Whole Foods History

Whole Foods History
Who exactly are Whole Foods? They are one of the finest natural and organic foods grocery store in
the US. The store maintains the strictest quality standards in the natural foods industry and an
unshakable commitment to sustaining agriculture. Whole Foods as a brand are currently growing
and spreading like wildfire. Moreover, with the successful chain planning to open 100 new stores by
2017, we are yet to see how much more the organic grocer has lined in store for us.
Number Fifteen: Whole Foods was founded by John Mackey and Renee Lawson. The grocery store
was first opened to the public in 1978. The decision to open the store was born after the two local
businessmen decided that the organic and natural food industry had come of age and that ... Show
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This flagship store is still up and running to date. Therefore, if you live out in Austin, and are a
regular customer of whole foods, then you should know that you are contributing to the continuity
of a rare piece of history.
Number Twelve: Some of the first 19 employees who were present during the first opening in 1978
still work at whole foods. Talk about loyalty! That is 37 years in total! Wholefoods has to be an
awesome employer to hold a worker for 37 years!
Number Eleven: When it comes to management, whole foods has a dynamic and quite unusual
method. Wholefoods has an open–salary method; this means everyone working in whole foods
knows what everyone gets paid. No secrets! This means that ANY employee can look up ANY other
workers pay, including that of the CEO. This policy was implemented to encourage both
competition and discussion within the company, to boost productivity.
Number Ten: The company pays its workers pretty well. The average hourly rate was at $18 in
2013, while the mean annual wage was set at $40,000. The executives' pay is capped at 19 times the
average worker's pay. This means that they cannot earn more than 19 times the average
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Whole Foods Ethical Dilemma
Whole Foods Market Inc. has developed into one of the most prominent supermarket chains that
only market foods without artificial preservatives, colors, flavors and etc. Starting in 1978 as a small
vegetarian store and now has developed into a $13.7 billion that has just recently been bought by
Amazon. Whole Foods started the efforts in the grocery industry to base its food based on healthy
living. This calls for food products to be sourced responsibly and call on innovative solutions that
can improve Whole Foods environmental footprint. By doing so the company provides a strong
contribution to the communities it does business in. While there is no argument to the
accomplishments of Whole Foods, the company has not been free of criticisms. For example, the
company has been accused of placing local stores out of business which has resulted in mixed
responses from some of its customers. Some other ethical issues also include the questionable
activity by CEO John Mackey and an antitrust investigation. This analysis will provide a
background on the ethical dilemma Whole Foods had to undergo. While Whole Foods has grown
from humble beginnings, it's dramatic growth to what it is today has caused some criticism from
communities all over. A good portion of Whole Foods growth has come from acquiring local
grocery stores and running other stores out of business. For example, Whole Foods acquired a
grocery store called Hi–Lo in a Boston neighborhood, residents were not happy with the

Whole Foods
Strategy for Whole Foods Market
Current Strategic Issues
1. How does Whole Foods sustain positive growth in sales?
2. How does Whole Foods cope with the downturn in the economy?
3. How does Whole Foods achieve sustainable competitive advantage?
Rationale for Issues
One of Whole Foods main strategic issues is how it should sustain positive growth in sales. Sales
growth in 2008 was 0.8%, compared to sales growth increase of 8.2% in 2007. However, much of
these low sales growth figures were at the former Wild Oats stores rather than the stores that Whole
Foods Opened. This is definitely a strategic issue because Whole Foods' current strategic model is
not showing positive sales growth. From $203 million in 2006, it fell to ... Show more content on
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I believe there is an unrealized market in central Canada and Europe that needs the presence of
Whole Foods. Of course, I would not increase debt greatly and just expand anywhere in Canada and
Europe. To enter foreign markets I intend to create an international business department that will
research the cultural customs, tastes, trends, population growth, spending and eating habits etc. This
will tell Whole Foods what markets are most lucrative to penetrate. Then Whole Foods would create
a test site in the potential market, and if sales are sufficient to justify expansion in the region then
more stores will be opened. Whole Foods has a great competitive advantage, as the population of the
world is becoming better educated about foods, nutrition, and good eating habits. Whole Foods has
the culture and the know how to accommodate this new population trend and it is just a matter of
where to put the stores to achieve a sense of monopoly where people can only come to Whole Foods
in order to buy the highest quality, most flavourful and naturally preserved foods available. Once
Whole Foods situates itself across Canada and Europe, I believe this will be the best way to pay off
its long term debt, because sales will be at all time highs, therefore obtaining positive cash flows
from operations that will exceed capital expenditures for years to

Whole Foods Strategic Plan
Whole Foods – Strategic Plan
IST 7100
September 20, 2014
Kunal Parekh
Whole Foods Market, Inc. which is headquartered in Austin, Texas, is an American foods
supermarket chain it was founded by John Mackey who currently serves as the CEO of Whole
Foods. To sum up their mission and vision statement, Whole foods as a company strives to help out
in promoting positive health and well–being of people, this includes team–members, customers and
the whole planet in general. Some of their core values include:
Selling the highest quality natural and organic products available
Satisfying, delighting and nourishing our customers
Supporting Team Member happiness and excellence
Creating wealth through ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Opportunities:
International Market: Whole Foods is only in 2 other countries, UK and Canada. They always have
the option of looking into some of the world's faster growing markets or even the fact that they
could look into expanding throughout UK and Canada.
IT Influence: Competitors of Whole Foods and even some other grocery have been striving for
various ways to enrich the customer experience at their stores, one such way, is the introduction of
"self–checkouts", which enables the customer to spend less time waiting in line for a cashier. This is
an area, where whole foods could look to capture the opportunity and excel in.
Threats:
Competitors: The list of competitors for Whole Foods keeps on increasing, most grocery stores are
starting to introduce a section of organic/healthy foods section at their store, as a result of which this
could begin to influence Whole Foods customer base.
Gas Prices: When gas prices rise, the cost of shipping food rises, and when the cost of shipping the
food rises, so does Whole Foods's operating costs. (Whole Foods, 2014).
Implementation of IT into the Whole Foods Business
As discussed above with the SWOT Analysis of the company, Whole Foods certainly is a very
financially sound and a major player in the organic food industry, however, it is important for Whole
Foods, to continue striving upon increasing/ bettering the customer experience at all of its stores.
Whole Foods, has a strong customer base,

Whole Foods Mission Statement
Whole Foods Market, Inc, is an Austin, Texas based foods grocery that has the finest natural and
organic food available, including produce, seafood, grocery, meat and poultry, bakery, prepared
foods and catering, beer, wine, cheese; in addition to whole body, floral, pet products, and household
products. Whole Foods is among the most profitable health food retailers in the United States. The
rapid growth and market success has much to do with having remained a uniquely mission–driven
company, highly selective about what they sell, dedicated to their core values, stringent quality
standards, and committed to sustainable agriculture.
The company's Core Values are:
Selling the Highest Quality Natural and Organic Products Available
Satisfying, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Additionally, it sought to offer the highest quality, least processed, most flavourful and naturally
preserved food available. It has thus marketed them in appealing store environments that have made
shopping at Whole Foods an interesting and enjoyable experience. The company uses strategies with
respect to their growth, store location, product line, pricing, merchandising and even it's social
responsibility and community citizenship initiatives that have helped tremendously in its success.
Whole Foods Market has also received lots of awards for their business practices, including the 8th
largest food and drug retailer in the US (up from 21st in 2009) and ranked 232nd on Fortune
magazine's 2013 list of 500 largest companies in the US. In 2003, Whole Foods was designated as
the 1st national "Certified Organic" grocer by Quality Assurance International, a federally
recognized independent third–party certification organization. The company has made Fortune's
"100 Best Companies to Work For" list for 17 consecutive

