Whole Paycheque

I have avoided Whole Foods as a Catholic nun would the Folies Bergere, after a brief visit and walkabout right after the local branch opened, but I was forced to re-enter the unholy premises today as a result of my choosing a recipe for this weekend that required an ingredient that I didn't have time to make.

Normally, I'd whump up some preserved lemons, but I didn't have the month to do so after choosing a Moroccan dish for next Saturday, so I went into WF rather tentatively to pay an absurd amount for my missing ingredient.

It gave me the opportunity to observe the female of the subspecies Homo richus twittus in full shopping mode. These yuppie twits were shovelling the exact same products as were available across the street for 20 - 50% lower prices into the carts with no apparent concern for cost, nor knowledge that they were getting ripped off.

Frankly, I think they deserve what they get, but it is still dismaying to watch that sort of wanton disinterest in value at work. Most of them didn't even bother to look at the receipt before signing it.

I have avoided Whole Foods as a Catholic nun would the Folies Bergere

Must be different nuns than I know.

Must be different nuns than I know.

I once heard that nuns were 'habit-forming'.....

with no apparent concern for cost, nor knowledge that they were getting ripped off..

It's a lifestyle choice, why quibble over numbers.

More seriously, in some markets Whole Foods offers premium products that are worth a markup (in my opinion). In other markets (i.e. Dupont Circle in DC) the fruit produce and seafood are mediocre at best but they retain the markups.

For other 'standard' branded items like salt or olive oil I have found the prices much more sane.

I wandered into our local one last week for the first time in a year or two. I was dressed for a job interview and figured I'd fit right into such a yuppie haven. As it turned out, I was WAY over-dressed. Most of the guys shopping there were wearing torn T-shirts and jeans. The few women there had a neo-hippie look to them, with funky fur hats and such. I guess I can't quibble with people who put their money into food rather than clothes (even if the food's overpriced).

I guess I can't quibble with people who put their money into food rather than clothes

Mike, it costs a lot to look like you dress in rags and retro cast offs.

"the exact same products"? can you give an example? are they branded products?

is the produce exactly the same? wouldn't you have to know the grocery business and the source of each and the production methods?

the thing is that WF carries so few of the same products as other chains that i'm surprised an accurate direct comparison is possible.

at my local WF the wine prices are pretty much identical to the other stores and sometimes lower. the fish prices are substantially lower than the other quality store in town. i can sometimes buy good meat at a store down the street; but not reliably. the cheese prices are substantially less than the other two good cheese shops in town. but many of the products i buy are simply not available anywhere else or require double the mileage. and the bread! i can't buy bread that good in paris and only one other place in town at higher prices.

sorry, can't agree.

David, you are correct, it is hard to find brand name goods to compare. My observations were based mostly on fresh produce and cheese, both of which are available substantially cheaper within the same commercial complex.

[Jenise]

I wandered into our local one last week for the first time in a year or two. I was dressed for a job interview and figured I'd fit right into such a yuppie haven. As it turned out, I was WAY over-dressed. Most of the guys shopping there were wearing torn T-shirts and jeans. The few women there had a neo-hippie look to them, with funky fur hats and such. I guess I can't quibble with people who put their money into food rather than clothes (even if the food's overpriced).

That would match the Seattle store, interspersed with people like me (nice sweaters and raggy jeans--ALWAYS) and Mary Kaye Latourneau. Over in Bellevue, it's more soccer moms and people on their way to job interviews.

[Jenise]

Normally, I'd whump up some preserved lemons, but I didn't have the month to do so after choosing a Moroccan dish for next Saturday, so I went into WF rather tentatively to pay an absurd amount for my missing ingredient.

By the way, did they have preserved lemons in jars? Because you didn't say, I actually presume they did, but I'm interested. Have never seen preserved lemons for sale anywhere. I make my own, but in part because I have to.

Normally, I'd whump up some preserved lemons, but I didn't have the month to do so after choosing a Moroccan dish for next Saturday, so I went into WF rather tentatively to pay an absurd amount for my missing ingredient.

By the way, did they have preserved lemons in jars? Because you didn't say, I actually presume they did, but I'm interested. Have never seen preserved lemons for sale anywhere. I make my own, but in part because I have to.

Yup - $12 for 350 g. whole or $16 for around 150 g. chopped.

Could have done ersatz in about 4 days, but it really isn't much like the real thing done over a month.

