I wish there were one here but as nice as they are, they do have labor issues.

"Would that more businesses behaved this way."

Hardly. Whole Foods is anti-union and they exploit their workers just like every other corporation.

Liberals just can never be happy. Such angry, angry people.

In its current form Whole Foods is a private business and no consumer is being forced to shop there.

However, like Wal-Mart, founder John Mackey's unethical business practices are focussed on monolpolization. His recent anonymous blogging to reduce the Wild Oats Company's stock value so Whole Foods could acquire them is the most recent example.

The problem will only be solved with legislation that constrains the unethical players. Unfortunately the best congress money can buy is pushing things in the other direction.

Um, the new Potrero Hill Whole Foods is not all that far away from Rainbow Grocery in San Francisco. They are worker-owned, they give discounts to bicyclists, and they have an abundance of locally-grown organic produce. For people who feel the need to eat meat, they don't carry that. But otherwise, why anyone would choose to shop at Whole Foods over Rainbow is beyond me.

There's always going to be a "better" choice. At the end of the day, we do what we can. We do the best we can do, with what we have, when we have it. Is Whole Foods "evil?" Possibly. Are they better than a lot of other guys out there? Possibly. Would we all be better off shopping at local farmers and co-ops and farmers' markets? Of course, but that simply is not realistic for a certain percentage of the population.

My choice is simple, Bloom (green-washed Food Lion) or Whole Foods.

If I want pesticide free edible produce, growth hormone free dairy products and seventh generation cleaning products which is going to get my business?

Most people who actually care look at these things on a spectrum. You know, like if you can get it at your local food co-op, you might do that. Otherwise, if the choice is between the Whole Foods and the Wal-Mart next door, it's an obvious one.

Nevertheless, when the owners of places like Whole Foods are going around waxing political, telling us that capitalism is great and compatible with progressive values, we ought to tell them we don't think union busting is progressive.

threecolorsallblack, It sounds like Whole Foods is adopting Starbucks invasive market entry strategy of targeting communities that support local co-ops.

My experience is that Whole Foods is mainly operated by right wing Christian fundamentalists and people who are less than what they seem. They have tried to block a group of mine who talks about holistic, inclusive spiritual messages dealing with protecting the Earth, saving those in poverty and transforming our economic system of death and corruption.

My friend is an expert in the field of nutrition. He was hired to go work at a busy Whole Foods location in NYC. After increasing their store profits tremendously through his helpful and knowledgable approach with customers, they told him to quit doing that! Profit margin must meet certain goals, not over or under, to satisfy share holders!

He also learned the corporate heads are only concerned about more and more stores, not about quality or treatment of employees, but about profit, growth, profit, growth…

The Plano, TX store has trashed (yes, as in placed large amounts of paper wastefully in the trash can) free, hopeful information from a group of mine, even though we had PAID WF money every month to rent out a shelf in their store to distribute this information! An employee told me directly: "It's religious material [so I trashed it]". I said, "actually no, it's not…". He says, "No. It is. And it's not Christian."

I have written to corporate headquarters in Austin, Tx. Nothing was done to help or comfort or explain.

Half Foods, you lost a once loyal customer and lots of money along with it....

Upton Sinclair wrote: "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross."

Fascism is here - alive and well, (thanks to the White House), and waiting to take us all straight to Hell.

Whole Foods hopes to make a lot of money from it.

Whole Foods is simply another organic turbinado sugar-wrapped turd-whore carrying the corporate fascist flag and selling their BS "socially conscious" ideology to anyone stupid enough to swallow it.

Including Mark Morford.

Please!

Even he himself has said: "Yes, maybe I've just been suckered in and drunk the organic Kool-Aid."

Whatever....

Mark, For me it's not about all the issue's you mentioned. It's about who you step on to get there.

Funny, when I first heard Whole Foods was going to buy out Wild Oats here in my section of town the first thought that came to mind was, OH NO! I can't afford to go into that store!...where will I go? I went home and emailed them. I told them that my store is on the "poor side of town," I'd been to their store downtown in the richer district and knew I'd never go back, and to please consider this. Silly me!!! I got some crazy notion that if they cared about the environment, the quality of their products and the other things you mentioned that just maybe they'd care about "us." Sorry, that doesn't translate to human beings!

