Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

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Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby bbq » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:54 am

Is Costco the New Whole Foods?
http://www.organicauthority.com/has-costco-defeated-whole-foods-as-the-champion-of-organic-food/

Costco Is Selling So Much Organic Produce, Farmers Can’t Keep Up
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/costco-organic-produce-farmers-partnership_us_570d0a80e4b01422324a1f6c

Whole Foods to shrink store count for first time since 2008
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-whole-foods-closing-stores-20170209-story.html

Why Whole Foods is now struggling
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/02/09/why-whole-foods-is-now-struggling/

Organic food is more popular than ever, so why is Whole Foods struggling?
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2017/0211/Organic-food-is-more-popular-than-ever-so-why-is-Whole-Foods-struggling
The numbers back his claims: Sales of organic products increased 209 percent between 2005 and 2015, topping $43.3 billion in 2016, the US Organic Trade Association said. Studies from the US Department of Agriculture also underscore the rapid development of the industry. As a micro example in New Mexico, for instance, the number of organic farms grew from 67 in 2011 to 166 in 2014. The United States Department of Agriculture counted 12,634 organic farms in the US overall in 2014, the date of the last farm survey.

Whole Foods, who brands itself as "America's healthiest grocery store," is no longer the only market for fresh, minimally processed produce and foods. Now nearly three out of four grocery stores offer organic products, according to USDA.

In addition to the popular farmers’ markets popping up in more and more cities, retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, and Costco all offer organic selections to the consumers flocking to their aisles for their lower prices.

According to the Seattle Times, Costco in 2015 became the biggest organic grocer, selling more than $4 billion of organic food each year, while Kroger’s recently launched organic line also netted $1.2 billion in sales in 2014.

Ideally we're eating organic whole foods, though the bottom line is still having conventional whole foods rather than organic junk.

Who Owns Organic - Cornucopia Institute
https://www.cornucopia.org/who-owns-organic/

Organic Processing Industry Structure
https://msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html

Image

Fortunately, those organic junk food brands are owned by the major corporate agribusinesses and hopefully the independent ones won't go "rogue" or anything like that.

My favorites are Bob's Red Mill, Eden Foods, and Frontier Natural Products as listed above. Arrowhead Mills are owned by Hain Celestial Group but it's just too hard to give up their organic green split peas.

These guys are also independent and their canned tomatoes (enamel lining instead of BPA) are awesome:

http://www.bionaturae.com/about-us.html
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby f1jim » Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:11 am

Think of the organic whole foods business as a pie. When there are very few players they get the largest slices of the pie. When everyone jumps onto the organic food business it's near impossible to hold onto market share.Virtually every market around me now sells organic produce. There are also farmers markets by the dozens around us. They all carry organic produce. It would be unlikely that Whole Foods can keep market share in that environment. Anyone that sells produce MUST sell organic if you want to survive in the current marketplace. Costco isn't stupid. They know what people are demanding and are attempting to fill that need. I like the idea that competition is getting stiff in the organic whole foods business. Prices will come down as the competition ramps up.
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby bbq » Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:48 am

How Costco Execs Plan to Overthrow Fast Food With The Organic Coup
http://sf.eater.com/2016/4/28/11506144/organic-coup-fast-food-san-francisco

Chicagoland’s 1st Organic Fast Food Chain Set To Debut Next Month
http://chicago.eater.com/2017/1/23/14363160/nics-organic-fast-food-chain-chicagos-first-rolling-meadows

The Organic Coup | The Organic Coup - America's 1st USDA Certified Organic Fast Food
https://theorganiccoup.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-organic-coup-san-francisco-2

Nic's Organic Fast Food
http://www.nicsorganicfastfood.com
https://www.yelp.com/biz/nics-organic-fast-food-rolling-meadows

Organic Fast Food, the next big health halo?
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby hazelrah » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:08 am

f1jim wrote: Prices will come down as the competition ramps up.
f1jim

And better yet, farmers will continue to expand their organic processes as the market grows. maybe our children's children's children will grow up with a lot less toxic load than we've had to.

Mark
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby katgirl55 » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:09 am

Ideally all food should be organic and we should not need to worry about GMOs and pesticides/hormones in our food supply. I applaud all of the mainstream stores for carrying more and more organic produce.

Whole Foods has an identity problem right now - why would I want to pay $1.29/pound for organic bananas at WF when I could get them for $.99/pound at my local grocery store? I used to go to WF and buy prepared food in their deli but the quality and variety has gone way down while the price has gone up. I blame the Paleo fad because most of the deli food now is smothered in bacon and oil, with little in the way of vegan options. And there are usually the same items every day, where before it would vary from day to day. Even for SAD eaters, the food just looks, well, "sad".
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby MINNIE » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:31 am

I live near a WF but rarely have any reason to go there. It's just not a pleasant shopping experience because most of the floor space is meat, fish,dairy, wines, oils and non-food items. Fortunately I can get all the organic products I want at cheaper stores.