The Seven Moral Principles Of Whole Foods
Out of the seven moral principles dignity of human life, autonomy, honesty, loyalty, fairness,
humaneness, and he common good. "...moral ideas are among the influences that affect the
formulation and operation of objectives and obligations, including the demands of ethical behavior
and social convention, they can be quite critical in terms of impact on the world of economics and
business" (Sen, 1997). There is no doubt, that Whole Foods go all–out to accomplish all these
principles. Whole Foods communication is forthright and truthful to all its stakeholders, internal and
external. Honesty can only be received when it is given. Everyone is held responsible for the
organization, all in all they hold their employees accountable for their performance.

Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market in 2010
Core Values and Strategy
Wilmington University
Name: Whitney Newman
Date 1/13/13
Overview: Provide a brief overview of the company. Include such details as its history, present day
situation, and any other pertinent information you think is helpful in understanding the company
(points 5) * Whole Foods Market was founded in 1980 working with natural and healthy foods in
Austin, Texas; it's one of the world's largest of natural and organic foods supermarkets. In 2009, the
sales total $8 billion and had 289 stores in the U.S. The Whole Foods Market plans to come up with
strategies to help improve the company but to do so understanding the core values plays a major role
in the company's planning. The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
2. Is Whole Foods' strategy well matched to market conditions in the food retailing industry (one of
the criteria for a winning strategy discussed in Chapter 1)? (points 10) * Yes, Whole Foods' strategy
is well matched to the market conditions. Their product line strategy is focused on providing natural,
organic, and gourmet food and nonfood items to their customers. Whole Foods is recognized by the
USDA as being a Certified Organic grocer by Quality Assurance International. This means that all
their products are grown organically; the products are grown without the usage of pesticides,
fertilizers, bioengineered, growth hormones, or antibiotics.
3. Do you think John Mackey has a good strategic vision for Whole Foods? Why or why not? What
do you like/dislike about the company's mission/vision "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole
Planet" that is set forth in case Exhibit 1? Do the mission/vision and the core values underlying it
(case Exhibit 3) really matter at this company or are they just nice words and cosmetic window
dressing? Explain. (points 20) * Yes I do believe that John Mackey has a great strategic vision. Now
that the organic food market is a fast growing market in which he had gotten into this market
segment at the right time and knew what he had visions on doing. What I like about the company's
mission/vision statement "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet" is because its all about a
healthier world. Especially

Whole Foods Mission Statement
Recommendation Whole Foods Market was the pioneer and leader of the organic and natural food
sector for many years. The company had established their initial success due to a broad
differentiation strategy. Unfortunately, large conglomerates consisting of Kroger "a best–cost
provider" and Wal–Mart "a low–cost provider" have been able to provide the same unique goods
and service as Whole Foods Market, while staying true to their respective competitive strategies. In
result, making the organic and natural food sector a possibility for people of all socioeconomic
classes. Due to the emergence of competition, Whole Foods Market is under extreme pressure from
outside forces and will seemingly never return to their once prominent position. Whole ... Show
These storefronts would be related to the Whole Foods Market family, but attempt to pursue an
entirely different mission. The new stores would create a similar relationship as displayed with
Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. The new stores would be much smaller than the average Whole
Foods Market store, approximately 25,000 – 40,000 square feet. The construction of these new
stores would cost a fraction of the price in comparison to original storefronts. According to the
company 10–K report, new store development has been documented as $171 million (2010), $203
million (2011), $262 million (2012), and $339 million in 2013 (Harrington et al., 2014). By
reducing the size of the newly developed stores, it would be logical to believe that development
costs could return to values in the mid $100 millions. In addition, these new "discount" stores would
seek a much different target market. The newly branded stores would target everyday people who
frequent stores such as Kroger, Trader Joe's, and Costco. In targeting a different market, the
positioning of the stores must be far and away from the original plan of seeking affluent and high–
traffic areas. It would behoove Whole Foods Market to place the new storefronts in areas that Wal–
Mart seeks to find, areas belonging to the lower and middle class, as this makes up the largest share
of

Whole Foods Pestle
PESTLE Analysis Political Factors "A Healthier You" Government Strategy Reporting of organic
prices. Safety Inspections Services. Evaluation: POSITIVE impact Economic Factors GDP: ↑ 3.9%
in the 3rd qtr Real Personal Consumption expenditures ↑3.0% in 3rd qtr Disposable Personal
Income ↑ 6.1 % in the 3rd qtr US Business Cycle: At "slump"/ Wages/Labour European Markets:
Weak dollar against Euro, Surging Energy Prices, Increasing Interest Rates Evaluation:
MODERATE impact PESTLE Analysis Socio–cultural Factors Population Demographics: aging and
longer life expectancies. Increasingly more health conscientiousness population. Social pressures
regarding the environment and animal welfare. Trend towards eating out ... Show more content on
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SWOT Analysis Strengths Uniquely Mission Driven. High Quality Standards. Clearly Positioned
Brand Image. Large geographical spread of stores. First Mover Advantage and Market Leader for 25
years Experienced, Innovative Merchandisers. Knowledgeable, Friendly and Experienced Staff.
First National "Certified Organic" grocer by Quality Assurance International. Largest grocery store
in Manhattan. Ranked by Fortune magazine as one of top 100 companies to work for in America,
5th place in 2007. SWOT Analysis Weaknesses High Prices Availability of Suppliers Growth of
Sales has slowed from double digit figures in the 1990's to 7–9 percent range in 2001 – 2005.
Growth Stage of Business Life Cycle Leveling off Approx. 64 stores less than 30,000 square feet,
against strategy Comparable Store Sales Growth fell in 2005. Perishables accounted for 65% of
sales, potential for high wastage. SWOT Analysis Opportunities Scope for gaining market share of
total grocery stores sales in US (natural & organic foods hold 5.5% – 2005) Acquire/merge with
competitors. Market – mostly 18 to 24 yr olds and 55 to 64 year olds, target other groups e.g.
convalescent, children. Encourage greater sales in areas other than fresh fruit and vegetables. Use
major stores as advertisement opportunities Expansion within United States and internationally
(stores in 31 US states). Cost cutting measures and reduce prices. SWOT Analysis

