Is AMAZON Killing Whole Foods?
After Amazon bought Whole Foods Market last year, people everywhere tried to guess what would happen next- but they never would have expected what transpired--- empty shelves everywhere, just one year later. The perfectly faced product on the shelves of Whole Foods Market were all but bare in some aisles, leaving the customer wondering what was going on. One shopper stated, "the shelves in most of the New York stores look empty." It was rumored the problem might be spreading to other states in the US. Sources say the shortage of food items was due to a glitch in the system, and to further confuse matters Amazon had also replaced many of Whole Foods Market seasoned management team with employees that had no experience in Specialty Foods whatsoever.
The empty shelves and poor-quality produce were a looming reality and the customers were pissed. According to Business Insider, the problem was due to a new inventory management system, but was it really? An Illinois Whole Foods Market manager told Business Insider, “Amazon is handling the situation poorly with little regard for its customers.” Of course, it can be said that Amazon, America's leader in delivery, logistics, and online sales, doesn’t have much experience in traditional retail, but honestly we are not talking about reinventing the wheel. Amazon had a year to smooth out the kinks and stay true to its promise to keep Whole Foods Market an exclusive Non-GMO market but Amazon dropped the ball instead. Kathleen Egan, of Wisser data says large grocery store chains like Whole Foods Market have programs that track the sales of each SKU and spit out minimums for what needs to be on the shelf. Egan also states, you also need x-amount of an items on the shelf in order for it to look appealing to the customer, otherwise the customer may get antsy and opt not to buy. However, the question as to why the shelves were empty is still unanswered. Finally, it was leaked that Amazon was gouging the Whole Foods Market Suppliers for higher prices for shelf space. The standard rate for prime shelf space placement had ballooned from $25,000 to $300,000 and Amazon is hell-bent on selling shelf space to the highest bidder. So what does this means? Amazon is making it too expensive for suppliers of NON-GMO food to be on the shelf. With a mind-blowing $300,000 rate for prime shelf space at the Whole Foods Markets, only mega-conglomerates like Tyson food, General Mills, Kelloggs and Pepsico can afford the high shelf price. So, what is the pink elephant in the room? It’s Amazon of course. Amazon is secretly exchanging the Whole Foods Market model for a more profitable model, which sells GMO foods and non-organics produce while carrying “some” healthy alternatives. Currently, all Whole Foods Market stores across the US are conducting a monthly inventory to determine the profitability of all products on the shelf and are slowly removing non-GMO products with low-profit margin items off the shelf and replacing them with GMO products, ie. higher profit margins. Amazon plans are to continue to keep non-GMO products available to customers but only through special order and it prized Home delivery service. Whole Foods Markets, with its high foot traffic, in places such as the New York will continue to have empty shelves until Amazon fully transitions its Whole-food stores back to the conventional model that pushes the Government agenda to sell more GMO foods. Should we keep shopping at Whole Foods Market? Amazon is clearly abandoning its promise to maintain a green Marketplace for its customers. One thing that made Whole Foods Markets unique compared to other grocery chains, was their inclusion of local products and produce which benefits Whole Foods Market customers and not Amazon's bottom line. So, what can we do to maintain the push for a Greener America? First, we must come to the realization the Whole Food Markets we have come to know and love no longer exists. Secondly, We must voice our dissatisfaction with Amazon by spending less money with Whole Foods Market. How do we voice our disdain the Hostage take-over of Whole Foods Market? 1. Shop at local stores and co-ops. Across the country, there are still many small health food stores, organic and non-GMO markets, as well as co-ops. 2. Shop at farmers markets. Farmers markets are everywhere in every town across the Nation. They are a great way to support local farmers and meet the people who grow your food. 3.Sign-up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). CSAs make weekly deliveries of farm-fresh fruit, veggies, eggs, and/or meat and dairy products. 4. Grow your own. If you want to give your family the freshest produce and guarantee that it is grown organically, then opt to grow your own fruits and vegetables.
Whole Foods Market, for the moment, is still a better option than buying your food at Walmart, Target, Shoprite, Koger, Publix, Wegmans, and all the other major chains that sell GMO food and produce laced with harmful pesticides, but not for long. Amazon has yet to go on record to place its support for a greener America. Amazon values profitability and nothing else. Before the merger Whole Foods Market gave customers the choice to buy good clean food and to support the community. One year later Amazons attempt to convert prime members to Whole Foods Market shoppers may look good on paper but Amazon will have to dismantle the Whole Foods Market models if they are going to keep customers who could care less about consuming NON-GMO foods and pesticide-free produce.
Finally, If you are going to continue to shop at Whole Foods Market, make sure to use their comment cards to let them know that you would like to shop at a place that primarily sells non-GMO foods, supports local suppliers and farmers, and an environment that treats their employees well. And if Amazon continues its blatant disrespect of its Whole Foods Market customers, you will shop elsewhere.
