Blurring has been used by Whole Foods for 25 years already, while it has only entered retail in the Netherlands in recent years. Significant in the Whole Foods history is that the chain has combined foodservice with food retail since the opening of its very first branch in 1980, and added restaurants to its shops from the beginning. For many fresh markets, therefore, Whole Foods has been a source of inspiration.
Organic is the basic principle
John Mackey, co-founder and still co-owner, started with one shop in Texas in 1980, and cleverly built up the chain to over 400 branches by acquisitions and building new shops through the years. The company remains committed to its strategy of the same diversity in assortments, and it does not aim to adjust assortments or to find the lowest prices; organic is the basic principle. Furthermore, many products are locally grown, albeit on an American scale.
Although Whole Foods is getting increasingly more competition regarding organic food from retailers such as Costco and Walmart, many Americans still manage to find Whole Foods.
I visited Whole Foods in Los Angeles last weekend, and took the following photos.