Whole Foods Mission Statement Essays
I. INTRODUCTION
Everybody that is in business is there to make a profit (some firms are just tax shelters) and there are
only so many products and services available. What sets the competition apart is how they execute
their business practices. This is where a mission statement becomes the "blueprint" for doing
business. "The mission statement needs to be longer than a phrase or sentence, but not a 2–page
document" (David, 2003). This document not only points the managers in the right direction, it also
gives the employee a sense of why they are working for this company. In addition, the mission
statement not only gives purpose and direction, it should also give motivation and pride not only to
the employees of the company but also ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The bottom line for the CEO is profits, the CEO has to insure the company makes a profit; more of a
profit than their competition. In order to do this, the CEO has to set their company appart and the
best tool to do this is the mission statement. Whole Foods Market ® is selling a concept as well as a
product and their mission statement provides the basis for their business plan.
(b) How Whole Foods Market ® incorporates most if not all of the nine principles of composition of
a mission statement. According to Whole Foods Market ®, their customers (their target market)
(Onken, 2004) are the "most important stakeholder in our business. Therefore, we go to
extraordinary lengths to satisfy and delight our customers. Customers are the lifeblood of our
business and we are interdependent on each other" (WFM, 2004). Whole Foods Market ®
understands that they have to have their customers business on a reaccuring basis; therefore, they
have programs in place that instill loyality to their business. The bottom line for any company is
profit and they get their profit from their customers. Whole Foods Market ® provides goods to their
customers for a profit (Onken, 2004). Their products are natural food and they focus on quality.
"Our product quality goals focus on ingredients, freshness, taste, nutritive value, safety and/or
appearance" (WFM, 2004). This statement shows to their customers that they provide goods of food
and they are different because they state

Whole Foods Case
Whole Foods Market Case
Whole Foods Market has evolved into one of the largest retailers of natural and organic foods. This
company 's rapid growth and market success has to do with being a mission–driven company. Whole
Foods is highly selective about what they sell and are dedicated to their core values. Whole Food 's
integrated strategy consists of growth, differentiation, merchandising, and customer service. This
strategic plan was aimed at expanding its operations to offer high quality and nutritious foods to
more and more customers. It was also aimed at promoting organically grown foods, food safety
concerns, and sustainability of the entire ecosystem. Before 2002, Whole Food 's growth strategy
had been to expand their company ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Whole Foods was having a hard time finding organic beef and chicken suppliers big enough to
supply all of their stores. Another force, potential new entrants, was affecting the company. Most
supermarkets were starting to stock a growing number of natural and organic food items. Customers
were increasingly buying organic foods and beverages for the freshness, the avoidance of pesticides,
and health and nutrition. Customers believe that natural and organic foods were better for their
health. The only substitutes for organic foods were the processed foods normally purchased in the
supermarkets, but customers were trying to get away from them. Whole Foods rivals included, local,
regional, and national supermarkets, along with specialty grocery stores and health and natural food
stores. The company 's two biggest competitors in the organic food segment were Wild Oats
Markets and Fresh Market. Wild Oats was probably the biggest competition, because they lowered
their prices to increase their store traffic and raise the average purchase. One of the biggest driving
force was the growing preference for the differentiated product instead of the commodity product.
Consumers were increasingly demanding to buy natural and organic foods rather than processed
foods. These foods were healthier for them, which was one of the main reasons for the demand. This
brings up another driving force of societies concern for their health. Consumers do not

Essay on Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market: 2010 How to Grow in An Increasingly Competitive Market?
Patricia Harasta and Alan N. Hoffman
A Case Study Analysis
Antonia Jackson
MBA
Dr. Pamela Barnes
13 October 2013
I. Introduction
Whole Foods Market is one of the biggest organic and natural whole food suppliers in the world.
They provide a wide variety of select foods that are without hormones or antibiotics and are stamped
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's stamp of approval. They value the fact that they can
provide people with access to healthy food and be identified with being socially and
environmentally responsible.
II. History
Whole Foods Market started off as being Safer Way natural grocery store in 1978. However they
were not ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A weakness that Whole Foods have is their reputation. A reputation for a grocer is key to its survival
and they have the reputation of being very expensive or some call it "whole paycheck."
a.ii) External Environment
One of the biggest external environmental threats against Whole Foods is increases in domestic
competition. At its inception Whole Foods was one of the only providers of organic foods. However
now there are many rivals who have taken apart of this ever going interest in our society for better
living. Stores such as Wal–Mart and Target have joined the bandwagon of providing their customers
with organic foods. With many stores now offering organic foods this has put a dent in the
availability of organic foods in other words has shorten the supply of organic foods to Whole Foods.
Another external environmental threat was the economy. When the economy went down during the
recession many people had to make tough choices when it came to their finances and one of the
biggest things that were changed was the amount that they spent on groceries. Many people just
simply deemed natural organic foods as being expensive and not a necessity. A major opportunity
that Whole Foods have embraced was that during the recession Whole Foods recognized that they
need to make adjustments decrease the overall prices. Another major opportunity that they need to
embrace is marketing the necessity of whole organic foods. Letting people know that eating right is
vital to

Whole Foods
1. (a) Whole Foods operates in the organic, or natural and specialty foods retail industry. Leading
the industry, Whole Foods Market is the world 's most successful natural foods grocery chain.
Having recently acquired one of its main competitors, Wild Oats Market, Whole Foods currently
competes with two other large grocery chains—Kroger and Trader Joe 's. The company also acquired
Amrion, a company specializing in nutraceuticals (natural supplements with pharmaceutical–type
benefits), creating considerable competition with General Nutrition Centers (GNC) nutritional
supplements and dietary products. Additional competition is taking place in traditional grocery
stores incorporating some organic products on to their shelves.
1. (b) The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Intensity of Rivalry Among Competitors Within the foods retail industry Whole Foods largest
competitors are Wal–Mart, and Kroger. Within the organic foods retail industry, the competition is
Trader Joe 's and smaller localized organic grocery stores. Whole Foods also competes with GNC 's
dietary products and nutritional supplements. Most of the relationships are not equally balanced but
industry growth in the organic market is increasing and this will raise the strategic stakes. There are
no significant exit barriers so a moderately intense rivalry among the larger competitors will exist.
While the foods retail industry is highly competitive, Whole Foods has established a reputation and
maintains a brand loyalty with its customers. Increased rivalry will occur in the larger grocery
chains like Wal–Mart and Kroger, because of their flexibility in the products they can offer, and the
pressures they can put on the sales growth and overall profits of Whole Foods. They have a larger
cash and customer base, and the ability to better advertise their products, while Whole Foods still
generates most of their

Swot Analysis Of Whole Foods
Industry Overview: The food market and the grocery store industry compose the largest retail
channel network in the United States. The U.S. supermarket industry includes warehouse grocery
stores, supercenters, conventional supermarkets, military commissaries, and limited–assortment and
natural/gourmet–positioned supermarkets. The US supermarket industry had approximately 600.31
billion USD in sales in the year 2016, a 2% increase compared to the previous year. The US
supermarket industry has become mature and has established enormous players that dominate the
market. In recent days, the industry stands dominated by organic and natural products.
Whole Foods Market: Whole foods are an organic and natural food grocery. John Mackey is the
founder of whole foods which has been a "certified organic" grocery store. John Mackey founded
the company in the name of Safer Way Natural Foods in Austin, Texas. The company Safer way
merged with Clarksville Natural Grocery in 1980 and renamed as Whole foods. Whole foods
mission statement mainly aims at the following points: Quality food and Quality state of mind,
Standards of excellence for food retailers, High standards in all aspects of the business. They operate
by the motto "Whole foods, Whole people, Whole planet." In 2016, Whole foods market operates
around 466 stores, including its subsidiaries in the United States, the Canada, and the United
Kingdom. The company generated global net sales to the value of 15.7 billion USD in