I was so irritated when my husband came home a month or two later and mentioned their plan to bushwack the folks on this side of the river!!!...and that they were just going to leave it empty!!! How mean is that!!!

Why? Why can't they have their store with all the wonderful things you mention without being so mean and greedy?!? Greed *IS* the root of all evil!

As far as I'm concerned, Whole Foods, is just another corporate giant who doesn't care who they hurt on the way to the top of that pile of money.

and, for the rest of us with less than...well..it feels like that gap between the haves and have nots just hit us where it counts most - at the dinner table!

While I can hardly stand to go into the place, I don't think our local (Pittsburgh) Whole Foods has little or no local produce in it - and Pensylvania is probably the most agriculturally diverse state in the US temperate zone. This whole foods was located specifically to put our local (not perfect in it's labor relations either) food-co-op, which does stock local PA and Ohio produce and foods, out of business. Fortunately they failed and the co-op is doing well.

And frankly if my choice were only big chains, I'd still pick a mainstream store chain or franchise that is unionized - many of which also have organic stuff - over Whole Foods.

For all of those who think they have no choice than Whole Foods - please, right now:

1. Go to your favorate search site and enter "Food Co-Op [you home town or city]"

2. Then do a search on: "[your county or city name] farmers markets" my local county health department publishes a list of locations and days of operation.

3. Many big cities still have old-fashoned vendor-stall type central markets. Washington DC's Eastern Market near Capitol Hill is a wonderful place with a metro stop right at it. Baltimore has a nice old market too. Pittsburgh still has it's disused public market buildings and squares waiting to be put back into use.

3. Also, ask around or do a search for organic produce farmers that do direct-to-consumer fresh produce service. One example is here: http://www.kretschmannfarm.com/

Anybody with half a brain would choose to shop at any super market catering to the ethnic communities in our cities. One can afford it for one thing, and you are not helping support huge, nation wide chains that will set monopoly prices on the food you purchase.

The community I used to live in once had two food co-ops and three health food stores, then Whole Foods moved in. They threw a party, lowered their prices BELOW that of the co-ops, and kept them there until all co-ops and health food stores went under, then, Whole Foods prices hit the roof.

rebelnow,

Yes, and that is exactly the same competitive tactic that Walmart used in small towns all over America in the '70s through '90s. The competitors all went under and thousands of little "downtowns" dried up. Oddly, though, Walmart never reversed course and raised prices to the roof. They held down labor costs (here), then learned to buy everything possible from China, and also passed most of the savings to consumers.

I doubt Whole Foods is gonna do that.

I personally worked at a Whole Foods for 10 months, here is my resignation letter, maybe it was just my location, maybe not though...

Human Resources,

It is with regret that I tender my resignation within two weeks of today, Saturday, May 12th, 2007. I am at a point of my life (and I was when I first joined Whole Foods) where I am trying to figure out what to do with myself and for my community. Given my personal values and lifestyle, and given the marketed image of Whole Foods, I thought it would be a perfect fit.

Unfortunately also around this time, I have been going through some personal health issues, all of a related nature and recognized by my Doctor. I have been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) (of which my team leaders have been made aware of) and I am seeing a Psychologist for depression (which I just started doing recently).

One would think that given the image Whole Foods Markets sells itself as and its own 'core-values', that they would be a compassionate company towards employees with illness of any nature. I have not found this to be the case. In my time at Whole Foods Markets, I have personally experienced harassment from team leaders in one department (regarding calling in sick with IBS flare-ups) and a couple of months later, actually last week, I was treated with nothing but contempt and openly accused of deceit in another department (my current one, Whole Body) for calling in sick the Friday of an inventory weekend; After I already informed my team leader that I was at the doctor's office and that I had a note explaining the situation. She nonetheless asked me if I "planned this".

The reason I called in sick so late was because I was late getting in from the Doctor's office, where I was discussing my very frequent suicidal thoughts. I came home crying and not in any condition to drive 30 minutes to work, let alone work in the wellness department for eight hours. I dropped off the Doctor's note during my shift the very next day (Saturday). Having dropped off my Doctors note requesting my shift reductions, I have never been apologized to for how I was treated on the phone or asked how I was doing by my Team Leader. My TL has never sought to discuss the note or these issues with me. On Monday when the TL was leaving for the day they told me that they had seen the note, but had still not read it.

