Whole Foods Market
Enviado por Samy.sg • 21 de Marzo de 2014 • 493 Palabras (2 Páginas) • 494 Visitas
Founded in 1980 as a local supermarket for natural and health foods in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market
had by 2006 evolved into the world’s largest retail chain of natural and organic foods supermarkets. The
company had 179 stores in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain and 2005 sales of $4.7 billion;
revenues had grown at a compound annual rate of 20 percent since 1998. John Mackey, the company’s
cofounder and CEO, believed Whole Foods rapid growth and market success had much to do with its having
“remained a uniquely mission-driven company—highly selective about what we sell, dedicated to our
core values and stringent quality standards and committed to sustainable agriculture.” The company’s
stated mission was to promote vitality and well-being for all individuals by offering the highest quality,
least processed, most flavorful and naturally preserved foods available.
But as the company’s motto “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet” implied, its core mission
extended well beyond food retailing. John Mackey’s vision was for Whole Foods to become a national
brand synonymous with not just natural and organic foods, but with being the best food retailer in every
community it served. In pursuit of this vision, the company’s strategic plan aimed at expanding its retail
operations to offer the highest quality and most nutritious foods to more and more customers and promoting
organically grown foods, food safety concern, and sustainability of the entire eco-system. The company’s
long-term objectives were to have 400 stores and sales of $12 billion by 2010.
Whole Foods’ stores were highly appealing places to shop. Management put considerable emphasis on
attractive stores, a colorful décor, and appealing product displays. The company got very high marks from
merchandising experts and customers for its presentation—from the bright colors and hand-stacked fruits
to the quality of the foods and customer service to the wide aisles and cleanliness. Most stores featured
hand-stacked produce, in-store chefs and open kitchens, scratch bakeries, prepared foods stations,
European-style charcuterie departments, sampling displays, and ever-changing selections
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