Whole Foods Strategy
The company I will be presenting is Whole Foods, case number seven. Whole Foods is a
supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes natural and organic products. As of
September 2009[update], the company operates 302 stores: 291 stores in 38 U.S. states and the
District of Columbia; six stores in Canada; and five stores in the United Kingdom.
External assessment: There are over one hundred thousand grocery stores in the United States, with
a wide variety of types. Stores range from very small neighborhood stores, to huge two hundred
thousand square foot stores. Currently, the only major competitor to Whole Foods is Trader Joe 's.
As of 2008, they had roughly 300 stores in twenty five states are still growing. Most of ... Show
Although organic products represent just about 2% of the total food and beverage sales in the US,
the market is growing approximately 20% annually. More consumers are preferring natural, fat–free
and healthy food products. Food items containing trans–fat are losing market share to low calorie,
low fat, natural and organic products. Increasing customer preference for organic foods is likely to
impact the company's sales, given its leading market position in the organic grocery segment.
Threats:
Whole Foods' competitors include natural foods supermarkets, specialty supermarkets, warehouse
membership stores, small specialty stores and restaurants. In addition, some traditional and specialty
supermarkets are also expanding more aggressively in marketing a range of organic foods, thereby
competing directly with Whole Foods for products, customers and locations. For example, Wal–
Mart announced that it will focus on the organic segment. They aim to become the low–price leader
in organics, not just in food but clothing, electronics and other household products. Wal–Mart has
already doubled its organic range in fresh produce, dairy and dry food items during 2006.
Some of these competitors have greater financial or marketing resources than Whole Foods, and
may be able to provide greater resources to promoting and selling their products. Increased
competition may have an

Whole Foods Markets
Abstract
This paper examines the published case study Whole Foods Markets, 2005: Will There Be Enough
Organic Food to Satisfy the Growing Demand? (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2007, p. C534).
Although the published study addresses numerous aspects of Whole Foods Market's business as a
leading international retailer of "natural" organic foods, the analysis provided herein is focused on
Whole Foods Market's ability to meet future growth demands. This paper explores Whole Foods
Market's basic internal environment with subsequent application of Porter's Five Forces Model of
Competition followed by a related Strength–Weakness–Opportunities–Threats (SWOT)
breakdown...all used to determine critical market success factors and looming challenges ... Show
Whole Foods has also invested in modern information systems which have enabled the company to
promote efficient communications (described in more detail below). With a well established and
accepted vision, mission and market strategy, Whole Foods' organization appears cohesive and has
maintained its core business focus throughout its remarkable growth and expansion. Physical
Resources With 270 retail locations each ranging from 45,000 to 75,000 square feet, nine
distribution centers, five commissaries, nine regional bake–houses and subsidiaries whose
operations encompass coffee production, seafood processing and produce field inspections, Whole
Foods has substantial capital investment in plant and property totaling over $1.6 billion (Whole
Foods 1, n.d., p. 1) and (MSN Money, 2008, p. 3). Whole Foods also boast a sophisticated
distribution system with retail outlets targeting affluent urban areas with higher income and
education demographics. Technical Resources Whole Foods has made significant investments in
technology to support operations and connectivity in all facets of its business units. In 2003, Whole
Foods signed a 3–year multi–million dollar contract

Whole Foods Marketing Strategy
Whole Foods Market
Introduction
In today's world of technology people are doing things through the web such as errands, business,
and socialization more and more. This has changed the face of business for many. And completely
restructure the customer experience and interaction. We now live in an age where ice cream can be
delivered to your front porch within an hour from the same company you order things like socks,
appliances, electronics, and car parts among other things. So how do ordinary grocery stores
compete? What if a company's very core is to bring you the highest quality of food and a passion for
freshness? How do they stay relevant while the staying true to their values? Whole foods Market
maintains they "are a mission–driven company ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Whole Foods strives to provide extraordinary customer service. Whole foods recognize the need for
customer as their lifeline. They try to exceed customer expectations every shopping trip. They go to
great lengths to make them happy. By investing in the customer experience and attempting to make
it pleasant and memorable Whole foods ensures that the customer will return.
Whole foods also reaches out to customers through education. By making more people aware of the
value within the products they offer and the quality at which they offer it they not only secure loyal
customers but also draw in new ones. They reach out through events making people more aware of
health, nutrition, and the environment.
Whole Foods has thought out the importance of staying competitive in the grocery market. This can
be tricky when major grocery stores offer things at very low prices. Whole Foods responds by
providing high quality at competitive prices they are also "innovative and raise our retail standards"
They also attempt to keep the store environment inviting and fun that reflect the community in
hopes of being a place where customers meet up with friends or form new friendships. By creating a
welcome and inviting atmosphere they draw in customers who want social

Whole Foods Market : Whole Food Market
Comparing Two Retail Companies Company A: Whole Food Market Whole Foods Market (WFM)
is leading natural and organic food supermarket in the world. It started as one–store entrepreneur
shop and has since grown into an $8 billion a year. By 2008, Whole Food Market had 264 stores in
the United States that host its headquarters. It had six stores in Canada and five stores in the United
Kingdom (Harbin, 2000). It is located in an area of 80000 square foot flagship store in Austin. The
CEO and founder, John Mackey has cast the image of a niche retailer and enjoys profits in the
competitive retail industry that is sometimes characterized by low profits margins. The company has
over 50000 members that strived to meet its corporate goals. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The mission of WFM is to "promote the vitality and well–being of all individuals by supplying the
highest quality, most wholesome foods available." The company provides and empowers the work
environment of its members and commits to a sustainable agriculture. The aspiration of WFM is to
be a global brand that is not limited to natural and organic foods but also become the best retailer in
every community in which they locate (WFM, 2009). Another strategy that works well for the
company is its foods. WFM obtains its products locally and from all part of the world and have
uniquely dedicated food artisans. It strives to provide high quality, least processed and naturally
preserved foods. The company believes that food its unaltered state is the best tasting and most
nutritious food. WFM recruits best employees. The employees are empowered to make many
decisions regarding the operations. The team members are highly motivated to excel within their
areas of jurisdiction and receive fair treatment from various squatters inside the company. In a bid to
compete fairly, WFM looks for highly passionate staff to handle food and well grounded men that
can provide a critical role in shaping the company's destiny (Harbin, 2009). It believes that
companies must have responsibility for the planet. In this regard, the company

