WholeFoods

WholeFoods. Up until I read this AlterNet article (Natural Food, Unnatural Prices), I didn't like WholeFoods because of the people that go there and the prices. Now I hate them as a provider of goods and as a fucked up corporation too.

The People

On any given day at a WholeFoods, you will see scores of upper class white people walking around on their cell phones buying carrots, juices and meats that could easily be bought a block or so away at an respectable grocery for half the price. Most grocery stores have an organic section now where you can easily find lower price foods. You just have to look. I know a few people who insist on Whole Foods. The general line is that the food is just better and the company is responsible. As I'll discuss later, it's not. But it seems to me these people are driven more by their elitism than anything else. WholeFoods is the downside to unthinking liberalism. It's what happens as some liberal people age, they so doggedly internalize their politics, they think that somehow shopping at WholeFoods is good for the them and the world. It's this sort of fucked logic: they sell organic and charge too much, therefore they must protect the environment and pay their employees well. It's like a lazy way to save the world.

But never underestimate the elitism. I work with a WholeFooder and I mentioned the other grocery chain Key Foods to him one day. His lip curled up in disgust, "What is that?" I explained to him it's a "Grocery Store" where they sell food. He then told me he only goes to Dagostino's, if not WholeFoods, which is also unnecessarily expensive. I asked why he never went to the others. He responded, "Because it's not as fresh." Of course he'd never been. More expensive does not mean fresher. You know what does? Farmers markets. That is almost always organic and, more importantly, it was probably just picked that week. WholeFooders are just out to prove that they are rich and, basically, gigantic, gaping assholes.

The Prices

For some reason organic apples taste better and, somehow, are better for you. I suppose that's partially true but there has been little evidence that fertilizers on non-organic food will hurt you or kill you. What does a double increase in price get these people? Are they living longer? Probably, but it' unlikely it's because of the organic foods. If you are wealthy enough to shop at WholeFoods, you are also probably wealthy enough to afford a good doctor, a good gym and shopping at Crate & Barrel (which would make me happier and healthier). WholeFoods are not healthier than someone who goes to, say, Homeland (for the northerners, that's like Gristede's) and buys their weeks worth of groceries for half the price.

But there is also this misguided idea that WholeFoods is some sort of altruistic company. They must be! They sell gluten-free, dairy-free Whole Grain Soy Crisp Healthy Farms Snack Chips! They must be contributing to small farmers, environmental causes, low-cost housing, gay marriage and defeating the Bush Administration!! As the AlterNet article explains, Whole Foods is a massive company that can buy large amounts of products from the organic food producers. They can therefore get these organic foods at substantially lower prices. But are they cheaper than any other store? No. They are, in fact, significantly more expensive. Like any company, they want profit. Like any bougie-company, they know they can sell you way up (Starbucks).

The Workers

Most people bemoan Wal-Mart for not paying their employees enough and for not letting them unionize. Well Whole Food is the exact same. They have consistently squelched unions and prevent their workers from fighting for better pay. This is not to say the WholeFoods destroys local business, forces their staff on government programs and locks their workers in the stores after closing, but they aren't pampering them either. And what about their pay? The AlterNet article experimented to see if a cashier could afford to buy groceries at WholeFoods for their family. And the results were that they couldn't. Granted no one in the universe could afford to feed their families at WholeFoods (except for all the assholes I mentioned earlier) but I suppose if you can attack Wal-Mart for it, you should attack WholeFoods for it as well.

Anyway, if you couldn't tell, I hate WholeFoods.