Horovitz writes that
the organic and natural foods trendsetter, now with 300 units in 38 states, has had a cultural impact along the lines of the 11,000-plus Starbucks outlets. And Mackey & Team isn't done yet. A new
animal-welfare rating program will be in stores by Jan. 1. And it's opening Wellness Clubs in five prototype locations -- a "potentially a new paradigm for people being healthy." It's also
introducing a vegan private-label line in 2011 based on the book The Engine 2 Diet.
Mackey says that, at age 30, the chain is in its prime. Addressing the nickname "Whole Paycheck," he claims that on similar products, Whole Foods is very competitive. "We have 30,000 items, and you can probably find 30 on which we're more expensive," he says, claiming to match Trader Joe's prices for private-label goods. "But you can't always be cheapest if you have the highest quality," he pleads.
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