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"Good luck with your holy cause. You are likely a paid union organizer of some kind. I doubt you will be successful in your mission to organize Whole Foods, however. I certainly hope you will not be because I'll have to sell my investment in Whole Foods much sooner than I had hoped to. Whole Foods is probably much more resilient against unions, however, than you realize. Their management team seems to be unusually innovative and quick learners. I guess we'll have to wait and see.<br><br>If you fail in your holy mission to organize Whole Foods will you then be leaving this company or do you plan to continue to work there in anger and resentment? I personally hope that you will move on. Life is too short to waste working for a company you obviously dislike." <ref>[http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_%28A_to_Z%29/Stocks_W/threadview?m=te&bn=19842&tof=15&so=E&rt=2&frt=2&dir=f&ri=27655&trc=62&n=lA4Whp9J85.cubuDinNvlg--]Yahoo Investment Message boards for Whole Foods</ref>
"Good luck with your holy cause. You are likely a paid union organizer of some kind. I doubt you will be successful in your mission to organize Whole Foods, however. I certainly hope you will not be because I'll have to sell my investment in Whole Foods much sooner than I had hoped to. Whole Foods is probably much more resilient against unions, however, than you realize. Their management team seems to be unusually innovative and quick learners. I guess we'll have to wait and see.<br><br>If you fail in your holy mission to organize Whole Foods will you then be leaving this company or do you plan to continue to work there in anger and resentment? I personally hope that you will move on. Life is too short to waste working for a company you obviously dislike." <ref>[http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_%28A_to_Z%29/Stocks_W/threadview?m=te&bn=19842&tof=15&so=E&rt=2&frt=2&dir=f&ri=27655&trc=62&n=lA4Whp9J85.cubuDinNvlg--]Yahoo Investment Message boards for Whole Foods</ref>

Rahodeb also wrote that,

"How will you and your union brothers and sisters change anything at Whole Foods? You just assume that the union is going to "force" Whole Foods to agree to a bunch of things that you want. And how is the union going to force Whole Foods to do or agree to anything? It can't. The simple truth is that the union cannot force Whole Foods to do anything that it doesn't want to do. All the union can do is strike or threaten to strike in an attempt to coerce Whole Foods to agree to things. And what if Whole Foods still doesn't agree? What then? You can go on strike. You can try to close the store down. That is all you can do. And what if Whole Foods still doesn't agree to your terms? In that case Whole Foods can either hire permanent replacement workers for the striking workers or Whole Foods could simply decide to close the store down until the strike ends. Do you not understand this? You are living in some kind of fantasy world. Reality is going to come crashing in on you sooner or later. Hope you'll be ready for it." [http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/Stocks_%28A_to_Z%29/Stocks_W/threadview?m=te&bn=19842&tof=57&so=E&rt=2&frt=2&dir=f&ri=40164&trc=41&n=5ZdRhm0lVhIgu6Vrln5Tlw--]


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 17:28, 14 July 2007

Whole Foods Market
Company typePublic (Nasdaq: WFMI)
IndustryGrocery store, Health food store
Founded1980 (Austin, Texas)
HeadquartersAustin, Texas
Key people
John Mackey, CEO
ProductsFood, Organic food
Revenue$5.6 billion USD (2006)[1]
Increase($0.9B)
Number of employees
41,500[2]
Websitewww.wholefoodsmarket.com

Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFMI) is an Austin, Texas-based natural foods grocer, which, as of July 5, 2007, consisted of 196[3] locations in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Whole Foods Market is a food retailer of natural and organic products including produce, seafood, grocery, meat and poultry, bakery, prepared foods and catering, beer, wine, cheese, whole body, floral, pet products and household products. The company also sells a selection of conventional national brands.[4] The company is considered by many to be a socially responsible business,[5] although it has also been criticized for its labor relations policy.

