Whole Foods

[Sarah&Ryan]

DH is a veggie, he loves TJ and WF vegetarian cheeses since they are clearly labeled. Most cheese has this disgusting ingredient called rennet. Both of those stores label them, so it makes shopping so much easier for me.[/QUOTE]

What is rennet?

 

[Gisele]

I like Whole Foods but...... it is pricey over all. I bought a small package of scones (4 in the bag) a salad from the salad bar, one serving of corn bread, and one slice of cake. It was over $21.00

 

[Pigeon]

Rennet is an enzymatic material obtained from the lining of calves' stomachs. It causes milk to coagulate.

There are alternative ways to coagulate milk, which are used for making cheese for vegetarians.

 

[camlace]

The Boston Globe did an article comparing Whole Foods to other local grocery stores after it was announced that WF was replacing a local store. They went to 4-5 stores and bought the same list of groceries. While WF was high on some items they were low on others. And overall they were not the most expensive store. I personally like WF, find their customer service to be fabulous, love their meats/seafood. One way you can save a bit of money at WF is their case discount. You buy a whole case of something (just about any product) and you get 10% off. So since I already buy lots of yogurt for my family of 4 I buy it by the case and save. I buy our granola bars by the case, etc.

 

[Gisele]

Still... to pay over $21.00 for a few basic items, is quite ridiculous. And I will think twice before doing that again.

 

[LaughingSphinx]

We've found that their prices are often comparable to others in the area, and their produce definitely looks better than surrounding stores. We usually stock up at a Stop & Shop, and buy specific items at WF that we can't find in other places. We don't go often, but when we do we stock up! Larabars, seasonings, spices, or condiments with fewer chemicals, and some other odds and ends. We've never had any major issues with employees, we find they run the same range as anyplace else; some are friendlier and more helpful, some less so.

 

[Evi]

The Boston Globe did an article comparing Whole Foods to other local grocery stores after it was announced that WF was replacing a local store. They went to 4-5 stores and bought the same list of groceries. While WF was high on some items they were low on others. And overall they were not the most expensive store. I personally like WF, find their customer service to be fabulous, love their meats/seafood. One way you can save a bit of money at WF is their case discount. You buy a whole case of something (just about any product) and you get 10% off. So since I already buy lots of yogurt for my family of 4 I buy it by the case and save. I buy our granola bars by the case, etc.

Yeah not.. sorry I love whole foods and though I am a loyal shopper they don't really belong where they are opening up. I have a love hate vibe about them moving into JP but reality is reality most people who were shopping at the market that they are taking over will in no way be in the budget of whole foods. I also don't see whole foods importing the amount of international products that said market had. I know I will have to import things from specialty markets because you just can't find them in Boston except from said market. Also though I love whole foods I wonder what kind of implications it will have economically on the other two local markets that were catering to the whole foods crowd. I can see both the feed supply and the coop having some financial downfalls due to whole foods moving into that location. Honestly it would have been great to have a new player in town that would have been able to cater to the Latin community as well as the new inhabitants of said community perhaps even a bigger city feed. I sadly will miss the market that was there because even though the owners did not maintain it to the standards that they should have they were very true and honest to there roots and the community. I'm also saddened for all the elderly people who worked hard to make JP what it is who no longer have a market within walking distance that is affordable to them and carries the foods that they grew up with in their home lands. I welcome whole foods to JP but am saddened by it also, because due to gentrification Jamaica Plain once was small town America while having very close proximity to the city and it is no longer that. Its now just a cookie cutout of Cambridge with better parks system.

To anyone reading this who is not familiar with the topic being my response to the quote above. Essentially whole foods bought out a local Latin market in a Latin quarter of a community that is undergoing gentrification at a ridiculous rate. For an inner city community this neighborhood that was traditionally very multicultural has become the new hip place to be and is loosing the ethnic groups that made it the place everyone wants to live in. Due to increase cost of living (homes in this area cost almost double what they cost in other towns of Boston) in this area many residents who grew up in this neighborhood can no longer rent or buy a home here. The market that was there for 40 years and that is in the lower end side of said community was an affordable market that catered to an international clientele, they imported ethnic foods from all over Mexico, Central America, South America and Europe they also carried products from around the United States that could not be found anywhere else in the state of MA. The issue was the owner of the market made an inside deal with whole foods without consulting with the community development authority and there is not an affordable option to members in said community.

 

[disfan07]

I am personally not a fan of whole foods for normal shopping trips. Their 365 brand is not very allergy friendly (at least not for peanuts). I would say that over 1/2 of the store (at least the 3 that I have been to near me) are not safe for those with severe peanut allergies. It's very disappointing especially at their prices. The only thing that I do buy at whole foods on a regular basis that I cannot get anywhere else is waffles. They have Vans egg free waffles. They are great for gluten free and organic but not for allergies IMO.

I can do a much better job shopping at TJs for fruit, veggies and meats and Target for snacks.

 

[Free4Life11]

The Boston Globe did an article comparing Whole Foods to other local grocery stores after it was announced that WF was replacing a local store. They went to 4-5 stores and bought the same list of groceries. While WF was high on some items they were low on others. And overall they were not the most expensive store. I personally like WF, find their customer service to be fabulous, love their meats/seafood. One way you can save a bit of money at WF is their case discount. You buy a whole case of something (just about any product) and you get 10% off. So since I already buy lots of yogurt for my family of 4 I buy it by the case and save. I buy our granola bars by the case, etc.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/blogs/the_angle/2011/02/whole_foods.html

They are still more expensive than most stores and the item didn't include any meat or produce.

To me the biggest problem with whole foods is the IMPULSE shopping. I can go in and out of Publix and stick to my list, but there is something Whole Foods that just gets me. It's so hard to go in there and not come out with things you did not plan to buy! Their merchandising, layout, samples, etc. are amazing. If I had the money to burn I'd do all my shopping their...but I know I'd end up walking out with a ton of stuff I didn't plan to buy!