Whole Foods Sneak Peak
Well, I'm sold. The new Whole Foods is awesome.
The end.
Just kidding.
Let's be honest: I am, overall, easy to please and sometimes easy to impress (part of my charm, I say); but I can be a pretty harsh critic when I feel an injustice has been done or people are just rude and/or don't even try. But if I already have a good impression of or like something, it's pretty much a given that I'm going to continue liking it unless they royally mess up.
So with the new Whole Foods Market, we were already starting on a good note. Leading up to today's tour, I had a situation where I couldn't get a babysitter for my son; I tried to register him, but the tours were closed. When I contacted the powers that be, they very nicely agreed to let my son attend. Thanks, Whole Foods!
We're going to do this the short and easy way, because I'm coming down with a bad cold and may pass out if I analyze each and every part of the tour.
We got to the market and checked in. As the tour began, my guide let us know that by day's end, they would have had 1,000 people participate in the sneak peak tours. The tour took us through the produce, seafood, whole body, meat, dairy, bakery, prepared foods, cheese and wine departments (because we had a small child with us, we left as everyone went behind the big silver doors for the wineparty tasting.
At each department, a specialist from that department took a few minutes to discuss what they do, and then, on a wider scale, Whole Foods' philosophy or practices in that particular area (for example, no food goes to waste, not even juice pulp. Each store forms relationships with local shelters, food banks and animal rescue organizations, and at the end of the day, whatever fresh food did not sell, it goes to one of those groups).
What I liked was that everyone (especially our guide) kept going back to the same themes: fresh foods, minimally processed foods, being conscious of how we grow/prepare food, etc. It was obvious that the emphasis is on quality products that are good for the earth and good for the body. The staff members who spoke to us all said the same thing: we work here, you will see us around, stop us and ask questions. And I can tell you, guy in charge of the Whole Body section (that would be baby products, vitamins, lotions, potions, etc), I so will be asking you questions! That section was my favorite because it carries a wide variety of lines that I can't ever find 1) locally and 2) all in one place.
Overall, a great experience (free samples at each section! goody bag!). The air was buzzing with last-minute work and just a general vibe of happy anticipation. The store is large (seems larger than the Aventura one), and it seems like they thought of everything.
So as of Wednesday, Whole Foods in the Gables if officially open. Make sure you pay a visit!!
And now, some pictures:
The end.
Just kidding.
Let's be honest: I am, overall, easy to please and sometimes easy to impress (part of my charm, I say); but I can be a pretty harsh critic when I feel an injustice has been done or people are just rude and/or don't even try. But if I already have a good impression of or like something, it's pretty much a given that I'm going to continue liking it unless they royally mess up.
So with the new Whole Foods Market, we were already starting on a good note. Leading up to today's tour, I had a situation where I couldn't get a babysitter for my son; I tried to register him, but the tours were closed. When I contacted the powers that be, they very nicely agreed to let my son attend. Thanks, Whole Foods!
We're going to do this the short and easy way, because I'm coming down with a bad cold and may pass out if I analyze each and every part of the tour.
We got to the market and checked in. As the tour began, my guide let us know that by day's end, they would have had 1,000 people participate in the sneak peak tours. The tour took us through the produce, seafood, whole body, meat, dairy, bakery, prepared foods, cheese and wine departments (because we had a small child with us, we left as everyone went behind the big silver doors for the wine
At each department, a specialist from that department took a few minutes to discuss what they do, and then, on a wider scale, Whole Foods' philosophy or practices in that particular area (for example, no food goes to waste, not even juice pulp. Each store forms relationships with local shelters, food banks and animal rescue organizations, and at the end of the day, whatever fresh food did not sell, it goes to one of those groups).
What I liked was that everyone (especially our guide) kept going back to the same themes: fresh foods, minimally processed foods, being conscious of how we grow/prepare food, etc. It was obvious that the emphasis is on quality products that are good for the earth and good for the body. The staff members who spoke to us all said the same thing: we work here, you will see us around, stop us and ask questions. And I can tell you, guy in charge of the Whole Body section (that would be baby products, vitamins, lotions, potions, etc), I so will be asking you questions! That section was my favorite because it carries a wide variety of lines that I can't ever find 1) locally and 2) all in one place.
Overall, a great experience (free samples at each section! goody bag!). The air was buzzing with last-minute work and just a general vibe of happy anticipation. The store is large (seems larger than the Aventura one), and it seems like they thought of everything.