History

The early years

In 1978, twenty-five-year-old college dropout John Mackey and Rene Lawson, his twenty-one-year-old girlfriend, borrowed $45,000 from family and friends to open the doors of a small natural foods store called SaferWay in Austin, Texas (the name being a spoof of Safeway, which operated stores under their own name in Austin at that time). When the couple got booted out of their apartment for storing food products there, they decided to simply live at the store. Since it was zoned commercial, there was no shower stall. Instead, they bathed in the Hobart dishwasher, which had an attached water hose.[6][7][8]

File:Wholefoodsmarket 1981.jpg
The original Whole Foods Market store in 1981

Two years later, John Mackey partnered with Craig Weller and Mark Skiles to merge SaferWay with their Clarksville Natural Grocery, resulting in the opening of the original Whole Foods Market on September 20, 1980. At 12,500 square feet and a staff of 19, this store was quite large in comparison to the standard health food store of the time.[9]

Less than a year later, on Memorial Day in 1981, the worst flood in 70 years devastated the city of Austin. Caught in the flood waters, the store’s inventory was wiped out and most of the equipment was damaged. The losses were approximately $400,000 and Whole Foods Market had no insurance. Customers and neighbors voluntarily joined the staff to repair and clean up the damage. Creditors, vendors and investors all provided breathing room for the store to get back on its feet and it re-opened only 28 days after the flood.[9]

Expansion

A popular Whole Foods is located in Union Square in New York City

Beginning in 1984, Whole Foods began its expansion out of Austin, first to Houston and Dallas and then into New Orleans with the purchase of Whole Foods Company in 1988. In 1989, the company expanded to the West Coast with a store in Palo Alto, California. While opening new stores, the company fueled rapid growth by acquiring other natural foods chains throughout the 90’s: Wellspring Grocery of North Carolina, Bread & Circus (banner retired in 2003) of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Foods Markets of Los Angeles, Bread of Life of Northern California, Fresh Fields Markets on the East Coast and in the Midwest, Florida Bread of Life stores, Detroit-area Merchant of Vino stores, and Nature’s Heartland of Boston.[10] The company's 100th store was opened in Torrance, California, in 1999.

The Whole Foods headquarters in Austin, Texas, is located above its flagship store.

The company started its third decade with additional acquisitions of Food for Thought in Northern California and Harry’s Farmers Market stores in Atlanta. In 2001, Whole Foods moved into Manhattan, generating interest from the media and financial industries. The year 2002 saw Whole Foods expand outside the United States when a store was opened in Toronto, Canada. Continuing its expansion, Select Fish of Seattle was acquired in 2003. In 2005, Whole Foods opened its 80,000-square-foot flagship store in downtown Austin. The company's headquarters moved into the offices above the store. [citation needed]

Whole Foods' expansion has increased the need for products and processing plants. To help fuel this demand, the company added its 365 Everyday Value product line and purchased Allegro Coffee Company in 1997; and a seafood processing plant was opened in Atlanta in 2003, the same year Whole Foods became United States' first national "certified organic" grocer.[citation needed]

United Kingdom

In 2004, Whole Foods entered the United Kingdom with the acquisition of seven Fresh & Wild stores.[10][11] In June 2007, it opened its first full-size store, a total of 80,000 sq. ft. on three levels, on the site of the old Barker’s department store in Kensington High Street, West London. According to company executives, as many as forty stores may eventually be opened throughout the United Kingdom. [12]

Proposed Acquisition of Wild Oats Markets, Inc.

On February 21, 2007, Whole Foods Market, Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc. announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which Whole Foods Market, Inc. would acquire Wild Oats Markets Inc.’s outstanding common stock in a cash tender offer of $18.50 per share, or approximately $565 million based on fully diluted shares. Under the agreement, Whole Foods Market, Inc. would also assume Wild Oats Markets Inc.'s existing net debt totaling approximately $106 million as reported on September 30, 2006.[13][14][15]

On June 27, 2007, the Federal Trade Commission issued an administrative complaint challenging Whole Foods Market, Inc.’s acquisition of Wild Oats Markets Inc. According to the complaint, the FTC believes that the proposed transaction would violate federal antitrust laws by eliminating the substantial competition between the two uniquely close competitors in the operation of premium natural and organic supermarkets nationwide. The FTC contends that if the transaction goes forward Whole Foods would have the ability to raise prices and reduce quality and services. Both Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats have stated that they intend to vigorously oppose the FTC’s complaint and a court hearing on the issue is scheduled for July 31 and August 01, 2007. Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey has taken the unusual step of initiating a blog on the subject to explain his opposition to the FTC’s stance. Papers filed by the FTC revealed that for several years Mackey posted highly opinionated comments under a pseudonym of "Rahodeb" on the Whole Foods Yahoo investment message board, raising serious legal and ethical questions.