These issues were first addressed in a confrontational manner by my Team Leader and one of the Assistant Store Leaders in a closed room where I was called up unknowingly, half way through my shift, shortly after the HR person went home for the day. I was asked to sign a report against myself for calling in late for a sickness- less than an hour before my shift. I informed the ASTL of how I was treated on the phone (my TL denied saying the things they said).

I also informed the ASTL of the reason why I was late calling in sick….the ASTL took the TL's position, explaining the pressures they are under, especially during inventory. I agreed to this, I needed no explanation as to why my TL would have been inconsiderate towards an ill team member: In fact, this is when I explained what I thought to be the reasons why a TL would act in such a manner and why my previous TL acted in a similar manner and why I have witnessed negative attitudes towards others that call in sick.

I explained that in my opinion, it could benefit the company to hold itself to the image it likes to market itself as and truly care about team members, customers and community first and inevitably the products will sell and the store will sustain; but as long as the emphasis is on production and up-selling, there will always be a negative attitude towards those suffering from illness.

It was at this point that I was informed by the ASTL that if 'I was not happy there then I should leave', my TL agreed and suggested I apply to a smaller 'mom and pop' store. Being told "if you are not happy then leave" is an awful thing to say to a person who has just disclosed that they are depressed. It is this attitude that causes me anxiety when I am feeling unwell.

I said that there were many things I liked at Whole Foods Markets including all my team members (even the ones I have had negative experiences with, everyone in the store is an amazing person) but I still have my critiques and I thought I was holding leadership to the image that I thought they were selling. Both my TL & ASTL continued to suggest I leave.

By telling people who have concerns about how they are treated that they should 'leave if they are unhappy' creates a bullying atmosphere where employees feel they cannot enter open dialogue to discuss their concerns. This is not what WFM (whole foods markets) suggested in HTGR (hit the ground running).

The encounter ended with me telling them that I had nothing personal against them; however, as long as the bottom line is the first priority, the organization's model which puts pressure on Team Leaders will inevitably force them to put people and planet a distant second to profit.

Given this, the company will inevitably have instances like mine where a team member divulges they are suffering from depression, points out some observations as to why TL's would treat ill team members with such little compassion and the ASTL responds by recommending they "leave if [they] have so many issues with the store".

All in all it has been an interesting experience on the journey working at Whole Foods Markets, I am sorry it had to end this way. I hope for the wellness of future employees and the integrity of the company, that management strongly considers rearranging its priorities: by putting people and planet before profit. If you're providing a fair product that people need- it will sell itself. The culture of over-consumption is fueling the flames of desire that is burning the world in a problematic way for the wellness of the earth and its inhabitants.

Thank-you for taking the time to read this,

Sincerely,

"Yes, maybe I've just been suckered in and drunk the organic Kool-Aid."

That you have my friend. Walk down to Rainbow Grocery which isnt too far and plonk down your hard-earned yuppie bucks to a real co-op that really cares. Yeeesh ... the 'City' has gentrified beyond belief !

Oh ... while you are at it stop writing for the stupid Chron and contribute to the SF Bay Guardian instead. Your talents are wasted.

I have read, and believe, all the negative information about the Corporation - as in everything else we have to make choices. I shop at the Portland Oregon area WF stores and find they have lots and lots of LOCAL and LOCAL ORGANIC produce, meat and poultry. I can buy these product no where else that I have searched. As a foodie and wannabe home chef as well as a greenie going to WF is like buying my Honda Civic not the hybrid. I did the research and it works for me. And while some other local grocers have stepped it up a bit they don't come close to the WF support of the local producers. And yes it cost me more but so does real fair trade coffee and tea. And I hope it means more money to the local producers. I don't shop at WMT for good reasons and I do shop at WF for good reasons. liberal as the come....dlz

There's really just a basic algorithm here:

1) Buy direct from a local grower if you can (we have an excellent Farmer's Market in St. Paul Minnesota).

ELSE

2) Buy from an employee-owned co-op if you have one.

ELSE

3) Buy locally-produced food at the lowest price you can get it.

ELSE

4) If you live in a region which doesn't produce much, or don't have stores which sell local foodstuffs, then try to shop at a locally-owned mom&pop grocery. At least more of the profits will remain in the community.

ELSE

5) Perhaps consider shopping Whole Foods.

I am guilty of shopping there. Reading all your comments is motivating me to drive a few more miles to the Co-Op. The Farmers Market is on Wednesday mornings when I work so it's rare I make it there -- but when I do, I askew buying my veggies and fruits that week from WF.

