "PC" stand for in Loblaws PC organics line?

[SuzySushi]

What does the "PC" stand for in Loblaws PC organics line?

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President's Choice, which is Loblaws umbrella private label brand. (Not "politically correct," unfortunately!)

[slo_ted]

I've noticed several of our local and regional chains offer organic produce consistently and organic or free-range meat products inconsistently--somedays its available and some days it's not there. Organic fruit is also sometimes available, which is a nice change. In my usual shopping destination, more and more of the meat counter is being devoted to those "fully cooked" entrees and side dishes which I suppose are microwavable. These things are packaged in large plastic tubs which look like they would be too large to keep more than one or two items in my fridge and definitely take up too much space in the meat counter which no longer provides space for offal at all.

[sanrensho]

About a year ago, our local Safeway did away with their aisle of organic shelf products, blowing everything out at 50% off. (Yes, I did stock up.) The organic shelf products have been reintegrated into the regular aisles, but with a much smaller selection.

We've recently switched to organic milk for the kids, but have noticed that Safeway and Save-on sometimes run out of stock, the former for days at a time.

[TheUnknownCook]

annecros:

I had worked for Publix a few years ago. I wish that they were nationwide! But the logistics of their distribution network does not make that possible. Therefore, they will be located only in the SE U.S. Their generic brand products were as good, if not better than many of the national brands!

chrisamirault:

These might be useful to you:

Organic Consumers Association

Slow Food

Slow Food USA

Slow Food Canada

Chefs Collaborative

Whole Foods Market

Edited March 10, 2007 by TheUnknownCook (log)

[MattJohnson]

As I've been buying more organic and free-range food/meat, I've done some thinking. Something I find amusing/scary is that just because something is green/organic doesn't really mean its doing anything great for the environment (even though it may be healthier than a non-organic option). Think about it. Say your grocery has a great cut of organic lamb from New Zealand. How much energy was used (pollution caused) in getting that one beautifully marbled slab of lamb to Wisconsin. Something to think about. Organic is the new "Low Fat." Just cause something is labeled organic doesn't mean we don't have to think.

[budrichard]

We have been members of Co-Operatives since the early 1970's and are currently members of the OutPost Co-op http://www.outpostnaturalfoods.coop/ in Milwaukee. Just about any higher end and lower end grocery store chains have a selection of organic produce to match the quality of the OutPost and certainly are priced less. Whole Foods just opened a store in Milwaukee. Being familiar with Whole Foods in the Chicago area, I told the OutPost Director that they needed to reassess thier competative strategy. The Outpost has done nothing believing that thier 'commitment' to Organic and 'Local Farming' will get the OutPost continued market share. Whole Foods is great and I no longer shop at the Outpost as comparable products for less are available else where. In fact Whole Foods has a better selection in both variety and availablilty than the OutPost.-Dick

Edited March 10, 2007 by budrichard (log)

[Gruzia]

my local West Philly PathMark underwent a renovation three months ago and now has one whole isle of natural/organic foodstuff - Terra Chips, organic juices, cereals, soups, etc. Of course, the downside to this renovation is that now the crazy array of dried chilis are nowhere to be found

[ghostrider]

Up until about four or five months ago, the supermarkets at which we regularly shopped for staple items (Shaw's and Stop n Shop) were carrying a pretty decent array of natural and/or organic meats; I'd usually bring home some lamb, beef, or chicken along with the laundry detergent and bulk onions. Now most of those items have disappeared from their special little case to be replaced with lousy home replacement meal items ("blackened chicken" and that sort of thing), and they're hard to find elsewhere in the store.

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Funny, just the oppposite has happened at our local Stop & Shop here in Jersey - I'd say more natural/organic selections than there were a year ago, particularly in the meat area. Both natural & organic poultry have been there for a while but been & lamb are pretty new here. There also seems to be more organic produce though that is more 'just an impression."

(Those home replacement meal items have shown up too but not in a big way yet.)

At local Whole Foods, organic chicken is beginning to crowd out the "natural" variety at twice the price.

Makes you think that these stores are micro-tracking their customers' preferences. They probably are what with computerized inventory systems & reward cards & all that.

[annecros]

Makes you think that these stores are micro-tracking their customers' preferences.  They probably are what with computerized inventory systems  & reward cards & all that.

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Ding, ding - you are correct. They are, sleep well, because you are not paranoid if they really are out to get you.

It's true.

[nduran]

It's getting so you can't swing a dead cat without hitting something labeled "organic" these days, and I've never been impressed by any of it. The food that comes from chains like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods is frequently horrible on multiple levels, but rich yuppies pay the ridiculous markup just because they've been convinced that "organic" is synonymous with "good" (like all that organic spinach that was killing people a few months ago).