Some quotes from postings by "Rahodeb", note that OATS is Wild Oats stock symbol.

"Would Whole Foods buy OATS? Almost surely not at current prices. What would they gain? OATS locations are too small." and regarding the Wild Oats management, "clearly doesn't know what it is doing .... OATS has no value and no future." [16]

Historical financial highlights

•January 1992: Whole Foods goes public, trading shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market as WFMI.[10]

•November 1993: WFMI stock splits 2 for 1.[10]

•June 2001: WFMI stock splits 2 for 1.[10]

•October 2001: Moody's upgrades WFMI debt ratings.[10]

•May 2002: WFMI added to S&P MidCap 400 Index.[10]

•December 2002: WFMI added to the NASDAQ-100 Index.[10]

•January 2004: Whole Foods Market paid its first dividend ever, 15 cents on each share of the company's stock.[10]

•November 2004: Board of Directors approves 27 percent increase in quarterly dividend to $0.19 per share.[10]

•March 2005: WFMI joins the ranks of the Fortune 500, entering the list for the first time at No. 479.[17]

•April 2005: Board of Directors approves 32 percent increase in quarterly dividend to $0.25 per share.[10]

•November 2005: Board of Directors approves 20 percent increase in quarterly dividend to $0.30 per share and announces special $4.00-per-share dividend.[10]

•December 2005: Whole Foods Market stock splits 2 for 1, the third stock split in the company’s history.[10]

•November 2006: The company's salary cap was raised from 14 times the average pay of a full-time worker to 19 times the average pay. This is up from the original eight-times cap that was set in the late 80’s.[18] Additionally, the company announced that CEO John Mackey will receive a salary of one dollar (started January 1, 2007), and will forgo any future stock option awards.[18]

•November 2006: Whole Foods Market's stock dropped 18 percent after the company lowered its 2007 sales forecasts.[19]

Product quality

Produce in Cary, NC store

While there is no FDA or USDA specific definition of natural foods, Whole Foods Market only sells products that meet their definition of natural: minimally processed foods that are free of hydrogenated fats as well as artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners and preservatives.[20] Whole Foods has also announced that it does not intend to sell meat or milk from cloned animals or their offspring, even though the FDA has ruled them safe to eat.[21][22]

Whole Foods has been criticized that its products may not be as progressive as they are touted to be. Author Michael Pollan has contended that the supermarket chain has done well in expanding the organic market, but has done so at the cost of local foods, regional producers, and distributors.[23] Parts of the debate have taken place publicly through a series of letters between Pollan and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey.[24]

Ronnie Cummins, national director of the United States Organic Consumers Association said Whole Foods simply uses the term "natural" as a marketing tool.[25] Whole Foods Market’s website details the company’s quality standards to provide clarity to customers about their criteria for selling food, dietary supplements, and personal care products.[20]

Purchasing

Whole Foods Market purchases products for retail sale from local, regional and international wholesale suppliers and vendors. The majority of purchasing occurs at the regional and national levels in order to negotiate volume discounts with major vendors and distributors. Regional and store buyers are focused on local products and any unique products necessary to ensure a neighborhood market feel in the stores. Whole Foods says they are committed to buying from local producers that meet their quality standards while also increasingly focusing more of their purchasing on producer- and manufacture-direct programs.[26] The company has several full-time employees whose sole duty is to source local products in different regions of the country.