You are all right. I saw Whole Foods move in right near the Co-op in another city. They could have started anywhere, but they chose the Co-op's territory. I knew when WF started and gobbled up all the Mrs Gooches and the Bread and Circus and now Wild Oats, it was nothing more than another corporate monster.

Cloudyconnotation - Wow, your letter could have been written by my friend who was also a team leader and had a medical issue and was treated the same demeaning way by Whole Foods. She got back 5 minutes late from a doctors appointment, and, since they were already hostile about her illness, she was fired. She had been working there for years, too. After she left, she could finally heal. She didn't realize how much the stress at Whole Foods was effecting her mental and physical health.

some please tell me that this is all tongue in cheek!!!!! pure sarcasm!

I saw John Mackey being interviewed by the right-wing propogandist, John Stossel, on ABC. They used a ridiculously childish analogy to try to take down tax-funded healthcare. They imagined that groceries were free, so everyone would go to Whole Foods and get the best salmon as opposed to that mediocre stuff at Safeway. Same with healthcare: because it would be "free", people would demand the most expensive treatments possible, who cares? It's free right? OK, Mackey, explain why everybody else pays 50% as much as America and manages to cover everyone.

As a former WFM Team member, I'd say that the folks who think they've found a grocerytopia are as wrong as people who consider John Mackey the anti-Christ.

WFM is a corporation that has learned the profitability of fulfilling the desire of a great portion of the population to be socially-conscious, savvy, healthy consumers.

The up-side is, their success puts pressure on other chains. Would Kroger have organic produce or a 'natural foods' section if someone hadn't demonstrated you could pad your bottom line doing it? Probably not.

The down-side is that, like a Republican senator, when you set yourself up as a model of righteousness, the inevitable revelations of hypocrisy just make you look all the worse.

John Mackey, who recently got outed as the laughing-stock he really is, has his own PR wing at WFM. Reams of press has him 'branded' as a 'maverick' with a 'new way of doing business'. In fact, he's a libertarian fundamentalist who hates unions so much he fought stocking (highly profitable) fairly-traded items until his customers wouldn't let him not do it.

In fact, WFM is simply busy all day doing what they can to increase profits for shareholders, because that's the function and legal fiduciary responsibility of every corporation. They pull the same skummy trix and hire the same greasy lawyers as the Waltons.

Notice that there was a big marketing push around their new 'Animal Compassion Standards' but no similar assurance of 'Farmworker Compassion Standards'. If you're a WFM shopper, be sure to email John Mackey and ask him when *that* program will be starting.

Peach McD in Durham NC

ps. y'all should know by now that the F500 listing of 'Best to work for' companies is SELF-NOMINATED. The company solicits and rewards glowing testimonials for months to get that rating. Wal-Mart is on the same list, kids.

Once upon a time there were, even in places like Philadelphia and Columbus, Ohio, cooperatively run, organic/local producer focused grocery stores. Those that didn't die of attrition and lack of commitment were supplanted by Whole Foods and their ilk: corporate greenwashing. Whole Foods, like Starbucks, talks a good game, but is telling fibs. It's anti-labor, far less green than it claims, prices out the poor, and presents a consumer-choice model of social change that is a distraction, even a barrier, to the kinds of local organizing and alternative institution building that at one time were a big part of the counterculture.

Don't shop at Whole Foods. Go to local producer's markets if they exist. Reduce your use of packaged, branded products, opt instead for bulk and other non-branded goods when you can. Better yet, start a grocery co-op with people in your community, and use it to cut costs, support local producers, and build relationships in your area.

Nothing's perfect, yeah, but Whole Foods is just a big green lie.

Oh my god but the liberals are angry at whole foods.

since the Corrupt S.E.C. ok'd the acqusition of Wild Oats
I boycott Whole Foods

patrickballotintegrity, what part of government isnt corrupt??

bidelo,

What you were seeing in Stollel's Mackey intervie is called "market fetishism" a absolutely ludicrous tendency to see all things as competetive markets.

Medicine, along with some other things like civil engineering, are (or supposed to be) professional services - services that people hang their very lives on and so qaulity-price tradeoffs would be positively immoral. No one with a serious cancer is going to shop for a bargain-oncologist, or say, bargain-priced gamma-knife radiation treatment. They rely on their doctor's competency and judgement to be sound and not related to their fees in any way. in fact, competing on the basis of cost is prohibited by the professions's cannon of ethics!

