Asheville News

BREAKING: Whole Foods buying Greenlife stores in Asheville and Chattanooga

Jason Sandford May 7, 2010

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Here’s the breaking news following tonight’s store meeting at Greenlife in Asheville, from an anonymous source whom I trust:

Well, it’s official! As of May 24th, we will be owned by Whole Foods. We will remain Greenlife and remain, physically, in our current space indefinitely. As much as the meeting was filled with positive and sort of vague talk (Chuck Pruett (Greenlife primary owner) and three upper level “transition” guys from Whole Foods led the meeting), I think the store’s staff left feeling pretty good about the changes that are afoot.

Employees will be treated the same, if not better, and customers will see very little change. There may be added products (like Whole Foods’ private (affordable) label), but for the most part I’m pretty convinced that the company is looking at this “takeover” as learning experience because, let’s admit it, Greenlife does a lot of things very well. Ultimately, we’ll still be the same folks working at the same store, and I hope customers see that.

Anyway, I guess that’s all I know, really. There will be an official press release going out to media at 7am tomorrow — they’re waiting until the Chattanooga store gets the official scoop in the morning.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Breaking: Official press release on Whole Foods buying Greenlife

7 Comments

E May 7, 2010

Fay…apparently you do…since you posted. And if you think it’s just another grocery chain, then obviously you just don’t get it.

For people who have to watch EVERY bite they put into their mouths like I do and still want it to be somewhat affordable, WFM is like manna from heaven.

Now….you run along and chill out.

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Brenda May 7, 2010

I wish the deli staff could be replaced or rehabed. Their attitudes suck!

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Fay May 7, 2010

Chill out "E"…..who really cares? At the end of the day, it’s just a grocery store chain.

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Naomi May 7, 2010

Thanks for reporting on this, Ash. I’m from Santa Fe, NM, where Whole Foods came in and bought up 2 smaller chains and shut down all the stores but one, which is now mobbed and (of course) overpriced. They seem to use some very hardcore, WalMart-esque tactics. I wonder if they’ll be coming for Earth Fare next. :0(

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M May 7, 2010

I wonder what this will mean for local vendors.

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E May 7, 2010

And let me add that even though the location changed from what I originally heard from my source, Asheville was always on the map and it was definitely happening by fall of 2010 (you guys bashed me pretty hard when I first posted this).

I know some Asheville natives will think the sky is falling….but, I’m an Asheville native and a former WFM corporate team member.

There is no Kool Aid to drink. WFM is a fantastic company and this is wonderful news for the community.

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E May 7, 2010

So….do you guys believe me now?

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