Whole Trade Guarantee

In April, 2007, Whole Foods Market launched the Whole Trade Guarantee, a purchasing initiative emphasizing ethics and social responsibility concerning products imported from the developing world. The criteria include fair prices for crops, environmentally sound practices, better wages and labor conditions for workers and premium product quality. Whole Foods will work with TransFair USA and the Rainforest Alliance to ensure the transparency and integrity of the program. One percent of proceeds from Whole Trade certified products will go to the Whole Planet Foundation to support micro-loan programs in developing countries. The company’s goal is to have at least half of its imported products from these countries fully certified within ten years.[27] [28]

Stakeholder philosophy

See also Labor relations

In 1985, Whole Foods Market created their “Declaration of Interdependence,” which emphasizes a stakeholder philosophy. [29][30] Walter Robb, Whole Foods Market co-President, details the company's core values: "The deepest core of Whole Foods, the heartbeat, if you will, is this mission, this stakeholder philosophy: customers first, then team members, balanced with what’s good for other stakeholders, such as shareholders, vendors, the community, and the environment. If I put our mission in simple terms, it would be, No. 1, to change the way the world eats, and No. 2, to create a workplace based on love and respect. We believe business should meet the needs of all the stakeholders, as opposed to operating it for shareholders."[31] CEO John Mackey describes how the stakeholder philosophy combines with capitalism: "We've always been unique in that we have a stakeholder philosophy, and it continues to guide us," Mackey says. "The beauty, in my opinion, of capitalism is that it has a harmony of interests. All these stakeholders are important. It is important that the owners and workers cooperate together to provide value for the customer. That's what all business is about, and I'd say that's a beautiful thing." [29]

Causes

Environmental involvement

In May 1999, Whole Foods Market joined the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a global independent, not-for-profit organization promoting sustainable fisheries and responsible fishing practices world-wide to help preserve fish stocks for future generations.[32] Whole Foods Market was one of the first American companies to partner with the Marine Stewardship Council and continues to actively support their efforts in ensuring the sustainability of the oceans. The company first began selling MSC-certified seafood in 2000, and a growing selection of MSC-certified fish continues to be available.[33]

In 2006, Whole Foods Market became the only Fortune 500 company to offset 100 percent of its energy cost with the purchase of wind power credits.[34] A January 8, 2007, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report listed Whole Foods Market as the second-highest purchaser of green power nationwide, citing their actions as helping drive the development of new renewable energy sources for electricity generation. The EPA report showed Whole Foods Market using 463.1 million kilowatt hours annually to cover 100 percent of their total electricity from biomass, geothermal, small-hydro, solar and wind sources.[35]

Humane treatment of animals

In 2002, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) began petitioning Whole Foods to take steps to ensure the improvement of treatment of animals sold in the stores. As of June 2003, Whole Foods had declined to respond. In June 2003, members of PETA gathered in front of Whole Foods headquarters in Austin, Texas, to protest the company’s practice of purchasing duck meat in which the workers chop off the end of the duck’s bill to keep it from mutilating other ducks.[36]

Whole Foods created the Animal Compassion Foundation in January 2005, a separate nonprofit organization, to help other producers evolve their practices to raise animals naturally and humanely. According to Whole Foods Natural Meat Quality Standards and Animal Compassionate Standards, pulling feathers from live ducks, bill trimming, bill heat treatment, toe punching, slitting the webs of the feet, and toe removal are all prohibited in the raising of ducks for Whole Foods Market. Any ducks treated in this manner, treated with antibiotics or antimicrobials, cloned, genetically modified, or not allowed medical treatment when necessary are to be removed from Whole Foods Market stock.[37][22]

Whole Foods announced in June 2006 that it would stop selling live lobsters and crabs but made an exception in February 2007 for a new Portland, Maine, store that is able to meet humane standards. The lobsters will be kept in private compartments instead of being piled on top of one another in a tank, and employees will use a device that zaps them with a 110-volt shock so they are not boiled alive in a pot of water. Whole Foods will not be selling live lobsters at its other stores because they are not close enough to the lobster grounds.[38] This decision has been criticized by some as damaging an important New England tradition and as removing people's connection to where their food actually comes from.[39]

Community involvement

Whole Foods Market commits to a policy of donating at least five percent of their annual net profits to charitable causes. These donations are accomplished in multiple ways. Each store has the authority to donate food, labor or dollars to local not-for-profit organizations. Individual stores also hold 5% Days approximately four times a year where they donate 5% of that day's net sales to a local or regional non-profit or educational organization.