Once upon a time there were, even in places like Philadelphia and columbus, Ohio....

Whoa! Are you accusing Philadelphia of being some kind backwater?

according to this site: http://63.134.236.176/jim/food.coop.html#pa

There are three food co-ops in Philly. And one in Columbis. Even Lexington, Kentucky has a nice large one which I frequented when I lived there.

All their web sites are up and current so they seem to be in business.

Zubsin:
I live in Portland too, and the there are two co-ops that have a ton of local produce: People's Co-op on SE 21st and Food Front in NW on Thurman St.
Both of these co-ops go out of their way to get local, organic produce delivered year round. People's also has a local Farmer's Market on Wednesday afternoon from 2-6pm.
These place deserve our support more than WF does.

It is, however, okay to love Mark Morford!

And, if you really want to love/hate someone, check out Central Market in Dallas. Not only are the eight stores incredible in design, selection, surprises, home cookin', etc, but they are proudly pretentious. And no aisles.

When Whole Foods came to our town one of the local co-op stores closed. Ultimately relying on benevolent capitalism will have it's limits, what is given can be taken away. Food co-ops are not the end all and be all of economic alternatives, but they are a fledgling practice in democratic economics. They lack scale and this makes them vulnerable to large corporations. Another world is possible and that world could have a democratic economic system. Until one worker one vote or one member one vote whole foods is not there.

The accounts of some of the ex-employees here are interesting. This whole "Team" concept used in Whole Foods seems to be a clever psychological engineering technique. Through generous use of the most potent of all human emotions, shame, the employee is indoctrinated to ignore their real interests and particularly any solidarity with fellow employees, in their dedication to their team and firm.

It's similar to the US army or marines...

Hi,

I saw your article on Whole Foods, thought I would respond; this is also going out to the comments section for the reprint on commondreams.org.

The thing that concerns me the most about Whole Foods is the same thing that concerns me about any large-scale corporate enterprise - namely, what is its footprint? While co-ops, small business, et. al. being driven out of existence by Whole Foods (and in no small part, of a larger national-level pattern of gentrification) is a travesty in my view, it also beats being driven out by WalMart, albeit as part of that same process of skyrocketing rents and boutiqueifying neighborhoods. As such, when yet another Organic Merlot Behemoth muscled its way in down the street from me, I less than reluctantly gave up my spot in the ever-growing checkout line at locally-owned mini-shopolith Berkeley Bowl, and got in line with the teeming aged Stilson hordes. (I'm hard pressed to feel guilty about abandoning shopping at an outfit that hires union-buster consultants and proudly displays a section for Israeli-manufactured foods, as if either were some kind of "fuck you, Berkeley" red state badge of courage. Smallish is sometimes anything but beautiful.)

Nevertheless, when I think about Whole Foods, and the whole touchy-feely gentle corporate giant demi-trend, what I can't shake is this feeling that we're being played. If we are to listen to the mandate coming On High from Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, it's as if our choices are simple: Borders or Amazon? ITunes or Napster? (Rudy or Hillary?) Nary a co-op or local business in sight, save as occasionally funneled through the gaping maw of national or multinational industry. This strongly resembles the same shell game that the Democrats - as in the DNC - uses on "the left" incessantly; namely, "Vote for us, because we're not the Republicans." It's a sad state of affairs when we're being told that democracy equals "You must take the Soma - but cheer up, at least you get to choose which flavor you gulp down." Perhaps we can all be biometrically scanned for Red (Sam's Club for Freedom!) or Blue (Starbucks for smooth jazz!) upon entrance to the bar-coded gates, in the interests of "efficiency and convenience"...meanwhile, everything from unionization to community managed infrastructure is off the table, apparently for good, if the message being conveyed is any indication. We all should be extremely wary of any formula that factors out to Big Brother in the end, in my view - even if said Smiling Overlord promotes 25% local and works for $1 a year.