So as of Wednesday, Whole Foods in the Gables if officially open. Make sure you pay a visit!!
And now, some pictures:
Hello, we're going in!
Squashes, pumpkin and garlic
Mingling between produce and seafood
Food, food, food
The dairy section
The bakery, with shelves and stands just waiting to be filled with goodies
A view of some of the wine, and in back, coffee and cheese. We had some Parmigiano-Reggiano that was to die for. I wish we had stopped by the coffee section, but that has more to do with my addiction to the stuff than anything else.
Labels: coral gables, whole foods market
posted by Tere at
9/24/2007
20 Comments:
Hey, they let you take pictures! My guide yelled at me when I tried to take photos on my tour.
But just let me say that I am very very excited to shop there.
I can hardly wait! I suffer celiac disease, which means I'm on a gluten-free diet. Whole Foods has a much better GF selection than other stores, and up to now that's meant trekking up to Aventura every couple of weeks.
C: Whole Food has a whole Gluten-free facility. They discussed that during the tour.
D: We cleared the camera with them before the tour.
BTW, Sorry about the picture quality.
I took the tour last evening, only had maybe 10 people in our group. I am looking forward to shopping here for some items, but it is way too pricey for my budget overall.
I had been in touch with the WF team before, and they were aware of how I'd been following this store's development. So I asked if I could take pics or if it was a "closed" event, but they gave me the go-ahead as media.
I agree, anon, that for regular shopping it's on the pricey side. Producing foods without preservatives and as purely as possible is still way more expensive than how we currently produce food. The good thing about stores like this growing and opening in more areas is that as they make their good available to more people, more people will begin to demand this kind of quality from the grocers, and more importantly, the government.
Ideally, when people make it clear that they no longer will be ingesting food treated with hormones and chemicals, standards will change and this kind of food will be available to all at reasonable prices.
i love the vibe in whole foods. ive been to their austin flagship store which puts all others to shame. it has about 7 or 8 separate dining areas w various themed foods. unbelievable.
however, that said, i cannot justify their prices, no matter the quality.
the produce is so pretty, it's practically porn. but the prices? fuggetaboutit!
i cant believe the ripoff that is publix, so, as for whole foods, nuh uh, no way....
Well hell, dreaming, where do you shop then??? ;-)
I was doing some price comparison while I was in WF - on average, they are $.80 more than Publix on items (some more, like milk; some less, like some of the produce). Meat is definitely much pricier, even compared to Publix's organic line.
I think I heard the guide say they use local growers/producers whenever possible; but just to be sure, you can always ask anyone there.
But again, I think if you want minimally processed foods, you're going to have to pay. Until that becomes the norm and prices shift, you're going to have to pay.
So where is the new location??
well, im stuck w publix, but i hate every minute of it. i cant believe there isnt more competition in a city like miami. yeah yeah, there are a few winn dixies and some smaller independents. but not enough. and where are the farmer's markets w 7-8 tomatoes for $1 or 4 cukes for $1? or a seedless watermelon for $2, not the ridiculous $7-8 charged in publix, never mind whole foods.
this stuff is all grown a few miles south of here and shipped all over hell and gone, but not sold to local residents. i just don't get it.
It bugs me that they're anti-union though.
Hhhmmm, didn't know that, Rachel.
Cablegirl, they're on SW 57 Ave just south of U.S. 1. All along, they've called it "Red Road and San Remo", but the entrance (and valet parking!?!) is actually on the block north of San Remo.
Great post, Tere!
Whole Foods is pure heaven. I am hoping and praying that we get one in South Beach.
I have to respond to the Publix bashing- I shop at Publix exclusively. Yes it is more expensives, yes I am worth it, and YES, you bet your ass my family is worth it.
Winn Dixie and Milams are terrible- the stores are dirty and the employees are dirty looking. Shopping there is an aggravating, stressful experience. It's great that the food is cheaper but it's a moot point since I lose my appetite in the process.
I look forward to Whole Foods, yes it is more expensive. But my time and health are valuable to me and food is an important part of my life.
Don't like? Think it's too expensive? Then go back to Winn Dixie and quit your bitching.
(BTW- Tere, keep up the good work, this is a valuable service you provide)
actually, i dont know why kash n karry, now known as sweetbay, is not in the s fla market. they compete extensively w publix all over the rest of fla, and customers are much better off for it.
dear icawie, since you are capable of stereotyping hundreds of individuals as 'dirty looking,' the rest of what you have to say is suspect.
in any event, am i to understand that whole foods expects customers to valet park? please tell me they have a free parking lot, please!
it's not bad enough that they gouge on price, but one cannot bear the idea that one would have to pay to park for the privilege of getting ripped off at the cash register. still, i do expect publix to start charging to park any day now.
