Category: Whole Foods Market

Posted on

Amazon Buys Whole Foods – There’s More to the Story (Part 3 of 3)

Touch the Soil News #733 (headquarters of BlackRock, Inc. – the world’s largest investment management firm CC SA 3.0) Behind the scenes of the potential Whole Foods sale to Amazon, there is more at stake for the American public and particularly the investors than first meets the eye. Today, everyone assumes the stockholders of Whole Foods and Amazon will approve the deal. So, other than Jeff Bezos who owns only 16.9 percent of Amazon stock who are some of the other big holders of Amazon stock? Come to find out, some of the largest stockholders in Amazon (besides Bezos) and Whole Foods are one and the same – the institutional…

Read more

Posted on

Amazon Buys Whole Foods – There’s More to the Story (Part 2 of 3)

Touch the Soil News #732 (feature photo – Amazon headquarters in Seattle – CC SA 2.0) Who is Amazon? The surface answer is that it is the world’s largest online retailer. As we will briefly explore, there is a whole lot more to this story. Prior to diving into who Amazon is, our expectation was to find a company fat with profits, making lots of money and the reason why Jeff Bezos is considered the world’s third richest man. What we found was shocking. For the years 2011 through 2015, Whole Foods was more than twice as profitable as Amazon. Amazon had its first year of modest profits in 2016…

Read more

Posted on

Amazon Buys Whole Foods – There’s More to the Story (Part 1 of 3)

Touch the Soil News #731 (feature photo – Interior of the largest Whole Foods Market in East Village, New York – CC SA 3.0) Competition in the grocery business, when combined with the impatience of investors, may bring down grocery prices, but at the risk of broader economic decline in America. Americans will spend approximately $1.6 trillion on food this year – about half at restaurants and half in grocery stores. Unlike years past, the grocery industry has become concentrated (see News piece #725 Food Titans – Prepare for Battle). As Americans, we have become used to companies competing. However, the big companies left to compete are no longer just…

Read more

Posted on

What are Employees and a Vision Worth?

Touch the Soil News #669 (Feature photo CCA SA 3.0) Back in 1978, John Mackey (co-founder of Whole Foods) borrowed $45,000 from family and friends to open a small natural foods store called SaferWay in Austin Texas. When Mackey was evicted from his apartment for storing food products in it, he moved into the store, using a water hose attached to the dishwasher to take a shower. In 1980, SaferWay merged with Clarksville Natural Grocery to create the first Whole Foods Market with a staff of 19. The next year (Memorial Day 1981) a major flood devastated the new Whole Foods Market. The loss was estimated to be $400,000. The…

Read more

Posted on

Whole Foods What?

Touch the Soil News #637 (feature photo – Whole Foods Bryant Park – courtesy of Whole Foods) In a recent Whole Foods press release, they announced the opening of a new flagship store in Bryant Park, New York City’s most prominent intersection. While we all know that Whole Foods is a destination for organic produce and clean meats, seems the grocer is going far beyond the traditional grocery store model. Whole Foods is going all out to attract “restaurant” customers, bar customers with alcoholic drinks and an assortment of other prepared food specialties. But that is not all; they are going to have a “Produce Butcher.” Here are some of…

Read more

Posted on

Whole Foods Retracting?

Touch the Soil News #622 (feature photo – CC SA 4.0) According to Whole Foods Market, it is operating 469 stores and has over 87,000 employees. The long term goal of Whole Foods Market has been to expand to 1,200 stores – they’ve got a long way to go. Unfortunately, sales have slowed dramatically. Whole Foods Market plans to open six stores this quarter, but shutter 9 stores for a net decrease of 3 stores. The company has had to endure six straight quarters of declining same-store sales. The reasons for Whole Foods Market in losing wind in its sails are complex – heavy competition from majors like Kroger and…

Read more