Furthermore, the natural foods industry as a whole has become little more than a means for agribusiness to promote their agenda; for example, Hain Celestial (investors include Philip Morris, Monsanto, Citigroup, Exxon-Mobil, Wal-Mart (yes, Wal-Mart)), Cascadian Foods (a division of General Foods), Odwalla (Coca Cola), Boca Burger (Kraft), and so on. The natural foods market is a multi-billion dollar sector of the multi-trillion dollar food/agribusiness industry, and just like health care, education and other essential needs, it's extremely profitable. Imagine however if Whole Foods decided to not march lockstep with the brand bullies, and instead, committed themselves to promoting local products, consensus-run workplaces, and divested themselves from this pernicious model that is doing nothing less than threatening life on this planet. While the cynic in me may quip that they would last no longer than a New York nanosecond, consider the alternative that we all are faced with, as the ice caps continue to melt, species die off by the thousands, and we are left with a probable future that even the most skeptical of scientists are sounding the alarm over. Regardless of what personal altruistic motivations may or may not drive organizations such as Whole Foods, their inference of being a viable alternative to agribusiness and the oil industry is a bit like Congress presenting itself as a sound alternative to Blackwater.

On the other hand, if corporations continue to consolidate, and the dollar continues to drop, maybe the "huge sucking sound" that the Ferengi-like Ross Perot referred to god knows how long ago will not be emanating from Mexico -- but in fact, will be the sound of US capital disappearing into the world's largest economic sinkhole. In which case, maybe we'll all wise up, ditch all these vatos and take a cue from Argentina, of the "Que Se Vayan Todos!" style. Until then, I promise not to cut you off in the strategically atmospheric green-tinged rows, in a mad scramble for the weekly cheese special. $4 a pound, such a bargain...

solidad decosta
author, performer, constant troublemaker

PS: Rockin' column on Iraq. Keep it up. s.

Philadelphhia has three co-ops. Columbus has one. Even Lexington Ky. has a large one. They're more common than many think if they would just get out of the suburban hinterlands.

And, Mr. Morford, SF has two, and there are six in the greater Bay Area.

Go here:

http://63.134.236.176/jim/food.coop.html

Whole Paycheck.

"Profit margin must meet certain goals, not over or under, to satisfy share holders! "

Absurd.

A few more facts to add:

Whole Foods buys several brands from a company called AgMart, which staffs a convicted slaver. Immokalee labor contractor Abel Cuello, Jr. was convicted of slavery in 1999, but was hired by AgMart in 2004. The list of other problems with AgMart is long. They have been completely unresponsive when confronted about this issue.

Furthermore, many of their "social justice" initiatives are incredibly weak. Whole Foods self-enforces many of their policies to support workers in the Global South, which experts have said to be meaningless. I wish I could give more details on this point, but they escape me and I can't find my source.

WE JUST WITNESSED YELLOWMAN IN CONCERT IN CLEVELAND LAST NIGHT - NOT AN OUNCE OF FAT ON THIS JAMAICAN RAGAMUFFIN LEGEND -

LET'S FACE IT, WE EAT VERY UNHEALTHILY -
THE BIBLE AND THE RASTAS BELIEVE IN THE ITAL DIET - NO CANNED FOODS - NO FISH LARGER THAN 12 INCHES - NO SCAVENGERS - NO PORK - NO BEEF - NO CHEMICALS - NO ADDITIVES - NO ALCOHOL (hello, America ??)

THIS IS WHERE I AM HEADING, IN THE HUGE FOOTSTEPS OF KING YELLOWMAN - SO, MY SHOPPING WILL BE AT WHOLE FOODS, BUT MY OVERALL BILL, AND CONSUMPTION, WILL BE MUCH LESS THAN...............YOURS !!!!!!!

BE WELL - EAT BETTER - LIVE MUCH SIMPLER - TIGHTEN JAH JAH BELT, FELLOW AMERICANS .

Most organic farming is necessarily small scale and labor intensive. It doesn't work well as mechanized monoculture. It is not only good people and small organic farms, but for the land and for species diversity.

Whole foods is a corporation responding to the recent rise in demand for organic food. As demand spreads and it becomes locally available, it's prices should come down.

All input including transportation distances and energy consumed to get it to market should be factored in as they should be when the sound environmental practices of organic farming are followed. This would help local small farmers.
One can envision organic farmer's markets sprouting up with cheaper, fresher locally grown organic produce available directly from small farmers.

Meantime, eating organic food is good for EVERYONE and for the environment, regardless of class. We can be thankful that organic food is catching on regardless...