Whole Food Market's History
In his book "The Tipping Point: How little things can make a big difference," Malcolm Gladwell
(2001) indicates the power of intelligent action and the potential of little changes are responsible for
starting epidemics. These epidemics occurred, according to the law of the few, the stickiness factor,
and the power of context. The law of few affirms the influence on communication. That connector,
maven, and salesman each has its ability to conjoin, collect, and cajole; they distribute information
globally. The stickiness factor refers to a technique that allows information to stick in the minds of
society. Moreover, he acknowledges how repetition and direct information bring success to Sesame
Street. Last, the power of context stresses that not only human reactions are responsible for
epidemics, but also the environment's elastic. Gladwell, intelligently, collects the secret keys to
successful business. To capture customer's attention, to hire the perfect leaders, and to invest in the
firm's future, Whole Food Market enlarges its potential market even when large chain retailed
competition increases. The organic food market tipped during the early 1980s, before Whole Food
Market ever existed. However, the organic farming concept occurred 40 years in England before it
tipped in the United States. Sir Albert Howard, a man who devotes his life in agriculture research in
India. After years of agricultural research's experiences and observations, he gradually evolved a
philosophy

Whole Foods Market
(i) Environmental Analysis – External Opportunities and Threats
The demographic, economic and the socio–cultural segments would be the most relevant segments
to Whole Foods Market. These segments have a direct impact on the profitability, sustainability and
survivability of Whole Foods Market, and the organic food industry. The relevance of the
demographic segment stems from the fact that the age structure, income distribution and population
size are important factors which will influence the demand for organic products. The economic
segment is relevant, as an affluent population will continue to drive and sustain demand for organic
products. The socio–cultural segment is another relevant segment, where attitudes about quality of
life, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Given that the organic foods industry is a rapidly flourishing one with a huge potential for profits,
this would be an attractive industry to compete in. The high entry barriers, lack of substitute
products and the huge pool of potential consumers will certainly mean an immense potential of
opportunities in an industry that has just started to grow. Whole Foods Markets is in an excellent
position to capture these opportunities and this will be explained below.
(iv) Responses to Wal–Mart's foray into the organic foods industry
Focus strategy on market penetration, using existing stores situated in prime locations
Whole Foods Markets has been able to reach out to its target markets through the prime
geographical locations of its stores. By further leveraging on these locations through the offering of
more customized organic products, Whole Foods will be able to penetrate the market deeper. Given
that fact that it has established the Whole Foods Brand in affluent communities, it will be in a better
position than Wal–mart to widen its target market and to reach out to potential customers.
Increasing brand awareness, appeal and loyalty though a more aggressive advertising and public
relations campaign
By increasing brand awareness and image, the reputation of Whole Foods will be enhanced. This
would be critical in reaching out to potential customers, as well as retaining current customers. As
mentioned in the case, Whole Foods does minimal

Whole Foods Market Inc.
INDUSTRY EVOLUTION
Whole Foods Market Inc. is a service provider in the grocery industry, which report in the US
economy under the North American Industry Classification System NAICS 42441, General–line
groceries merchants wholesalers, by the time the company started operations in 1980 supermarkets
had a history of 51 years. Supermarkets unlike other type of retail is considered truly American in
origin, self service grocery stores are traced back to 1912 in Memphis Tennessee, and it was in 1930
when Michael Cullen opened the first store of the King Kullen supermarket chain, it was around that
time after the big depression that the independent stores which at that time only offered dry
groceries started to transition to the supermarket ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The economy store format presented a standardized store format with branded products, that were
delivered in a vertical integrated supply chain of trucks, warehouses, and factories. A&P's didn't
offer home delivery but offered credit to its customers which provided excellent results for the
company. Another of the innovations is they used modern accounting practices, and management
principles that translated in to efficiencies in both ends of the business, customers and buyers. All
these innovations paid off and the company moved from having 650 stores in 1914, to 4,224 in 1919
(Lebhar, 1952).
Along with A&P's, Kroger, and Safeway were also early adopters of the new business model of
chain format, all the benefits that resulted from this business model made chain stores dominant in
the grocery industry. Between 1919 and 1932 there was an increase of market share by 26.6% for
the top 5 chain firms in the U.S.
The decade between the 1920's and 1930's was the period of the creative destruction as the new
business model supplanted the old. It was during this period that the shake out of the industry started
because maybe more than 100,000 small companies exited the industry, and the remaining ones tried
to made alliances as cooperatives with

The Pros And Cons Of Whole Foods
In today's society individuals from poverty stricken areas have a more difficult time cooking and
eating healthy foods for themselves and their families. Various factors contribute to this problem,
such as worrying about other things, essentially, safety in locations with high crime. Not only safety
but convenience. If healthy options are not provided in poor areas, it takes time to go out of the way
to spend money on healthier products that people may or may not be able to afford. For instance,
Anne Harding writes " People who live in poorer neighborhoods in the U.S. are less likely to have
easy access to supermarkets carrying a wide variety of fresh produce and other healthy food, an
analysis of 54 studies confirms," this study supports the idea that poor people don't eat as well as
higher–income families. That is not only a theory, but a fact. Not only do lower–income families not
have access to healthy grocery stores, but they have plenty of fast food restaurants, and a wide
variety of other unhealthy options. Some individuals believe a solution to this problem is as simple
as putting healthy grocery stores in impoverished areas. In "Can Whole Foods Change the Way Poor
People Eat?," Tracie McMillian explores this idea by doing her own research on the store Whole
Foods, and personally interviewing several families from Detroit, Michigan. McMillian uses ethos,
pathos, and logos to argue that in order to solve health issues for people in poverty, we must do more
than place

Whole Food Essays
Industry Analysis
Dominant Industry Characteristics
Since going public in 1991, Whole Foods has focused on acquiring other small owner–managed
natural and organic food stores as well as opening new stores of their own. However in 2002–2006,
they decided that instead of making acquisitions, Whole Foods growth strategy would be based on
opening new stores. Whole Foods chooses upscale, urban metropolitan areas to place their stores.
These locations are high traffic shopping locations, some are freestanding, some are in strip centers,
and some are in high–density mixed–use projects. By the end of 1991 fiscal year Whole Foods had
10 stores and by the end of 2007 they had 276 stores. By 2008, Whole Foods had stores in 36 states.
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This shows that the industry is still in early development because farmers that are not growing
organic crops are becoming interested and attracted to organic farming. Being able to charge a
higher price and bring in more profit is an eye opener and it encourages farmers to start organic
farming.
Another industry characteristic in the organic and natural food industry is number of rivals.
An important industry driving force is marketing innovations. "In October 2002 the U.S.
Department Agriculture (USDA) officially established labeling standards for organic products,
overriding both the patchwork of inconsistent state regulations for what could be labeled as organic
and the different rules of some 43 agencies for certifying organic products." By establishing labeling
standards for organic products concerning what could be called organic insures that people are
receiving pure organic products. "The new labeling program was not intended as a healthy or safety
program (organic products have not been shown to be more nutritious than conventionally grown
products, according to the American Dietetic Association), but rather as marketing solution." By
creating stricter standards it made it harder for growers, processors, exporters, importers, shippers
and merchants to prove that their product were