In 2005, the company created two foundations designed to effect solutions to global problems. The Animal Compassion Foundation strives to improve the quality of life for farm animals and the Whole Planet Foundation works to combat poverty in rural communities around the world through microlending.[40] In 2006, the company announced that it would be providing $10 million a year in low-interest loans to local producers.[41] The Local Producer Loan Program provided its first loan in February 2007.

Toxins

Chocolate fountain at the flagship Whole Foods in Austin, Texas

In January 2004, in California, the Environmental Working Group and the Center for Environmental Health presented a notice of intent to file an anti-toxin lawsuit against salmon producers. This was in large part due to Whole Foods' involvement, including highlighting companies' failure to warn consumers the fish contained potentially dangerous levels of cancer causing chemicals known as PCBs.[42]

Shareholders of Whole Foods filed a resolution in February 2006, asking Whole Foods to report toxic chemicals found in their products.[43] Substances such as Bisphenol A (BPA), found in products such as baby bottles and children’s cups, are controversial. While most manufacturers have dismissed the claims and have continued to use BPA, Whole Foods no longer sells baby bottles and children’s cups made with BPA.[44]

In the wake of concern over the safety of seafood imports from China, on July 10, 2007 the Washington Post reported that Whole Foods imports 2% of its seafood from China. A Whole Foods Spokeswoman is quoted as saying "We're not concerned about the less than 2 percent. It's business as usual for us." [

Awards and recognition

  • Whole Foods Market has been included in Fortune magazine's annual list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For"[45] every year since the list's inception in 1998, most recently at No. 5 in 2007.[2][46]
  • CEO John Mackey was named to Barron's list of the world's best CEOs, which recognizes 30 top corporate leaders who excel in not only profit growth and stock-price gains but also leadership strength and industry stature.[47]
  • The Environmental Protection Agency awarded Whole Foods Market its top honor of Green Power Partner of the Year for 2006. The company was also presented with the Green Power Leadership Award in 2004 and 2005. [48]
  • In the 2006 Harris Interactive/The Wall Street Journal ranking of the world's best and worst corporate reputations, Whole Foods placed 12th overall and received the best score of any company for social responsibility.[5]
  • Whole Foods was included in Corporate Responsibility Officer (CRO) magazine’s annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2007, ranking No. 54 out of 1,100 U.S. public companies surveyed.[50] The ranking is based on measures of corporate service to eight groups: shareholders, community, governance, diversity, employees, environment, human rights and product.
  • Supermarket News ranked Whole Foods No. 23 in the 2007 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2006 fiscal year sales of $5.6 billion.[51]
  • CEO John Mackey was named the 2003 Overall National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year. [52]
  • Whole Foods was named 'World's Greatest Food Retailer' by the British trade magazine The Grocer in 2006. [53]

Labor relations

Among its primary values, the company lists "supporting team member happiness and excellence."[54] The company argues that its treatment of workers obviates the needs for unions: full-time workers are given free health insurance that includes a personal wellness account, and the starting pay at most stores is highly competitive.

File:Wholefoodsmarketredwoodcity.jpg
Whole Foods Market suburban store in Redwood City, California

CEO John Mackey, a libertarian, makes no secret of his opposition to unions in Whole Foods. Mackey believes that unions facilitate an adversarial relationship between management and labor.[8][55] An attempt at unionizing in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2002 was met with resistance from store management[56] and Whole Foods was accused by labor activists of union busting.[57] A 2004 ruling by the National Labor Relations Board upheld the actions of Whole Foods at the Madison store,[58] although some workers considered their tactics unethical. Further attempts at unionizing Whole Foods Market stores have been unsuccessful.[59] Michael Henneberry of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union said they failed to attract the interest of the employees at Berkeley's Whole Foods despite rallying there for seven years.[60]

Whole Foods was criticized for its refusal to support a campaign by the United Farm Workers (UFW) on behalf of agricultural workers laboring on strawberry farms.[61] During the late 1990's, the UFW persuaded several large supermarket chains to sign a pledge in support of improved wages and working conditions for strawberry pickers. Whole Foods chose instead to support the farmworkers directly by holding a "National 5% Day" where five percent of that day's sales — $125,000 — were donated to organizations which provide social services to farmworkers. [62]

