Way back in 2006, when author & educator Michael Pollan’s raised concerns about the national supermarket chain Whole Foods in his book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” Whole Foods CEO and founder John MacKey wrote a letter to Pollan. The two continued their dialog publicly, while the rise of the organic food movement lifted up small manufacturers and producers as well as large multinationals.
These two eco-minded leaders agreed on the ‘ “reformation” of the American food system,’ supporting more locally grown production: In California this would mean, anyone at a farmers’ markets to Earthbound Farm. While they both disagreed on several points, you could bet your tofu on the fact that both of these guys were advocating for change in the American food system.
But what surprised me in their paper dialog a few years ago was that Pollan was basing his arguments on some fundamental marketing principles. “..As Whole Foods recognized before many others did, there is another consumer being born out there, one who takes a broader view of his interests, understands that spending more on higher-quality food is worth it on so many levels,” says Pollen.
“As competitors like Wal-Mart and Safeway move into selling industrial organic food, Whole Foods can distinguish itself by moving to the next stage, doing things they can’t possibly do. “Local” surely is one of those things: and your buyers already know exactly how to do it. All Wal-Mart knows is how to source industrial organic food from China.”
And then something happened. Whole Foods’ stock prices went on a roller-coaster ride; and the business was expanding. Fast. 65 stores were in development in 2005; and by September 2007, WF acquired their major competitor Wild Oats. WholeFoods has its national price-friendly brand, 365 on its shelves, nation-wide. And the brand, which once stood for local and sustainable, made its mid-course correction to be in favor of big and not so local, and not so green.
Maybe this is sounding a bit like an overwrought “Wolfman” but the hidden side of this food chain is getting ugly. As a consumer, when I pay premium prices on most of the experience I get here, and I see all the nice little signs in the fresh produce aisles telling me where my apple, beets and tomatoes come from, I expect the same transparency in the freezers.
The 365 California vegetables, according to a recent ABC report are manufactured in China. Is there that much demand to warrant growing these thousands of miles away from the state whose namesake
Is Whole Foods looking a lot like Safeway? Has green now gone so far mainstream that it must stand by “go big or go home?” Is MacKey wrong to have certified “organic” food from China? Is mainstream television damaging the green business movement?
I think the damage comes from the lack of transparency. Consumers shouldn’t have to do all the work at figuring out the Whole Foods brand. If Whole Foods wants to handle this transparently, and up the ante on “quality” they need to step up and admit who the independent auditors are and change their packaging design immediately that these products, if they are proudly made in China.