Whole Foods Business Analysis
Whole Foods is a local grocery store everyone has heard of. Recently Amazon has bought Whole
foods for 13.7 billion dollars. Amazon plans to keep the name but make some major changes.
Competitors are going to need to make some fast improvements to keep up with the "new" Whole
Foods.
Amazon informed the public that Whole Foods is now owned by them on Thursday, August 17th.
Amazon has some major plans to renovate Whole Foods to become more popular. On Monday,
August 21th Amazon marked down most of Whole Foods prices down by almost 14%. Amazon
wants to make fresh products available for lower prices. Another big change is the free WiFi
available in Whole Foods store. However, when a device is connected to the Whole Foods WiFi the
device won't be allowed to access other stores prices. By doing this, customers can't check other
stores prices while shopping the their store. Amazon is also offering discounts for Amazon Prime
customers. These discounts include $99 annual discounts and more in the future. This will ramp up
the sales for Whole Foods by a lot since 70% of Whole Food customers have Amazon Prime. Thus,
these customers will buy more products since they have more discounts. It will also bring in other
Amazon Prime customers to buy from Whole Foods. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Amazon is now selling Whole Food private labeled products on their website such as 365 Everyday
Value, Whole Paws and Whole Catch. In some Whole Foods, Amazon is installing Amazon Locker
so that customers can pick up online ordered items in store. "Grocery has always been the Achilles'
heel for Amazon," Grant said. "Amazon's competitive advantage is its speed – and that's what it's
bringing here, with quick turnaround and quick changes." With Amazon behind Whole Foods back,
competitors have to work hard to get past the new company

Whole Foods Case Summary
In 2007, CEO John Mackey received some bad press coverage as Mackey had typed out more than
1,100 entries on Yahoo Finance's message from 1999–2006. He used an alias Rahodeb and boasted
all of the positive work Whole Foods Markets was accomplishing while making uncomplimentary
remarks about rival Wild Oats Market before Whole Foods take over Wild Oats Market.
This unacceptable behavior coming from the CEO affected the company image. Consumers
confident plummet and hesitation sets in to purchase food from Whole Foods Market. Mackey
regretted his posting, apologized for his behavior, and asked stakeholders to forgive him for
exercising bad judgment. They let the customers down, explained exactly what happened and
presented a solution to stop this from happening in the future.
High price in their products
Whole Foods Market's price is higher than other food retailers. Meat, vegetable and dairy products
are the foods that people need to eat or purchase every day. It is really hard to ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Industry Driving Forces
Changing attitudes and lifestyles
The customers' demands and attitudes toward healthier living and corresponding lifestyle changes
are the driving force for Whole Foods Market to have the annual double digits compound growth
rate in the industry. Consumers add more organic foods into the daily consumption as they are
concerned more about salt, sugar, chemical additives, saturated fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and
nutritional value that can bring Whole foods Market to develop more nutritious foods, and good–
tasting products.
Marketing innovation
Whole Foods Market is one of the most innovative food retailers. It introduces the organic foods and
provides many different kinds of organic products for the consumers to choose from.
The demand for organic foods does not decrease
Many consumers change to buy more organics foods instead of the traditional non organic and less
healthy food. iii. Key Success Factors of Industry
Strong network of

Whole Foods : The Whole Food Markets Essay
"Whole Food Markets" Week #6 If you were to ask people if they enjoy going to work on Monday, I
am sure most of them would give you a funny look, and say "No". Americans dislike of their jobs is
very evident. To see the magnitude of this just look on social media. On Fridays, there are vast
amounts of thank god it's Friday (TGIF) memes indicating how happy they are that they are done
with work for the week. Many American simply do not enjoy working. However, a select few
actually do. They enjoy their jobs and their co–workers. Sure, they may be far and few between, but
if you ask one of the 54,000 Whole Foods Markets employees you are sure to get a "Yes". If fact,
not only does Whole Foods Markets employees enjoy their work, their company is one of the top
100 companies to work for according to Fortune.com. What is so special about Whole Foods Market
that their employees actually enjoy their jobs, and what is makes them different from all the other
companies out there?
Well it might be their CEO's attitude toward them, his customers, and the products they sell. John
Mackey founder and CEO of Whole Food Markets believes that when you are a running a company
you have a responsibility to treat your employees right. He was once quoted as saying that "If you
are lucky enough to be someone's employer, then you have a moral obligation to make sure people
do look forward to coming to work in the morning" (Wright, 2016), and he has done just that. He
has taken this

Whole Foods Merger
Whole Foods Market was initiated its business in Austin, Texas, Their initial creators were John
Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of different places where you got natural foods. The
original Whole Foods Marketplace started in 1980 with only 19 people in the company. Now Whole
Food Market is the best seller in natural and organic foods. At this moment they had more than 310
stores in the North America and Europe. The company keeps the excellent quality in the industry all
the time. John Mackey, founder and CEO, considerers that Whole Foods Market fast growing in the
market has much to do with the preferential and distinctively mission with the selective products
that they sell. Mackey's vision was for Whole Foods to become a global ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Another important event that happened to Whole Foods was in 2001. Whole foods acquired most of
Harry's Farmers Market Inc.'s assets for $35 million. Whole Foods at the time had current assets
totaling $144.7 million. This acquisition increased Whole Foods total assets by about 24%, a very
significant increase. Whole Foods received three perishable superstores, a distribution center,
commissary kitchen, a bake house, and office facilities. Whole Foods has become the world's largest
retail chain of natural and organic foods supermarkets. Not only is their focus to transform the way
consumers look at food and its natural benefits, Whole Foods is looking to make a difference in the
world with their products. Whole Foods appears to be in a rapidly growing market. Whole Foods
has worked hard to set their products apart from other grocery retail chains and while their prices
might still be considered high across the board, their products are geared towards a more health
conscious individual who is willing to pay more for a healthier product. Whole Foods needs to
increase the number of stores that they have throughout the country and work on expanding their
product line to as many natural and organic products as they can manage within their

Target Foods Vs Whole Foods
The 'eat like your owner' trend is securely under way. We want our dogs to have high quality food
and feel proud to serve them the best of what is available. Whether you are at Walmart, Target or
Whole Foods you can find quality brands like Freshpet, Beneful, Milo's Kitchen, and Blue Buffalo.
Perhaps, the pet food industry is right on target with the holistic approach many people are now
adopting to both their lives and the lives of their pets. Without doubt, the whole foods these
premium brands incorporate into their recipes are often fresh sourced and selected with a broad
nutritional profile in mind to promote the highest health in our pets.
Consequently, the popularity of premium dog food has been converted in the media quite often, like

Whole Foods Company Overview
The Whole Food's Mission is Whole Food, Whole People, Whole Planet. Whole Foods consist of
the highest quality, least processed, most flavorful and naturally preserved foods available locally
and grown from all over the world. Whole People result from empowering, the best people they can
recruit, to make many operational decisions, creating a respectful workplace where team members
are treated fairly and are highly motivated to succeed. Whole Planet is the belief that companies,
like individuals, must assume their share of responsibility for our planet through supporting organic
farming on a global basis. Whole Foods mission statement does an excellent job of describing their
present situation and the purpose of the company going forward. Their mission statement identifies
the company's product being whole foods, specifies the buyer needs that they are seeking to satisfy,
and it gives the company their own identity by separating them from the other natural and organic
grocers through environmental stewardship.
The core values that make up Whole Foods are the sole of the company. They express the purpose of
the business, which is not only to make profit, but to create value for all of the major stakeholders.
Selling the utmost quality natural and organic products available which includes having a passion
for food and having the highest quality standards. Satisfying and delighting our customers through
extraordinary customer service, education, meaningful value, and inviting

