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Menu
I can’t get too het-up about Greenlife vs. Whole Foods. I go to Earth Fare for bulk spices and meats and Ingles for everything else. Greenlife might be all local and cool, but I can’t afford to shop there for most of my groceries.
I definitely agree that the prices will go down. I’ve lived in metropolitan cities and shopped at Whole Foods (seriously almost everyday of the week for dinner) and can definitely say that Green Life is more expensive here in Asheville then in NYC, or Washington DC which is a bit crazy when you think about it. The Whole Foods store brand is absolutely fantastic and is very cheap comparatively. I also have found Whole Foods to have a better variety then Green Life. While I love supporting local businesses, I would love to see a Whole Foods.
Of course… we could just keep Green Life and petition to get a Trader Joe’s here and that would be the biggest win-win for all! They have the best prices for the quality of food.
This area is fantastic for quality of food – even the major grocery store, Ingles, does a great job at carrying local and organic foods.
Ever try buying a quarter ounce of a dried herb or spice at Ingles?
Or cheese that wasn’t plastic extruded putty?
Or half a pound of ground lamb, one sausage, or tuna salad?
Try to find at Ingles blood oranges, Meyer lemons or Cipollini onions.
If all your palate requires is pb&j and cheeseburgers, Ingles is fine. Except that more likely than not they’ll not stock the jelly you like and will be out of cheese late Sunday and all day Monday.
Ingles is not sitting down and watching. With coupons, I can buy healthy, free range no antibiotics or other blah blah. Oh yeah, farmer’s market too.
Need beer? Get a growler and drink fresh.
I haven’t tread in Green life or Earth Fare in some time. No need.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/01/04/100104fa_fact_paumgarten?currentPage=all#ixzz0baVWuHq0
I’m no political purist, but Whole Foods founder and CEO Mackey — being a global warming denier and anti-health care reformer — lost me and my business.
Mergers and takeovers in any business are never a "win" for consumers. Just look at the airline industry.
I’ve lived in three different cities where Whole Foods operates. They are generally nice stores, have a decent selection, and have been forced to lower prices on a few items nationwide because of the poor economy. There are also many things WF does not carry and to pay the prices they charge for their equivalent would be insanity!
A lot of what Whole Foods sells is just average stuff. Some of it is trucked in from central distribution centers and bakeries far away (likely Atlanta for AVL) and I’ve been disappointed by the quality of some things I’ve purchased there. Their 365 house brand is ok for some items and terrible for others.
There is really not too much that is truly special or unique about Whole Foods Market. It’s just a grocery chain and nothing more.
Prices will absolutely go down for similar items (and Whole Foods 365 Brand is fantastic). Earth Fare can’t afford to keep such high margins on their products with Whole Foods coming into town with the volume they bring in terms of distribution. Whole Foods can, and will, charge less than Earth Fare in order to put the squeeze on them….we all win.
Can I pay some of you grocery store lovers to do my shopping? 🙂
I have never seen people so excited over a grocery store…I hate grocery shopping.
Has anyone heard any reaction from Bob Ingle?
They don’t call it Whole Paycheck for nothing. Don’t know if we’ll see prices going down or up. I really hope they keep the cheese selection. I love it and AFAIK there aren’t many places around with a similar selection.
Sean
If you have ever shopped at Whole Foods you know that one result of this acquisition will not be lower prices, they are generally expensive for most items. I have actually done a small survey of Greenlife and Earthfare prices, comparing the same items in each store, and found it interesting that each has items where their prices are much better than the other, as if they had agreed to dividing them up. Fresh Market has some good things but is generally more expensive than either EF or GL. If you want the best value you really need to go to all the sources; farmer’s markets, grocery stores, specialty local shops, etc. Be knowledgeable about prices and sources and make good choices.
That said, I think we are fortunate to have as many choices as we do for good quality, healthy food in our community. High quality food is not inexpensive to produce so we must pay the price or eat lesser quality. Local is best, for sure, but not all items can be acquired from locals, and if you need an ingredient today rather than on market day it is great to have a source. I do hope that GreenLife does not become too slick in an attempt to be more upscale in its feel and appearance like a typical Whole Foods store. Greenlife has a very "Asheville" feel that makes it unique and enjoyable to visit.