On the first Wednesday of every other month, I have a column called Wednesdays at Whole Foods. It showcases the most interesting news, exclusive products, store events, and happenings at the company.

365 OPENS ITS DOORS

As you may very well know by now, 365 by Whole Foods Market, the company’s lower-priced grocery chain, made its long-awaited debut last week in Los Angeles.

With its pared-down look and feel, 365 by Whole Foods Market is very focused on efficiency and technology, all with the goal of passing on savings to its shoppers.
Read more »

On the first Wednesday of every other month, I have a column called Wednesdays at Whole Foods. It showcases the most interesting news, exclusive products, store events, and happenings at the company.

DIGITAL COUPONS MADE SIMPLE

In the October 2015 column, I talked at length about Whole Foods Market’s new app and all of its functionality.

Well, one great feature has since been added: digital coupons. And this is reason enough to download the app.

Here’s how it works.

You do your shopping and when you get to the check-out register, simply scan the bar code and it will automatically deduct any eligible coupons. It’s that effortless.

If using an app isn’t your thing, the company still offers printable coupons.

DOING THE RIGHT THING

In what has received little media attention but is of tremendous importance, Whole Foods Market expanded its partnership with the Fair Food Program — an organization that brings together workers, consumers, growers and retailers in support of humane labor standards and fairer wages in U.S. agriculture — to become the first food retailer to offer strawberries certified by the Fair Food Program. Read more »

On the first Wednesday of every other month, I have a column called Wednesdays at Whole Foods. It showcases the most interesting news, exclusive products, store events, and happenings at the company.

A NEW STANDARD IN SALMON

In a constant search to improve the way that it sources its seafood, Whole Foods Market just announced that it is now selling the most environmentally-friendly farmed salmon in the company’s history.

Given that salmon is the company’s number one selling fish and the majority of the world’s salmon is farmed, this announcement is sure to resonate with both shoppers and environmentalists alike. Read more »

On the first Wednesday of every other month, I have a column called Wednesdays at Whole Foods. It showcases the most interesting news, exclusive products, store events, and happenings at the company.

A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME?

(Photos courtesy of Mendocino Farms)

In October, Whole Foods Market made a very interesting strategic move – it took a minority stake in Mendocino Farms, an 11-unit, healthy fast-casual sandwich chain based in Los Angeles. Read more »

On the first Wednesday of every other month, I have a column called Wednesdays at Whole Foods. It showcases the most interesting news, exclusive products, store events, and happenings at the company.

MOBILE READY

Just a few weeks ago, Whole Foods Market rolled out its re-designed app for iOS devices. It is intuitive, clean, and very useful.

New features and functions include:

* Instacart in-app integration

* 3,800+ recipes

* Shopping lists

* Supports Apple’s new iOS9 Spotlight Search feature, enabling Whole Foods Market shoppers to search the recipe collection without having to open the app.

Without a doubt, however, my favorite part is the what’s on sale feature. In a matter of seconds, I can see what is on sale in my local store. This is a great discovery tool as well.

To downloand the iOS app, click here.

INSTACART APPROVAL

It has been one year now since Whole Foods Market initiated a partnership with Instacart, which allows customers to purchase groceries online and have them delivered in as little as one hour. Read more »

On the first Wednesday of every other month, I have a column called Wednesdays at Whole Foods. It showcases the most interesting news, products, store events, and happenings at the company.

GETTING PAMPERED

In its willingness to constantly test out different concepts and offerings, Whole Foods Market decided to try something that it had never done before – it opened a spa at its new location in Boston earlier this year.

Figuring that when shoppers come in for cheese or spinach, they might also want the convenience of booking a manicure, waxing, hot shave or shoe shine, using all natural and organic ingredients. Read more »

On the first Wednesday of every other month, I have a column called Wednesdays at Whole Foods. It showcases the most interesting news, products, store events, and happenings at the company.

PAYING IT FORWARD (AND BACK)

In 1981, Whole Foods Market was just eight months old and its one location in Austin, Texas was hit by a flood that completely demolished the store’s interior and inventory. With no flood insurance, no savings, and no warehouse inventory, the company could have easily shut its doors for good. Read more »