I have a feeling that there is a gap in the food retail market - a niche below some of the current budget operators such as Aldi and Lidl.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Perhaps more than any other, the food industry is very sensitive to consumer demand.
We use competitive markets to arrange for delivery of our food supply.
I think we are living in a time where the consumer has lots of choices, whether it's coffee, newspapers or whatever it is. And there is parity in the market place, and as a result of that, the consumer is beginning to make decisions, not just on what things cost and the convenience of it.
I think traditional supermarkets have to pay attention to the fact that America is more and more conscious of lifestyle.
The packaged food business environment is very Darwinian. You're fighting for survival every year; you evolve and grow or you die. It's really that simple.
Customers want high-quality food, good service, and good store experience, and most retailers fail to deliver on those.
To say that the grocery business is cutthroat would be a major understatement.
Whole Foods Market tries to embody all of the principles of conscious capitalism all the time, but like any person or company, we sometimes fall short.
People do care where their food, or other goods, comes from, not merely if the price is right. And that means no business can afford to ignore the impacts their buying practices have on producers and on the perceptions and choices of consumers.
There's absolutely no doubt consumers have more choice than ever, and the standards of all that provide food have improved over time.