Whole Foods Market, a pricey food chain that stands quite opposite to Wal-Mart and the like, recently stated that conditions for the organic and natural supermarket are looking better. This revelation sent many investors to purchase Whole Foods stock, launching it up 16 percent to $28.70.
Identical-store sales fell 3.8 percent from last year, which is much better than the 5.8 percent that Whole Foods posted last quarter, while Whole Foods actually managed to post an increase in same-store sales from the last quarter. Whole Foods has also managed to beat analyst expectations, bringing in a profit of 28 cents per …read more

The organic food market has become the fastest-growing sector of the food industry, blossoming over the years into a business that rakes in $23 billion each year. Part of the reason for organic food’s success, however, could be that the government has slowly eased the standards for what receives a U.S. Department of Agriculture “organic” label.
 
For example, organic baby formula may now contain synthetic additives that USDA employees found, three years ago, to be unsuitable for inclusion in a product with an organic label. Getting the government to change its mind only required lobbying from the makers of the baby …read more

Eating out has posed some challenges for eco-conscious consumers but the trend in the restaurant industry is putting ‘green’ on the menu. Sean at Franchise Pick picked up on A Tall Order of Green over at the Washington Post and sent it my way.
The article offers a feast of sustainable ways that restaurants across the US are putting environmentally friendly ideas to work for their customers, their communities and their bottom lines.
When I say trend, I don’t mean as in trendy but as in a growing practice. And restaurants are putting sustainability into their business activities in more ways than …read more

I recently wrote about how Whole Foods Plans to Ban the Plastic Bag and got a good comment that prompted this post…
Bridget said: I love this store A LOT and totally support their decision to discontinue the plastic bags. But, I would love for you to post a little more on your comment of their ethical behavior regarding small farmers. Interesting…
I started to respond in the comment section but there’s so many issues behind the Whole Foods story that I thought a post would serve them a little better.
Whole Foods has made some good moves in the last year or …read more