Has anyone else notice changes made at WF after amazon took it over? For a while I didn’t notice anything. A few weeks ago, they took my favorite bulk item away. They said they are changing vendors and will not carry it. I can’t no longer find my favorite vegetables, either. Then, last night, I went to their hot bar and I realized it changed, too. The choices were limited. There goes my quick fix for a meal. I liked the hot bar since they label everything in it. I am on a restricted diet.
I frequent the WF salad/hot food bar, it’s a quick lunch for one. That about all I purchase from WF’s.
I have noticed over the last several months that the options at our three local WF bars have been shrinking. One location removed an entire counter.
However, just yesterday happened to go into a WF right in the heart of Silicon Valley. Holy Cow. Their prepared hot food and salad options were easily double that which was ever offered in my area. I assume the offerings vary greatly by area, volume and demand.
The nearest WF is 45 minutes or so from my house…in a direction I seldom go. I used to think their food and produce was a step above others (and really…for the prices it needed to be). But I’ve never done my grocery shopping there.
BUT if I’m having guests for a special dinner…I DO go there for their fabulous selection of cheeses. Just tell me that hasn’t changed.
I have heard about changes people haven’t liked in Whole Foods, but honestly, I have noticed very little. I have seen prices for some items go down a lot, and sometimes they are out of stock of an item. But little else beyond that, and I shop at one Whole Foods or another about every other day. There are some stores that are spectacular, others, not so much.
I haven’t noticed any changes in our local WF or the one I frequent when visiting one of my Ds.
I shop regularly at Whole Foods and haven’t notice much difference since Amazon took over. A few items that I purchase aren’t available now, but I’m not sure that’s a result of the new ownership. A new Whole Foods opened up that is closer to me than the one where I’ve shopped regularly and I’ve noticed differences. The new store’s fish selection/quality isn’t great. Plus, there are fewer organic veggies than in my regular store. Again, I don’t know if the difference in stores is because of Amazon ownership or something else–difference in geographic area of the store??
I’ve noticed that for some odd reason that white miso and certain brands of jams are no longer on the shelves at two of the WF’s that I shop at. These are huge stores in Silicone Valley that cater to a very large Asian community. Some vegetables and fruits have actually gotten cheaper. These two stores have really increased the selection of pre-made take out foods and wines/ beers.
Maybe WF is going the way of Costco. Costco has always tailored their offerings towards the likings of the local community. Ours, for example, carries a huge variety of organic foods as well as things like numerous versions of green juice, kombucha etc. In contrast, other Costco locations carry a large variety of clothing - most of it in small sizes - and they stock a broad spectrum of ethnic foods.
I’m sure WF - maybe via Amazon data analysis - has dialed into the desires of their local customers.
The WF in Silicon Valley which I visited had an expanded deli as well as a very large area for sitting while having coffee and enjoying the (very large) selection of bakery goods. Again, in contrast, my local WF have just a few tables and very limited bakery/coffee options.
I have been in whole foods in Seattle, Boston, NYC, and New Jersey. They vary widely in what they carry, because they both cater to and support the local community.
Frankly, the one in Seattle was fantastic and the one in Boston stinks (NYC and NJ fall somewhere in the middle) The one in NJ, which just opened in April, didn’t even have an amazon table selling echos (which I have seen at some of the others).
I shop at the same WF store. I have for about 20 years. The neighborhood hasn’t changed and they tailor to the same clients. The only change as far as I can tell is the ownership of the store.
My local WF is a smaller store. A few changes I’ve noticed- avocado selection has expanded greatly. They sell individual avocados in several sizes at different prices plus they now have multiple size avocados available in a mesh bag in organic and non organic. The prices are now some of the lowest for avocados in town. The pizza is now self serve. The price of ground turkey has gone down a lot again making it a good buy. The biggest change and one that I don’t like is they have changed the brand of disinfectant wipes. They now use Purell whereas in the past it was a lovely lavender scented wipe by Eos. Small world problem.
"These two stores have really increased the selection of pre-made take out foods "
That’s a big and growing segment of the grocery store market as a whole. All the grocery store chains in my area have been expanding their offerings of such things.
I live near 2 different WFM and the new one has a hot food bar that can’t be beat. The older location seems to have the same tired selections but I’m hoping that some new competition will spice things up.
Whole Foods is now Prime Foods. Everything has changed, especially the new “Prime” promotions hanging EVERYWHERE.
I’ve been shopping at Whole Foods since the beginning (maybe 20 years?), I’ve also been using Amazon since the beginning (definitely 20 years). But since I am not an Amazon Prime member, I am definitely a second class citizen now at Whole Foods.
I’m just one “sorry that sale is for Prime members only” away from calling it quits.
Very annoying.
Gotta admit, @STEM2017 , I’ve felt that way about various grocery stores with their “loyalty cards”, most of which I find highly annoying. TargetRED card, Kroger, Circle K, Winn-Dixie … does Walmart Savings Catcher still exist? Walgreens and CVS. For some reason Marriot, IHG, and Panera don’t annoy me as much (probably because I like getting free rooms and cheap salads). Wow, the more I think about it, the more of these cards I realize I have – PetCo, PetSupplyPlus, Plato’s Closet, a locally owned resale shop … yikes, I’m on such a leash!
On the other hand, to the original question, the biggest change at our WF has been that the dried Turkish apricots have disappeared, but I’ve managed to live without them. I find many of the blue accents they’re using now to emphasize the wonders of Prime to be visually unappealing.
Grocery stores around here seem to change things up on a regular basis – new layouts, new carts, new shopping “helps” (Instacart, for example), new items, discontinued items. Any changes at our local WF seem about on par with what’s happening in the 3 other stores within a couple of miles of it.
They gave me a version of the “data analysis” excuse, too, couched as reevaluating cust preferences every so often.
But No Way my neighborhood doesn’t want unflavored coconut or soy creamer. They also pulled out the Brown Cow 0% yogurt, which is delish, in favor of a WF brand, then drastically reduced that. But they’ve got innumerable choices in vegan butter and other non-dairy, high price, probably a better margin.
You must not be from Austin! The company was started in 1978 and became “Whole Foods” in 1980. 
Unfortunately our Whole Foods, the newest one in Colorado, has a lot of merchandise thats not turning over. So the bread, and prepared foods, even the shrimp, are too old at times, although usually not past the “fresh date”. There is so much competition here from large farmer’s markets, and Natural Grocer’s , which is 100% organic as well. I see our local Whole Foods store going broke. They cut a lot of the fresh fish out, so I don’t shop there anymore. Even Sam’s Club has less expensive organic food now so its hard for Whole Foods to compete with all the options in my region.
If you have a Prime Visa card, which doesn’t cost anything to get, you get 5 per cent off everything at WF, I believe.
Also it’s a good company to work for. It treats its employees well and offers benefits. Several young people in my family work there.
Meh… the only thing worth going to WH was Ellenos passion fruit yogurt. I will but it at the market from now on… Costco all the way for other stuff.