Whole Foods Value Chain
Contents Page
1. Introduction.................................................................................Page 1
2. Environmental Factors.....................................................................Page 1
3. Value Chain.................................................................................Page 2
4. Conclusion...................................................................................Page 4
5. References...................................................................................Page 5
Introduction
Whole Foods started in 1980 when it's CEO, John Mackey merged his store, SaferWay, with a
competitor, Clarksville Natural Grocery. Since then, Whole Foods has expanded to 275 locations in
North America and United Kingdom with 47,000 employees, making it the world's leading
supermarket retailer of natural and organic products (Harbin and Humphrey, 2013). With a mission
to promote the vitality and well– being of individuals, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The company which sells only pure and unaltered products achieves this by promoting its own
house brand such as Whole Catch, Whole Creamery and 365 Everyday Value label as a substitute
for processed food (Conway, 2007). For example, Oreos is replaced by 365 Everyday Value label's
organic cookies and cream sandwich. In addition, Whole Foods purchases its salmons from an on–
site salmon buyer in Alaska who has long–standing relationships with non–commercial fishermen.
This supply line ensures that the wild–caught salmon is available for sale within 48 hours,
guaranteeing its freshness and quality (MIT Sloan Management, 2010).
Whole Foods's next primary activity will be its operations which is all activities including facility
operations associated with transforming inputs into final outputs. (Dess et al, 2012). This can be
seen from the empowerment of store managers who are allowed to stock up 10% of the store with
products they feel is suitable for the local community. Through this, Whole Foods is able to cater to
the unique taste of the community they are based in as well as decentralizing the company as a
whole. The passionate and knowledgeable employees of Whole Foods contribute by affecting the
customers with enthusiasm, making their shopping experience fun and exciting, increasing the
chance of repeat customers, generating more revenue (MIT Sloan Management, 2010). In addition,
Whole Foods has gained competitive advantage by being the first

Overview:
Whole Foods Market is a retailer company that has one operating segment of natural and organic
foods supermarkets. It seeks out the finest natural and organic foods available to maintain the
strictest quality standards in the industry, as well as obtain an immovable commitment to unending
agriculture. Whole Foods Market has been operating 362 stores within the United States, Canada,
and the United Kingdom since 2013.
Whole Foods Market offers a wide collection of natural and organic products with an importance on
unpreserved foods. The company offers a massive variety of products from groceries, catering and
prepared foods, body care, lifestyle products, and supplements. Aside from the products, the
company established many more brands such as '365 Organic Everyday Day Value', 'Health Starts
Here', and 'Whole Fields', just to name a few that emphasize an approach to eating healthy by
building better meals and endorsing animal welfare on ranches and farm.
Whole Foods Market Inc. is known as America's healthiest grocery store. The company has been
recognized as "Most Admired 2015 Companies" and "Top 100 Companies to Work For" by Fortune
for eighteen years, stating, "The supermarket chain has redefined grocery shopping in the U.S". The
establishment has been also been ranked at number 3 on the list of America's most reputable
companies in the retail industry. The recognitions and awards represent the decades of passion and
dedication of the Whole Foods Market's

The Company Whole Foods Market
For my individual assignment, I chose the company Whole Foods Market (WFM) which deals in
selling products that are organic and fresh to its customers. WFM was founded by John Mackey and
Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles,
owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery in Austin, Texas where the original store opened in 1980 and
consisted of a staff of only 19 people. WFM was founded because those four local businesspeople
decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format and at that time there were
less than half a dozen natural food supermarkets in the United States
(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company–info/whole–foods–market–history). For the rest of
this paper, I will be going more in depth about the company's history and background, why I chose
this company, the organization's environment, mission, culture, and if the company will change or
needs to change.
As I mentioned WFM was originally created by four people who felt that it was a good time to
introduce a store that was all about natural foods. The first WFM opened on September 20, 1980 and
consisted of 10,500 square feet and a minimal staff. Less than a year later there was one of the worst
floods in Austin since 70 years ago at that time which caused the store's inventory to be whipped out
and a mass amount of the equipment was damaged. There was $400,000 worth of damage and WTF
has no insurance on the store. Customers and neighbors volunteered

Inputs Diagnosis Whole Foods
WHOLE FOODS MARKETS
ABC FOODS
MERGER
INPUTS DIAGNOSIS
Rivalry Among Existing Firms
The range of competitors within the overall industry include chain and independent supermarkets
(Krogers, Safeway, others); mass merchandisers and super centers (Wal–mart,Target); convenience
stores; wholesale clubs (Sam's); restaurants and fast food chains andnatural food stores (Whole
Foods, Wild Oats
Generally the concentration of competitors has been fragmented by geography. However, through
recent consolidations, the emergence of regional and national chains has started to prevail along
with the decline of the independent/local shops. This consolidation activity has allowed many
companies to spread their fixed costs over a wider range of output, thus ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Threat of New Entry
Because the retail grocery market is typically low margin, "typically in the mid–single digit range".
(VALUELINE, 2013) It is critical for companies to have some type of cost advantage over peers, the
larger chains may be able to obtain better and cheaper access to products than the independent
stores(economies of scale). Labor is also a significant cost to retail grocers, representing 50% to
53% of total operating costs (EHOW, 2013). Other operating costs (including rent, utilities,
transportation, and technology) are controllable by the company. Lastly, technology costs are key in
the retail grocery industry in order to increase efficiency in operations and aid marketing aids.
Point–of–sale systems can help to increase inventory turnover and sales and lead to better targeted
customer marketing (COUNTERPOINTPOS, 2013)
Other areas that affect new entry into a market include capital requirements, economies of scale, and
brand identity. All of these factors have been discussed to some degree under other forces.
Retaliation by incumbent competitors is an important element in determining the threat of new
entry. Specifically, Whole Foods faces a threat from conventional supermarkets and mass
merchandisers who may move to carry organic products within their stores.
CONGRUENCE MODEL
In conducting the Nadler–Tushman Congruence Model, of Whole Foods Market's inputs and how
they align with the strategy. I have resubmitted the

Whole Foods Market Overview
Whole Foods Market Background Whole Foods Market is an American based retail–chain grocery
store. They strictly sell both natural and organic food, offering a variety of products. "Natural" refers
to food that is free of growth hormones or antibiotics, while "certified organic" food must meet the
standards of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Whole Foods Market is the leading retailer
in the natural and organic foods, with 193 stores in 31 states, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
With Whole Foods Market being the first retailer in the business, they never really had to worry
about competition. However, with the trends changing and people wanting to eat healthier and have
healthier lifestyles, the popularity of the natural and organic products have increased. This means
that Whole Foods Market's competition is growing because different stores are catering to the
consumers' wants. So, since Whole Foods Market is the leading market retailer, how are they going
to continue to grow in an increasingly competitive market? This question can be simply answered:
they will be able to continue to grow because of their strategic plan.
Combating an Increasing Competitive Market A strategic plan will basically layout the goals and the
general direction of what the company wants to accomplish. A great way to analyze a strategic plan
is a strategic audit. A strategic audit is a checklist of questions about a certain aspect of the company
or issue that triggers a deeper analysis