My locally owned big box store (Woodman's) has a big organic packaged and fresh selection, and most of the mainstream supermarkets in my area have at least some good and relatively affordable products. Target and Walmart have them too, at least to some extent.

I live in a community with lots of students and "alternative" shoppers, so the demand is there. Consumer demand has simply made it worthwhile for these businesses to start selling organic products.
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby bbq » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:05 am

Our great-grandparents didn't have to think about organic foods since there were no synthetic fertilizers, no GMOs, no pesticides, no herbicides, no nothing. Everything WAS organic by default but some of them might not get enough calories.

Now we've got WAY too many empty calories and organic foods really should be a blessing for many of us who can't grow our own foods. We're kinda making "progress" in a fairly strange way. LOL
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby colonyofcells » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:17 am

Probably better to support the local farmers markets. For organic foods, my local favorites are the farmers markets in the san francisco ferry station and mountain view caltrain station. Both places sell more organic greens and organic sprouts, also organic mushrooms. Both places have several bakers who sell whole grain sourdough fermented breads (have salt). For unrefined starches, local farmers markets usually have potato of different colors. For organic sweet potato, costco is probably a more convenient source. The san francisco ferry station farmers market also sells organic brown rice and organic nixtamalized corn products like masa dough and tortillas. Many costco stores carry organic tortillas. Many whole foods stores freezer section carry organic whole grain sprouted unfermented breads that have no added salt. For organic whole grain chapati, probably have to make it yourself to avoid added oil. For organic whole wheat steamed bread (mantou), probably easier to use an automated mantou cooker.
Last edited by colonyofcells on Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:40 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby hazelrah » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:31 am

MINNIE wrote: It's just not a pleasant shopping experience because most of the floor space is meat, fish,dairy, wines, oils and non-food items.


You left out cheese. Okay I guess dairy covers it, but that just doesn't seem to do justice to the high regard WFM seems to put on it.

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...the process that creates this boredom that we see in the world now may very well be a self-perpetuating, unconscious form of brainwashing, created by a world totalitarian government based on money, ... Wallace Shawn
http://www.anginamonologues.net
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby colonyofcells » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:34 am

Costco is also full of cheese aside from some healthier stuff.
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby bbq » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:50 am

hazelrah wrote:You left out cheese. Okay I guess dairy covers it, but that just doesn't seem to do justice to the high regard WFM seems to put on it.

Mark
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby JeffN » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:08 pm

Whole Foods is facing its worst nightmare after an unexpected threat stole millions of customers
Business Insider
March 27, 2017
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/whole-foo ... 32403.html

Image

I don't see any "unexpected threat." The handwriting has been on the wall for some time. And it's more then just competition, its a loss of identity.

bbq wrote:Organic [...] Food, the next big health halo?


Food, not just fast food.

Remember, 70 to 80% of what is in the carts of American shopper is CRAP. Making it organic won't do anything to improve the health of Americans.

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=47577

Highly processed foods dominate U. S. grocery purchases - More than 80 percent of calories were purchased in ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat form in 2012, and these tended to be higher in fat, sugar and salt (Highly processed foods made up more then 60% of calories)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 141017.htm


Processed Foods the Biggest Chunk of Calories in U.S. Groceries: Study

http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins- ... 97807.html

In Health
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby EvanG » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:38 pm

I don't know if Costco is the new whole foods, but I find their produce and fruits to be a good value. They are in good condition, come pretty much ready to cook, and the packages of veggies are pretty good size for my tastes. Most people probably waste a lot, though.
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby Helpinghands » Tue Mar 28, 2017 4:03 pm

The problem I find with Costco is the packaged quantity. If you've got a huge family fine, but it you're one to three people you'll end up throwing away much of what you buy in quantity. And their prices are often not as cheap as you would think. You need to be very careful what you buy based on price.
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Re: Is Costco the New Whole Foods?

Postby colonyofcells » Tue Mar 28, 2017 4:42 pm

I do not have any problems finishing costco food. A bag of 10 to 12 pieces of organic sweet potato can probably be finished in 2 days by 1 person. A bag of costco organic greens can probably be finished in 1 to 3 days by 1 person. 1 package of costco organic mushrooms is good only for 1 meal for myself (mushrooms shrink a lot when boiled).
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