I bet you'd like the dish I am using them in - lamb based with garlic, cloves, cumin, paprika, fresh ginger, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, saffron, cayenne, orange peel.......and it all works beautifully (or that is my working theory - will let you know) with red wine.

Whole Foods coming into my town (Sonoma) was a net net for everybody.

Provided a yup-yup haven. Supplied a handful of products that had not been available in the market before. Mostly provided competition for a small (two store) local 'gourmet' grocery operation that was good....very good actually...but had started resting on their laurels and price gouging a bit. WF forced them to sharpen their game to stay competitive.

So now we have a better, and less expensive locally-run place, it's not as over-crowded as it used to be; and we still have Whole Foods on rare occasions or for certain particular items. So I'm all for Whole Foods.

My sentiments a much like most of you. Other than wine & cheese that we find competive, we only use them when we have to. We recently paid way too much for some lamb shanks, because a. they were beautiful, and b. they are completely unavailable in any supermarket or butcher around here.

My sentiments a much like most of you. Other than wine & cheese that we find competive, we only use them when we have to. We recently paid way too much for some lamb shanks, because a. they were beautiful, and b. they are completely unavailable in any supermarket or butcher around here.

Living in a wine monopoly of course we don't get the possible benefit of reasonable wine, although we do have private stores now and if WF decides to go that way here, I'll keep an eye on them.

The cheese I looked at was more expensive than alternative outlets locally, but that may be because we are well served with cheese shops rather than WF being particularly high priced.

Does anyone know if Whole Foods is unionized? I know some other grocery chains are and some are not.

[Jenise]

Bill, when I lived in Southern California, I'd make the 20 mile trip every few weeks past 100 other perfectly serviceable good grocers to stock up at a Whole Foods Market. Higher priced yes, but inarguably better quality across the board with a real fresh butcher, exotic produce not available at all or at that quality at any other market, superb European cheeses cut to order, and bulk products simply not available at a regular grocer. I was happy to pay whatever they asked. I still feel that way when I shop in Seattle--it's pure pleasure. So count me in as being both familiar and a fan.

However, I've also been to your Park Royal store and been shocked by the prices. It's as if everything in the store has a 30-40% import tax markup built into the price. It's head-scratching. You're not wrong, but neither are those who defend the American versions.

However, I've also been to your Park Royal store and been shocked by the prices. It's as if everything in the store has a 30-40% import tax markup built into the price. It's head-scratching. You're not wrong, but neither are those who defend the American versions.

Thanks, Jenise - a novel experience, having a woman tell me I'm NOT wrong for a change!!

Its not somewhere I shop on a regular basis. But it is a great source for those items that just don't make it to regular supermarket shelves. Like great Mexican Chocolate, good Tahini or a fantastic selection of dried chiles...3 things that come to mind at the moment.

So, it certainly has its place.

Richard

[Jenise]

Thanks, Jenise - a novel experience, having a woman tell me I'm NOT wrong for a change!!

That's because we don't shop for appliances together.

......

at my local WF the wine prices are pretty much identical to the other stores and sometimes lower. .....

I have not been in our WF since it changed from being a Wild Oats. Under WO, the wine prices were not consumer-friendly. Ohio has minimum price levels, for those unfamiliar, and Wild Oats was consistently above those minimums. Very few retailers do that.

Like a lot of people, I'm not enamored of the prices I saw in the store. But they do have a selection of spices that beats any store in the area. That is where I acquire juniper berries for the brine I use on Thanksgiving turkey.

We are blessedly Whole Foods free. They were always my Store of Last Resort. The only place that priced cheese higher was Nugget, but they were much more reasonable on produce. I suppose they'll be taken over by WF too.

I do miss Trader Joe's, though.

I suppose they'll be taken over by WF too.

Bite your tongue!

We don't have a Whole Foods here. We do have a local supermarket that was bought by a husband and wife team who were both ex WF execs. The store has lofty prices, but I will say their array of products is wonderful. They have a great cheese case, and the wine department is superb. While I don't buy my wine there ($$$) if I were a visitor I'd be delighted to find such a wine selection in a local market.

They pride themselves on having the "good stuff" and the store's operator always tries for exclusivity on the things they sell, which reduces pricing pressure from competitors.

So while I don't do our day to day shopping there, I find myself there frequently enough for our upscale needs.

We have a couple of WF in the area but I'm lucky enough to have a Central Market about 4mi which I think are alot better.


-mike