Marketing Plan For Whole Foods
Grocery shopping has become more diversified than ever before. Whole Foods Market and Trader
Joe's have become household names in the consumer arena. Markets such as Roots, and Common
Market are also in the game even though they operate on a smaller scale. Despite comparable size in
terms of locations, each store's growth has operated using a very different model. As Whole Foods
has increased the number of retail centers that it operates, it has suffered accompanying growing
pains in the distribution of its products to the store. They are growing at such a fast rate that supply
can't keep up with demand. A big reason for inefficiency is Whole Foods' decentralized back–end. It
has 12 geographic divisions, a national headquarters in Austin, regional distribution centers, bakery
facilities, kitchens, seafood processing facilities, meat and produce procurement centers and a
specialty coffee/tea procurement operation. Product wise, Whole Foods is differentiated because all
products are sourced locally. Whole Foods stores operate under the premise that they need these
freedoms to meet the unique buying needs of its local customers. A down side to this local
purchasing policy is consistency. Every retail location carries a variety of products that distinguishes
it from other stores in the same chain. Whole Foods believes that the company's emphasis on
perishables and locally–sourced produce differentiates their stores from run–of–the–mill
supermarkets and attracts loyal and

Whole Foods Legacy
Research a leader that left a legacy within their organization. Identify the term legacy and that
leader's strengths and weaknesses. In addition, examine their leadership style and how it affected the
organization's performance and effectiveness. Identify specific actions that the leader used to
demonstrate his/her style.
The term "legacy" refers to "an imprint" made, the imprint may be a physical one or something less
tangible (Wallin, 2014). Whatever form the imprint takes understand that the people, the
organization, it's shareholders, or the very structure of the organization are changed because of the
actions of the leader (Wallin, 2014). In this way the leader is transformational and so those leaders
that leave a legacy are change ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(2015). Leaders as Decision Architects. (cover story). Harvard Business Review, 93(5), 51–62.
Retrieved
Hamner, S., & McNichol, T. (n.d.). Ripping up the rules of management . Retrieved January 24,
2016, from http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0705/gallery.contrarians.biz2/3.html
Helm, B. (2013, April 12). WFM' John Mackey calls for a new kind of conscious capitalism .
Retrieved January 17, 2016, from http://www.inc.com/burt–helm/john–mackey.html
Kanter, R. M. (2011). How Great Companies Think Differently. Harvard Business Review, 89(11),
66–78.
Kowitt, B. (2015, August 20). John Mackey: The conscious capitalist. Retrieved January 21, 2016,
from http://fortune.com/2015/08/20/whole–foods–john–mackey/
Q&A with John Mackey (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2016, from
http://www.theartof.com/articles/q–a–with–john–mackey
Wallin, T. (2014, October 13). Transformational Leaders Leave Purposeful Legacies. Retrieved
January 21, 2017, from

Shanice Scott–Thurston November 30, 2015
Professor Jonathan Reiter Intermediate Acct 1
Whole Foods Market Inc. is an American supermarket chain specializing in organic food that
opened on Sept. 20, 1980, in Austin, Texas, its current headquarters. Whole Foods Market Inc. has
431 supermarkets among the United States, Canada, District of Columbia, and the United Kingdom.
Whole Foods Market has sales revenue of 15.39 billion, total assets of 5.74 billion, and a net income
of 536 million in the annual report of September 2015. Whole Foods Market's common stock is
traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under ticker symbol "WFM". Whole Foods Market's
primary products are organic and natural food products, including fresh and prepared meats, poultry
and seafood, canned and frozen foods, fresh fruits and vegetables and various dairy products. Whole
Foods Market Inc. is in the retail supermarket and grocery store industry, in which makes up the
largest food retail channel in the United States. The Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry faces
a high amount of internal and external competition, particularly from large retailers like massive
warehouse stores and supercenters. The barriers to entry in this industry are the medium range, but
are increasing.
Whole Foods Market Inc.'s success is contributed to their quality standards, differentiated product
offerings, and their value campaign. Whole Foods Market Inc.'s high quality standards

Whole Foods In Brazil
The Federative Republic of Brazil is the fifth largest country by geographical area in South America.
Currently, "Brazil has a population of over 207 million making it the 5th largest country in the
world"(IBGE, 2017). Brasilia is the capital, and Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil with
population over 11 million people.
For administrative purposes such as the national Brazilian census (Advameg, Inc., "Culture"),
"Brazil is separated into five regions: North, Northeast, Central–West, Southeast and South". (IBGE,
2017) These divisions roughly correspond to the geographic, demographic, economic, and cultural
variation within the nation. Despite segmentation, frequent racial inter–breeding has made Brazil
one of the most racially diverse ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We are successfully utilizing social media as a powerful way to gain positive exposure and connect
with our internet–savvy customers in a global and local level. We rely heavily in word–of–mouth
advocacy". (John Mackey, 2012)
Whole Foods Market seeks to accomplish the following objectives with its communication strategy:
Create, build and maintain awareness, image and reputation: WFM will be a new concept in the
market and they need to let their customer now who they are and their beliefs to create awareness
and retention. The brand message can be delivered via several types of communication channels,
such as direct mail, radio, television advertising, environmental advertising such as billboards or
signage and social media. This can be measured by measuring the increase of customers per week;
as customers become more aware of the brand, more should approach the store.
Educate: As WFM is bringing an entirely new concept, they need to make an effort educating their
segmented target. Creating a need in customers in essential in order to have returning customers.
People already know that eating organic is eating healthier, the more they are educated with this
concept, the bigger the chances they will look for a place to purchase organic

Whole Foods Business Analysis
In 1980 Whole Foods Market opened its first store. Over the last thirty–five years, Whole Foods has
transformed the organic and natural grocery industry. Whole Foods Market's vision is "to become an
international brand synonymous with carrying the highest–quality natural and organic foods
available and being the best food retailer in every community in which a whole foods store was
located" (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble, & Strickland, 2015, pp.C11). By understanding Whole
Foods' strategies, insightful strategic elements, competition, and future recommendation, it would
then be possible to build a better understand of the success of the organizations and the change it has
brought to the industry.
Strategies
Product line & Quality
Whole Foods ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The company strengthens local suppliers by providing local producers loans to help them become
self–sustainable, productive and valuable partners.
Human Resource
Whole Foods' human resource strategy empowers employees to create an environment that builds on
customer experiences. Each store allocates funds for to the devolvepment of employees. Training is
geared towards enhancing the skills and performance of the stores staff. As a result customers,
experiences are enhanced and the company has been listed as one of the best company's to work.
Insightful strategic elements
When analyzing Whole Foods Market, it is apparent that the firm aligns strategies with the
organization's eight core values. Whole Foods product strategy brings consumers an assortment of
high–quality organic, natural products that bring nourishment to customers and made it possible for
the company to be environmental stewards. The companies merchandising strategy creates a
delightful experience by positions goods and services appropriately for each location. The growth
strategy of Whole Foods has helped them create wealth and grow into different areas locally and
globally. The supply strategy has given local suppliers the ability to provide products to stores in
their region and has helped to uphold Whole Foods commitment to serving and supporting local
communities. Whole Foods has also been able to improve partnership with suppliers through their
loan program that helps local partners

Whole Foods History

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