Slaton's dashboard

Hello there, Best way to get our Real Estate team interested is to gather a group of friends and send emails with the suggested location to newstore.requests@wholefoods.com. Thanks for letting me know and hope something turns your sad face into a happy one today:)

Hello there, while I'm not an expert on this subject by any stretch of the imagination, I can tell you that what it comes down to is our reliance upon false assurances from the vendor in question was a mistake. The meat was processed in a facility that was not approved by Whole Foods Market and as such should never have been sent to our stores in the first place. While only 4% of the affected meat processed by Nebraska Beef was sent to our stores, this is still a serious issue that is receiving the undivided attention it deserves by our team. Here's the latest on the recall effort: http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/pr/...

Also, a bit of information on some misconceptions that you might have come across: http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/pr/...

Hope this helps explain the issue somewhat and please let me know if you have any other questions/ concerns.

Thanks, Thor. Appreciate it very much. Take care:) – Slaton, on June 13, 2008 14:04

Wow! Eric, this is some really terrific feedback! Really appreciate every bit of it. Completely agree that we need to broaden our flickr approach to include pics tagged with "whole foods." It would make for a much more interesting viewing experience for sure and help develop a strong online community. Also, the suggestion to include an image with each post is dead on. One of my favorite blogs is 101Cookbooks and Heidi does an amazing job including beautiful photos with each of her posts -- doesn't hurt that her writing style is witty, humorous and throughly engaging as well. On the note, yes, we also need to lighten things up a bit and hopefully get folks to express a bit of their sense of humor here, which, believe me, everyone I work with on a daily basis has an advanced degree in...lol.

Completely game for adding the Get Satisfaction widget as well and will get with folks to see how quickly we can do so. It's the perfect environment, with exactly the right tools/ features, for our customers and those interested in Whole Foods to have their questions addressed. Really like the transparent nature of it all and cannot wait to get more folks here! Thanks, again, and stay in touch. – Slaton, on June 13, 2008 14:03

Hey Sarah, Thanks for the question. I don't actually know the answer, but I will make sure that someone with the knowledge responds here. Again, I'm not privy to the reason for the price difference, but can tell you that different packaging can vary in price, which would impact the final retail price. Anyway, be sure to check back here for an answer. Hope all is well with you. Thanks.

Hey Ruby, I just wanted to chime in and personally thank you for asking this question. I've worked at Whole Foods Market for 7 years and I don't think I've ever seen a better response to this issue than what Jessie's -- so a BIG thank to Jessie too!

As I'm sure you can agree after reading his well-informed responses, spoilage and what is done with it is a complex issue involving local, state and federal laws, along with the specific policies of Whole Foods Market and those of the non-profits (shelters, food banks, etc.) that our stores across the country partner with. Unfortunately, due to the nature of our business there will always be waste. It's definitely important to note, however, that waste impacts our bottom line and therefore it is always in our best interest to improve projections and work limit waste across all product categories. While it's not easy to accurately project, I know for a fact that those team members responsible are working very hard to continuously improve projections and limit waste.

Anyway, thanks, again for your question and keep 'em coming!

"Whole smack" isn't such a bad thing:) You're helping us by being upfront and clear with your thoughts and information. I, for one, completely value and your participation here. Thanks and be sure to let me or other Whole Foods Market Team Member (hoping to get others involved here soon) if you have any further concerns or questions. Take care. – Slaton, on May 09, 2008 00:23

Cameron, Definitely hear you. There are a lot of things that I wish were cheaper too:) At least with food it's possible to be frugal and still eat well. Not always easy, but certainly possible. Thanks, again, for your willingness to share your opinion here. – Slaton, on May 08, 2008 16:57

Hello John, To be sure, Whole Foods Market doesn't allow carbon monoxide to be applied to fish that is sold in our stores, including Cupertino. As with all products we sell, our fish must meet stringent quality standards, one of which is that a product cannot contain artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, and sweeteners. Does this address your concern here? If not, let me know and I'll do my best to get you a more thorough answer. Thanks for your comment. – Slaton, on May 08, 2008 16:31

Hey Scott, I can certainly tell that you've put a lot of thought into your responses and in forming your opinion. I honestly appreciate your engagement and willingness to share your opinion with me. It's always great to have a debate, especially when both sides are well informed (I think we both are:)), respectful and open to differences in opinion.