I usually like Mark Morford's articles, but this is the worst. Whole Foods is an anti-union company that pays the majority of its "team members" mediocre wages. They also fight like hell any efforts at unionization, using duplicity and intimidation to keep workers from exercising their democratic rights. Read the account I wrote for Dissent magazine (Winter 2006) of what the company did in Madison when employees voted to unionize. This is not a company that "cares about the community."

It's not accidental that Mr. Mackey is a great admirer of Wal-mart. Birds of a feather.

I usually like Mark Morford's articles, but this is the worst. Whole Foods is an anti-union company that pays the majority of its "team members" mediocre wages. They also fight like hell any efforts at unionization, using duplicity and intimidation to keep workers from exercising their democratic rights. Read the account I wrote for Dissent magazine (Winter 2006) of what the company did in Madison when employees voted to unionize. This is not a company that "cares about the community."

It's not accidental that Mr. Mackey is a great admirer of Wal-Mart. Birds of a feather.

Noooooooooooooo! They got Mark Morford! Sex, Money, Power, couldn't tempt Mark, it took Duck Sausage? Morford sold his soul for Sausage! Bye the way, what the hell is grass fed lube?

Mark, step outside the store, turn around, and take a good look, what do you see? A Box! That's right, it's just another box, you could take down the Whole Food sign and stick-up a Walmart, or Costco, or Target sign. Same damn box - same damn principle.

It's like I keep telling Al Gore. "Know what it means, when you work for a C.E.O, who wears jeans? You work for a C.E.O who wears jeans. He's still a C.E.O." Al makes his money working for C.E.O.s, Google and Apple, who are busy selling out the American middle class in their jeans.

Mark, I'm going to forgive you, it's obvious that you wrote that peice when you were hungry. Add hunger to the list of conditions, high, drunk, angry, under which you should abstain from writing.

Somebody, anybody, please take Mark down to the farmers market at the Ferry Building this weekend, before we find him wandering the aisles of REI, mumbling to himself "hmm, $200 Gortex Socks, cool."

Radoheb

Whole Foods, Inc. is basically of, by and for the beast capital. We're better off shifting our individual exchange/association away from far-flung capital and toward our local economies/communities. We can petition our city councils to bar entry of far-flung capital to local markets. A great solution to the food crisis in the United States is the expansion of ethnic markets. These generally provide far superior nutritional value. Ethnic markets supplied by local farmers seems like the best model for city dwellers who don't wanna grow their own.

It's wrong to call wfds "expensive".

Their basic peasant foods - like these organic bulk items: dry beans, rice, veggies, bread, cornmeal, nutritional yeast, falafil, pnut butter, granola, honey, nuts, etc... are priced very close (sometimes less) than what my natural foods co-op - wheatsville charges. Their prices on those things are also about the same as what the major supermarkets in Austin (HEB) charge. Somethings cost a little less, some a little more.

Also, WFds is more generous with samples than anyplace i've seen, has wi-fi, and nearly enough comfy places to sit and eat after shopping.

Go organic! Everyone deserves clean, pesticide/chemical free food!!!

Maybe some of you angry progressives would have fewer issues in that arena if you would eliminate the pesticides (non-organic veggies) and any animal flesh from your diet.

I won't say this is strictly a SF Chronicle puff-piece, but on the other hand, I don't think it came straight from the Green Gulch Farms, or even the horse pasture by Muir Beach.

It seems to me the only people who, presently, need Whole Food's golden cornucopia, are those insecure enough to fear they won't be selected for the Soylent Green A-Team.

Who can blame them.

If you had to choose between eating your ground-up friends, neighbors, and heaven-help-us-all relatives, or, munching, ever-so-elegantly, on even Whole Foods exclusive line of chartreuse lima beans, which would you choose?

Of course, regardless of Mr. Morford's framing, it's really not petrochemical engineered crops or WF.

For example, if we just took half the undocumented gardeners in half our cities and towns and had them tend lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, berries, etc., instead of blue hydrangeas, or red clover, we wouldn't need either a Whole Foods or a puff-ball of any hue.

In San Francisco, of course, the crew would have to be unionizied, just like all those guys standing out on Ceasar Chavez Boulevard, waiting for the gyspy contractors.

gchap33--what is the difference between New Seasons and Whole Foods? I live on the coast, and on the few occasions I'm in Portland, I shop at New Seasons.

>wi-fi

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10463870