I actually am a big Publix fan - love shopping there. It's actually less expensive or about equal to Winn Dixie - I've been in WD in the last month and things I regularly buy at P are $.20 to $1 more expensive. It used to be, when I was a teenager, that WD was much more affordable - but not so anymore.
And Publix is being a leader in the industry by providing a growing selection of organic and/or minimally processed foods. There are even one or two markets that are entirely Greenwise. Also, they have long offered recycling for their plastic bags and have offered those beige cotton shopping bags. And now, they offer the new Green Bags, that cost $1.49 each and are both sturdy and roomy - I totally love mine.
What's more, earlier this year, they said they were going to stop using milk from cows that were given the rBST hormone - as a result of that decision, Florida dairy farmers have announced they are going to stop using the hormone. They can't afford NOT to - Publix is one of their biggest clients.
Indeed, shopping there IS a pleasure!
Tere: I was in South Florida a few days ago and checked out the new Whole Foods. I stopped at the coffee place and had a great cortadito (oscuro)--in fact, better than at many of my favorite Cuban places. Has anyone had their cafe con leche? How does it rate? I think it's great that they have a Cuban coffee menu. I haven't seen that anywhere else.
Hmmm, interesting! I'll be there Saturday morning, so I'll be sure to try either the cortadito or cafe con leche...
Want to shop local go to Sedanos - they often buy the tomatoes as they are rotting on the fields because they are cheaper and they also happen to taste better or perhaps its the local drinkable Latin American yogurt that I like. The local drinkable yogurt brands at Publix or Whole Paycheck (Boca Raton) are watery and runny not thick and creamy and made of tropical fruit like the local ones at Sedanos plus they cost more. If I wanted to go to a rabid, Right-wing, anti-union supermarket with rotten meat (google rotten meat complaints at Whole Foods) I would go to Sedanos or Presidente not hippy pretending and pretentious Whole Paycheck. The worst thing about Whole Foods is the way they pretend to push themselves as a health food market when you go however you will see many marked up conventional food items. Perhaps not at first, however they bring them in more and more as the store matures. The worst example of their hypocrisy is the new Whole Foods in Knighsbridge (London) where they are trying to move in on the upper level of Harvey Nicks, Harrods, and Tesco's ground by claiming that their food is better and their employees better paid. It is all just bull. Whole Foods is not about food or the foodie just the profit. Their meat and organic milk is factory farm as is most of their own line of products, most of hich are conventional not organic. Even in London their line of Fair Trade products is an embarrassment and this is apparently due to the fact that they have an ideological biases against the concept of Fair Trade. Plus they are one of the leading corporations lobbying to weaken organic food standards (this is well documented). Before you move to embrace Whole Foods you should know that they are all flash and no substance. Clearly as the frequent complaints about their prices indicate, their passion is for the profit not the product.
Beware, consumers! Whole Foods customer service is a joke. Many customers have received rude service. Heaven help you if you break a tooth on one of their products as I did. My experience has been that Whole Foods is unethical, their customer service rude, and their system totally unaccountable. I will NEVER shop there again. After I broke my tooth, I was treated with extreme rudeness and arrogance, from the bottom of the organization up - with the exception of only one of their national managers. Whole Foods espouses ethics and values but, in reality, they practice neither as anyone with a problem will soon discover. As it turned out, the assistant manager with whom I lodged the complaint about my broken tooth, was supposed - under their charter according to a senior national manager who has worked for Whole Foods for over 20 years - to take down the details and forward it to various superiors. She did not. She didn't give a rat's ass about my experience. Although I tried and tried to talk to the manager of the store (at the beginning of my experience), I was always met by the assistant manager who was unwilling, actually laughing and smiling while I showed her the half of my tooth which broke off. When I told her she was being rude, she STALKED me on my way to the cashier like she was going to attack me demanding, "What did you say to me?" I have NEVER experienced this kind of behavior from any salesperson before in my life. Yuck. I only go to Whole Foods when I can't find an item ANYWHERE else. I don't like shopping at big conglomerates. Now I won't go there ever again. Ever. There is such a concept as goodwill and in this Whole Foods is sorely lacking.
Anon, I can't follow this along very well, but it sounds like a fascinating story. What happened?
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