John Mackey's pseudonym Rahodeb on Yahoo Investment Message Boards wrote that,

"Good luck with your holy cause. You are likely a paid union organizer of some kind. I doubt you will be successful in your mission to organize Whole Foods, however. I certainly hope you will not be because I'll have to sell my investment in Whole Foods much sooner than I had hoped to. Whole Foods is probably much more resilient against unions, however, than you realize. Their management team seems to be unusually innovative and quick learners. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

If you fail in your holy mission to organize Whole Foods will you then be leaving this company or do you plan to continue to work there in anger and resentment? I personally hope that you will move on. Life is too short to waste working for a company you obviously dislike." [63]

Rahodeb also wrote that,

"How will you and your union brothers and sisters change anything at Whole Foods? You just assume that the union is going to "force" Whole Foods to agree to a bunch of things that you want. And how is the union going to force Whole Foods to do or agree to anything? It can't. The simple truth is that the union cannot force Whole Foods to do anything that it doesn't want to do. All the union can do is strike or threaten to strike in an attempt to coerce Whole Foods to agree to things. And what if Whole Foods still doesn't agree? What then? You can go on strike. You can try to close the store down. That is all you can do. And what if Whole Foods still doesn't agree to your terms? In that case Whole Foods can either hire permanent replacement workers for the striking workers or Whole Foods could simply decide to close the store down until the strike ends. Do you not understand this? You are living in some kind of fantasy world. Reality is going to come crashing in on you sooner or later. Hope you'll be ready for it." [3]