Overall, yes, I see organic farming practices as our best hope of reaching a more sustainable food production system and hope I've been clear about why I think that in my previous responses. I suppose that I not only view organic farming as currently more sustainable, but, as I've stated before, also having more potential to evolve and become more sustainable in the future than industrial, conventional farming. Industrial/ conventional farming and it's dependence upon pesticides and a greater amount of fossil fuels is more immediately unsustainable. There's a long road ahead for organic practices to "dominate" the agricultural production system and I feel confident that along this road there will be new practices and processes that will be adopted to improve yields. However, that is not to say that industrial practices have resulted in significant efficiencies that have, in part, made higher yields possible, though with mixed results depending upon the crop. While I'm certainly no expert, nor do I pretend to have direct organic farming experience (minus my little summer garden in my backyard:)), I believe some industrial practices (not the use of pesticides of course!) have been adopted by organic farmers as a way to increase yields and that's a good thing. Adopting good ideas and practices that help improve performance is key to the success of any endeavor and the success and sustainability of organic farming is no different.

I too have thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and feel that it's been rather productive:) Neither one of us have really changed our opinions, but that's fine . It's been a pleasure and let me know if you'd like to debate anything else...:) Take care, Slaton Carter - Whole Foods Market Team Member

Hey, I like puns...keep 'em coming:) Thanks for the encouragement and appreciation! – Slaton, on May 07, 2008 18:53

Hey Cameron, Well, first, let me say that I'm personally sorry to hear that you feel this way about Whole Foods Market. I see where you're coming from and as you might imagine have had quite a few conversations with folks about Whole Foods Market's prices since I started working for the company way back in 2001. Pricing, especially for food is a sticky and somewhat complex subject, as there are a lot of variables to consider. For one, the type and quality of the product will certainly impact the final retail price. From my perspective, we tagged as being pricey because we carry a lot of very high-quality products, often not found in other stores, that are more expensive to source, along with the more common staple items. I think if you take a close look and compare similar products that we are pretty darn competitive. While not directly involved in the process or discussions concerning our pricing, I can say that I know those responsible are consistently striving to secure better prices for our customers. Also, our private label brand, such as 365 and 365 Organic, are often offer the best price, quality and my taste buds would argue taste as compared to similar branded products.

I hope this didn't sound too preachy and please know that I'm more than happy to continue the conversation with you. It's a tough one and thanks for your willingness to share your thoughts here.

-Slaton Carter, Whole Foods Market Team Member – Slaton, on May 07, 2008 18:50

Amy, It's my pleasure, really. This is a great community site and I'm honestly excited to be able to connect directly with our customers and those interested or not in our brand and company. Kudos to the entire getsatisfaction.com team for making this possible and helping foster good, meaningful conversations. Looking forward to my continued participation and getting other Whole Foods Market team members to join as well! Thanks. – Slaton, on May 07, 2008 18:38

Thanks, Thor. We try our best, but know there's always room for improvement. We're not perfect, but it's our constant goal to get there:) John has a very valid point that there might be some unnecessary waste going on, it would surprise if there wasn't a very valid reason behind what he observed, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. As I promised earlier, I will definitely connect with the right people to get to the bottom of John's concern. Will report back soon!

Hey Scott, Love the thoroughness of and thoughtful approach to your response. I'll try to do my best to keep up with you:)

Yes, I definitely agree that this is a very complex topic and one that has no "easy" answers and lots of trade offs. From my perspective and knowledge, however, industrial farming practices, along with the use of pesticides and generic modification, have helped increased yield of certain crops, though what's not completely understood is the sustainability of these practices and their ability to maintain such yields. Can we continue to rely upon these practices knowing of their serious and negative consequences on our drinking water, health of our oceans and land? I suppose I cast my lot in on the organic side as I choose to remain optimistic that organic farming practices can continue to improve, resulting in higher yields and therefore require less need for farmland expansion. It's our best hope in my mind. So, the least I can do is pay a little more to support this growing industry and see that it continues to prosper and improve:)

With that said, I don't fool myself and would certainly agree that my choosing organic won't save the Earth or even my local river from soaking up tons of pesticides. More immediately my decision to buy organic will, as I stated above, support the industry and encourage further investment, economies of scale and other efficiencies to enter the market. With the risk wading into economic theory (of which I'm no expert), I believe that with a higher potential profit in any given market the more likely it is for stiff competition to arise and along with this competition will come improved production, higher-quality products and lower prices. The organics industry is still fairly new in terms of modern agriculture and we have a long road ahead along which improvements can and will be made to increase yield. So, short term, my decision isn't based on ecological responsibility as much as it is for the health and benefit of our world in the future.

