Environmental Scan Week One
Whole Foods Market Scan
Week ending January 31, 2010
This week, although Whole Foods Market continues to struggle with the economy, it has announced the openings of numerous new stores. With Whole Food’s main competitor, Wild Oats Market, fighting to take the desired position of number one in organic merchandise, Whole Foods is doing what they can to stay involved with the community. This week Whole Foods partnered with Anne Arundel Medical Center and held a blood drive for the community of Annapolis Maryland. In addition to the blood drive, the Whole Foods of Annapolis will be hosting a “Happy Hour for Haiti”. Along with international beer and wine tasting, there will be an auction. Proceeds will go to AmeriCares for Haitian relief. For the 13th consecutive year Whole Foods Market employees have placed Whole Foods FORTUNE magazine’s top 100 companies to work for.
Weekly Outlook:
For now Whole Foods Market has kept their stock on the rise. By staying involved in the community and holding the respect that of a company who is looking out for the future of the environment, Whole foods continues to be the leading competitor among organic stores.
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Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust OpensWhole Foods Market...
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Environmental Scan Week Two
Whole Foods Market Scan
Week ending February 8, 2010
This week, Whole Foods Market’s CEO Jeff Macky released a letter to employees explaining an effort to rein in health care spending. Blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), and being a non-nicotine user, are all parts of the new health care requirements. Having recently being criticized for his efforts in health care reform in Congress, this may not be the best move for the CEO to make at this time.
Questions about who has a better buy, Whole Foods or Safeway sparked research about this dilemma. While the findings were not completely clear, Safeway did win out on three out of the five categories tested. Along with questions about the amount Whole Foods charges for their organic produce, a review was started with the comment of feeling like they have been taken to the cleaners after shopping at Whole Foods. Others agreed with this statement. In searching out other blogs this continued to be pattern found from those shopping at Whole Foods. While many people rave at the selection that Whole Foods provides, there are complaints about it being a trap for overspending.
Weekly Outlook:
While there continues to be concerns about the pricing of Whole Foods products, they still seem to remain the favorite organic produce provider among many competitors. Part of this reason is the amount Whole Food gives back to the community. Having recently raised 2.7 million for Haiti relief, the public can see that Whole food cares about more than fighting for their business.
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The Whole Foods, Obesity, Health Care Insurance Debacle
Sustainable in the City, Local food.In DC.On a budget.
Better Buy: Whole Foods Market or Safeway?
By Motley Fool Staff
Yelp Los Angeles
Your Story. THE FREE NEWS AND PRESS RELEASE RESOURCE
Environmental Scan Week Three
Whole Foods Market Scan
Week ending February 16, 2010
This week Whole Foods Market in Alberta, Canada announced they would be publically boycotting transportation services who use so called “dirty oil”. While Bed Bath and Beyond began the same boycott, but they faced most of the wrath from Alberta with many more stores then Whole Foods. Whole Foods was able to avoid most of the bad publicity in Alberta because Bed Bath and Beyond.
Complaints are still being made about the prices at Whole Foods. Customers question the high prices found when shopping at this organic provider. Others question the real health benefits of eating food from Whole Foods, and the messages they are sending. While harping on eating healthy, they do provide food that could be debated.
Weekly Outlook:
Despite a few downfalls this week Whole Foods continues to be the first pick in organic food. Their earnings continue to rise, and stocks are up.
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Blogby Leigh Patrick
PHILLY MARKET CAFE
ByShawn Langlois, MarketWatch
Environmental Scan Week Four
Whole Foods Market Scan
Week ending February 22, 2010
An old video that continues to resurface, having been found on a number of bloggers sites, questions Whole Foods legitimacy. WLAJ did a story on whole foods and their tendency to import food from China. Reporters, who also interviewed Whole Food customers, posed the question of “How do you know if it is organic when it comes from China?”. There were many surprised responses from customers to this new information. Critically watching the interviews, it becomes apparent that there was not much research done before running the story. Although Whole Foods was not willing to make a statement to the news team, Joe Dickson, Organic Certification Coordinator for Whole Foods Market made a lengthily and very convincing argument against the claims made in the five minute news briefing. He did not discount the fact that some of their products are produced in China, but he did give a number of reasons to believe that Whole Foods goes above and beyond USDA standards to ensure that the food they provide is completely organic. He even explains how Whole Foods was a huge part of fighting for the USDA to create strict standards on what would be considered organic food. Although this statement was released, there is no way to ensure that everyone who watched the news was able to see this rebuttal. Unfortunately this fact is apparent, considering it continues to pop up online.
Weekly Outlook:
Dispite downfalls like the one mentioned above, Whole Foods first quarter earnings are up after a refocus on natural foods. Customers are beginning to spend more money again, and Whole Foods continues to attract new customers.
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elephantjournal.comon Feb 20, 2010
PAUL SONNE AND TIMOTHY W. MARTIN
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Environmental Scan Week Five
Whole Foods Market Scan
Week ending March 2, 2010
Continuing from last week, the WLAJ news story questioning where Whole Foods gets their products from is still circulating. Although this story was aired awhile ago, people have recently been posting the video to their blog. It is obvious that some people are using this as a long desired reason to “expose” Whole Foods. While Joe Dickson, Organic Certification Coordinator for Whole Foods Market made a lengthily and very convincing argument against the claims made in the five minute news briefing, not many people have seen this rebuttal. The news story was obviously sloppy in the way it was done. In one part of the story the reporter asks customers about the “California Blend” of vegetables that is actually imported from China. In the rebuttal Joe Dickson explains that this is a certain mix of vegetables that is always called “California Blend” no matter where is comes from. Although the rebuttal would quickly erase many questions posed about the authenticity of Whole Food’s products, they have not done a good job of making the statement easily available.
Weekly Outlook:
This video was found on more blogs this week then last, and it is very likely that the video will find its way onto more sites in the next couple weeks. Although this video does pose questions that seem very viable, Whole Foods continues to be the favorite among organic food. Their earnings are still up, and new stores continue to open.
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LOSING THE WAR ON HUMOR
WHERE CURRENT EVENTS AND SHEER IRREVERENCE COLLIDE.
Politics in the Zeros
The politics of progress; cleantech, the economy, antiwar
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Environmental Scan Week Six
Whole Foods Market Scan
Week ending April 5, 2010
Although ABC’s news story on Whole Foods Market was run over sixteen months ago, the video continues to receive attention. Bloggers are still posting the video, followed by long strands of comments about the investigation. Many comments stick up for whole foods, outlining how badly the story was done. Others though use this as a time to bash organic food and anyone who provides it. The video continues to create doubt about Whole Foods and their authenticity for real organic food. The price of Whole Food’s products maintains complaints from some people, and the fact that not everything from Whole Foods is completely organic creates concern. Many people question the motives of Whole Foods considering their positioning in the fortune 500 list.
On March 12, a recall was announced for seasoning and spices manufactured by Frontier brand and Whole Foods Market. Curry powder, black pepper coarse, peppercorns black, Asian seafood seasoning, Mediterranean seafood seasoning, Mediterranean rotisserie seasoning, and Toronto steak and chicken rub all made the list for possible contamination of salmonella. The products were distributed worldwide. Although no illnesses have yet been found from consumption of these products, the public is cautioned.
Weekly Outlook:
Whole Foods maintains its position as the number one choice in organic products. Although some question Whole Foods products, and their motives, Whole Foods continues to hold many devoted customers. As of now, Whole Foods has no need to worry about their company. They continue to open more stores around the world, and attract more customers.
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Posted byDr. Mercola| March 13 2010
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