References

  1. ^ Whole Foods Market Announces Fourth Quarter Results (PDF), Whole Foods Market, November 2, 2006.
  2. ^ a b Whole Foods Market® Soars to Number 5 Spot on FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies to Work For" List, Whole Foods Market, January 9, 2007.
  3. ^ Company Information, Whole Foods Market, last accessed July 5, 2007.
  4. ^ Company profile, Reuters.com
  5. ^ a b How Boss's Deeds Buff a Firm's Reputation, The Wall Street Journal, January 31, 2007.
  6. ^ John Mackey Texas Monthly, March 2005.
  7. ^ Run, Gun, and Have Fun — Whole Foods Market Style Brand Autopsy, March 21, 2005.
  8. ^ a b John Mackey on Whole Foods' Growth Marketplace, February 26, 2007.
  9. ^ a b History of Whole Foods Market, Whole Foods Market. Last accessed February 26, 2007.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Company Timeline, Whole Foods Market, Last accessed February 26, 2007.
  11. ^ http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2043769,00.html Guardian article about the new store in Kensington
  12. ^ Whole Foods’ British Invasion “Austin American Statesman, May 27, 2007.
  13. ^ Whole Foods to acquire Wild Oats, Austin Business Journal, February 22, 2007.
  14. ^ Whole Foods to buy Wild Oats rival, Austin American-Statesman, February 22, 2007.
  15. ^ For Whole Foods, a natural decision, Austin American-Statesman, February 23, 2007.
  16. ^ [1], Wall Street Journal, July 12, 2007
  17. ^ Fortune 500 (2006) — Whole Foods Market, CNNMoney.com
  18. ^ a b Whole Foods Market Announces Changes in Salary Cap and CEO Compensation, Whole Foods Market, November 2, 2006.
  19. ^ Whole Foods Shares Plunge After 2007 Forecast Cut, Bloomberg.com, November 3, 2006.
  20. ^ a b Our Quality Standards, Whole Foods Market, Last accessed February 5, 2007.
  21. ^ Whole Foods won't sell meat from clones, Austin American-Statesman, February 14, 2007.
  22. ^ a b Cloned Meat Q&A, Whole Foods Market, Last accessed February 17, 2007.
  23. ^ Paradise Sold, The New Yorker, May 15, 2006.
  24. ^ The CEO's Blog — John Mackey, Whole Foods Market
  25. ^ Too good to be true?, Mesure, Susie. The Independent, September 14, 2006.
  26. ^ Whole Foods Market 2006 Annual Report Whole Foods Market, last accessed March 28, 2007.
  27. ^ Fair's Fair at Whole Foods The Motley Fool, April 2, 2007.
  28. ^ Whole Foods to Certify Sustainable Products California Green Solutions, March 30, 2007.
  29. ^ a b Hitting the Organic Jackpot The Boston Globe, March 16, 2003. (archive fee required)
  30. ^ Declaration of Interdendence Whole Foods Market, last accessed March 27, 2007.
  31. ^ One on One, Whole Foods' Second Banana on Being Green, Corporate Board Member, January/February 2007. (Registration required)
  32. ^ Whole Foods Market Continues Commitment to Seafood Sustainability by Offering Marine Stewardship Council-certified Halibut, Marine Stewardship Council, May 4, 2006.
  33. ^ Whole Foods Market Introduces Certified Sustainable Seafood, Whole Foods Market, Inc., March 8, 2000.
  34. ^ Whole Foods Market Makes Largest Ever Purchase of Wind Energy Credits in United States, Whole Foods Market, Inc., January 10, 2006.
  35. ^ EPA Top 25 Partners in the Green Power Partnership, Environmental Protection Agency, January 8, 2007.
  36. ^ Animal Activists to Protest Whole Foods Market, Viva! USA, March 28, 2003.
  37. ^ Farm Animal and Meat Quality Standards Program Requirements, Whole Foods Market, Last accessed January 16, 2007.
  38. ^ Whole Foods allows lobster sales in Maine, Austin American-Statesman, February 8, 2007.
  39. ^ Corson, Trevor. Boiling Point, Boston Magazine, July 2006. Last retrieved February 12, 2007.
  40. ^ Community Giving, Whole Foods Market, Inc., Last accessed February 12, 2007.
  41. ^ John Mackey's Blog, Whole Foods Market, Inc., June 26, 2006.
  42. ^ Environmental Issues. KnowMore.org.
  43. ^ Shareowner Action on Product Toxicity Shifts from Isolated Resolutions to Become a Campaign, Baue, Bill. SocialFunds.com. February 9, 2006.
  44. ^ Issues & Actions: Food Safety: Bisphenol-A, Whole Foods Market.
  45. ^ Fortune: 100 Best Companies to Work For (2007), CNNMoney.com
  46. ^ Two Austin firms make Fortune 100, Austin Business Journal, January 8, 2007.
  47. ^ The World's Best CEOs Barron's, March 26, 2007.
  48. ^ EPA-Green Power Partners, Environmental Protection Agency, last accessed March 23, 2007
  49. ^ Top 100 Retailers: The Nation's Retail Power Players (PDF), Stores, July 2006.
  50. ^ 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2007 (PDF), Corporate Responsibility Officer, January/February 2007.
  51. ^ 2007 Top 75 North American Food Retailers, Supermarket News, Last accessed February 24, 2007.
  52. ^ Ernst & Young Hall of Fame, Ernst & Young, Last accessed March 23, 2007
  53. ^ Booths Press Release, last accessed May 8th, 2007
  54. ^ Core Values, Whole Foods Market
  55. ^ John Mackey’s Wal-Mart for the granola crowd, The Economist, July 28, 2005.
  56. ^ WFM Fires Union Organizers!, Whole Workers Unite! November 29, 2002.
  57. ^ Whole Foods Workers Tell the Whole Story About Whole Foods, United Food and Commercial Workers, April 4, 2003.
  58. ^ Kocol, William G. "Decision: Case 30–CA–16641–1". National Labor Relations Board. Retrieved 2006-02-16. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publishaccessyear= ignored (help)
  59. ^ How Many WFM Stores Are Now Union?, Whole Workers Unite!
  60. ^ Union Backers to Hold Protest at Farmer Joe’s, Contra Costa Times, January 26, 2007.
  61. ^ Whole Foods Plays Dirty, Oritz, Paul. The Prism, May 1998.
  62. ^ Whole Foods Fight, Metro Santa Cruz, September 3–9, 1998.
  63. ^ [2]Yahoo Investment Message boards for Whole Foods

See also

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