Like you I also try and make other sacrifices to be more ecologically responsible in the here and now. Live close to where I work, chose to make an investment in green building materials and energy efficient appliances and HVAC when remodeling a house, ride my bike to get to places that others might drive, plant native and drought-resistant plants in my yard, etc. Those things add up and make a difference, at least I believe they do, but they are focused more on lessening my immediate impact on the environment and not so much on the environment that I will leave for future generations. That I feel is the crux of the differences in our opinion.

Hope this help clarify my point of view and looking forward to continuing the debate if you wish. Take care. -Slaton Carter, Whole Foods Market Team Member

Hey Amy and Scott, Thanks for the comments! Amy, I'm also quite a fan of Barbara's Bakery products and have always found them to be consistently top-notch in terms of taste and quality. They're relatively expensive in their category, but I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for," especially when it comes to food. Quality ingredients can and often do cost more to source. That's a simple fact. Am I wrong here?

Scott, glad you found that one product that has hooked you into coming into Whole Foods Market...:) Now, if only I can somehow convince you that organic products are the way to go...ready for this? Probably not, but I'll go to bat anyway:) Let's see, first off, while you might not care about your health (honestly, I hope that you do if only for the sake of your friends and family), the fact is that organic products are better for the overall environment and the health of the community as a whole. No persistent pesticides means better quality drinking water and more biologically diverse soil conditions, which means means organic farming practices don't compromise the needs of future generations. A good thing, no? If you're into local, buying organic can support small, independent family farms and even helps farmers become less reliant on non-renewable fossil fuels, which is, again, of course good for our environment. Lastly organic product meet stringent USDA standards, so you have some piece of mind on that front for whatever that's worth...with all this said, yes, organic products are usually more expensive when compared with similar conventional products. It's a more labor intensive practice on multiple levels (it actually takes three years for a conventional farm to convert to an organic farm, since it takes time for the pesticides to deplete) , but to be sure, the prices have fallen significantly and have become much more competitive as more farmers and producer enter the market and better, more efficient practices are put into place.

Seriously, not trying to preach or change your mind here, just wanted to share some facts and let you know why I try to buy organic as often as possible, whether I'm shopping at Whole Foods or somewhere else...yes, I occasionally slip into another store every now and then. Call it competitive research I suppose :)

Thanks for the terrific discussion and keep it coming!

-Slaton, Whole Foods Market Team Member

Hello John, Thanks, again, for your honest feedback. While I'm not privy to if and why our Cupertino store disposes of sushi on a regular basis, I can say that it is a priority for Whole Foods Market to ensure the safety and health of our customers and team members. Sushi, since it's raw fish (or is that sashimi:)?), can unfortunately spoil quite quickly, even when using the freshest, highest quality ingredient available.

Recognizing that this doesn't fully answer your question, I will make sure that we follow up with the appropriate Cupertino Team Members and get a more complete answer for you as soon as possible.

Again, appreciate the feedback and keep it coming. It helps us improve and work harder to ensure that we satisfy all our customers expectations.

-Slaton Carter, Whole Foods Market Team Member

Hello there Lewis, Thanks so much for your question. You've definitely read the fine print and actually knew more than I do about the sources of our 365 bottled spring water...and I've been a Whole Foods Market Team Member since 2001:) Anyway, you are correct that our 365 water comes multiple sources. I don't have the list of sources on me, but will see that you get a complete list of our vendor's bottling sources as soon as possible. Know this doesn't answer your question, but wanted to let you know that I'm working on it . Thanks, again, and hope all is well. -Slaton, Whole Foods Market Team Member

Yep, it's definitely a Whole Foods Market brand. There's also 365 Organic, which is one of the most competitively priced organic line you'll find anywhere. Plus, as with all products you find on our shelves you can be sure that they meet our strict quality standards: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/produ...

Now, I'll get off my soapbox:) What's your favorite natural or organic packaged product? Whether available at Whole Foods Market or not, I'm completely interested to know, seriously.

Thanks and I'll be sure to check back to read your response.

-Slaton, Whole Foods Market Team Member