I come from a long line of farmers and growers and I had my own little organic garden as a kid (though the term "organic" had not been popular at the time, I just liked squishing the little bugs with the hand trowel more than spraying things) including a variety of fruit trees. I know what fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts are supposed to taste like, and the cheap pesticide laden stuff is almost always closer to what I expect than their overpriced organic counterparts when it comes to chain stores. Farmer's markets and roadside stands are another matter entirely, but as a general rule, I don't buy anything that says "organic" on it unless there's no other choice. $3 for a tiny, flavorless garlic bulb my fanny.

[Shalmanese]

How much energy was used (pollution caused) in getting that one beautifully marbled slab of lamb to Wisconsin. 

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not much

[MattJohnson]

How much energy was used (pollution caused) in getting that one beautifully marbled slab of lamb to Wisconsin. 

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not much

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Thats an informative post. I guess the point I was trying to make is that many of the labels put on food are often there to get you to buy the product (and make you feel good about your purchase) and that one should still attempt to make informed decisions. You are certainly doing that, and have helped me do that as well.

I'm not on any crusade here. I buy locally when I can (I'd rather pay my neighbors than someone around the world), buy organic if the quality is there, but I still enjoy that awesome slab of fresh tuna - and last I checked that isn't raised around here (Milwaukee, WI). Thanks for the reply.

Edited March 12, 2007 by MattJohnson (log)

[Margo]

The Hannaford where I shop locally underwent a remodel recently, and when the dust settled there was an expanded organic box-food section, a new organic frozen food area, a new bulk food aisle (some organic, some not), and most excitingly, a Wall of Yogurt. Finally, I can get Fage! But also local brands featuring sheep, goat, or cow milk, and some other imports. And last week I found some cool flavors in La Yogurt's Sabor Latino line of 6 oz cups: guava, mango, and papaya.

I wonder what motivated the decision to invest so much refrigerator real estate in yogurt? I'm kind of afraid that sooner or later they'll conclude what the best sellers are, and limit the selection again.

The surprising thing about this store is that its produce is lousy AND overpriced, organic or not. Luckily there's Hudak's farm stand just up the road, open June to Thanksgiving.

[azurite]

I live in a small town on the OR coast. Around 20 years ago, the only organic food you could buy was at the local natural foods co-op, which was struggling to stay in business. Now it's considerably larger and doing pretty well. It now carries organically grown meats and smoked/canned salmon (locally caught), as well as og dairy, produce, bulk foods, etc. Two of the big attractions of the co-op are: (1) the bulk spices: many og, you buy just as much as you need. There's an excellent selection of spices, herbs and teas. (2) You can special order for cost plus 30%. If it's in one of catalogues of the co-op's suppliers, you can order it. The co-op has a small salad and soup bar (og ingredients) during the week which seems pretty popular.

The co-op carries two locally made goat cheeses. Nancy's yogurt (Eugene, OR) has expanded her line to include kefir (excellent), cottage cheese, creamcheese and maybe sour cream too and the co-op carries all of that. The produce is not always that great although organically grown produce has improved over the past 25 years--maybe because the growers have had more practice and more time to try different varieties of different crops, find out which work best in one's growing area. think Territorial Seeds Company, a pioneer in trialing seeds (or tubers or cloves) in Oregon, of many, many veggies, some grains and fruits, has been a big help in the PNW (in Oregon, anyway) for those who want to grow organically, whether commercially or for home use.

There's a Whole Foods in Portland I've wandered through and I'd say that the co-op's bulk foods, herbs, spices and teas selection (particularly the bulk stuff) is as good as if not better than what Whole Foods offers. By better I mean, bigger variety, and for some bulk foods, I think possibly a better turnover as well. I think some of the co-op's prices are better (lower) too.

Unfortunately, the co-op's meat is not local but comes CA or further away. You can get some grass fed beef locally (direct from the farmer/rancher) although one guy just decided to quit last fall--said he was getting too old to look after cattle, even Highland cattle. I get eggs from a friend who has about 15 chickens. When I lived in Eugene, OR, (many years ago) there was an og meat place, that got alot of its meat locally. Another butcher's, that makes some of its own sausages (including great nitrite free hot dogs), also does the cutting up and hanging of game (or used to) for hunters. Can't remember if they sell game as well, it's been awhile since I went there. I do remember one of the butchers told me they still hung beef (local), as I thought that might be interesting to try--but I'd have to remember to go to Eugene at the right time, May? Or maybe it was in the fall.

Last summer at my local Farmers' market, there was a guy selling locally grown, og (or free range/grass fed) beef and, I think, lamb. He looked like he was doing well, selling out of some stuff. Also there was the mushroom guy, selling his certified organic mushrooms, shiitake, maiitake, and I can't remember the 2-3 other types. His place is on my way from the coast to the valley so if I go by during business hours, I may stop and buy some mushrooms. There's been some excellent organically grown produce for sale at the Farmers' market for at least the past two years, as well as "no spray" berries and other fruits.

Supermarkets: Safeway stocks og dairy (O brand, Horizon, Organic