Whole Foods Kensington - live launch special with photos and video

We've just stepped exhausted and exhilarated from the new Whole Foods Market in Kensington, which is being billed as the UK's ultimate ethical food store.

It's certainly the largest, and the much-touted 80,000 square feet of space is impressive when you get in there - each of the three floors are not far off the size of a Sainsburys or Waitrose at a market town like, say, Lewes.

Check over in the Gallery for our photos of the new store and watch the full video report on Newconsumer.tv!

Highlights include the biggest selection of Fairtrade and organic chocolate we've ever seen - even including French supermarkets - plus a formidable fruit and veg section with a strong UK focus.

Most of the shipped-in produce is from Spain, Italy and Holland, and there are only a few exotics from further abroad, though we did spot that British classic, the New Zealand apple.

Upstairs, the champagne bar and sushi bars were fairly quiet - it was 11am, after all - but the rest of the ethical eating mecca was thronging.

In terms of style and feel, the store's more like the food halls of Harrods, Harvey Nicks and Selfridges than the Fresh & Wild stores which have so far represented Whole Foods in the UK. Think money. Then add a lot more money, and you get the picture - there's a good reason this store's opened in Kensington and Chelsea.

The other incredible thing about this store was the sheer number of staff. Its PR assures me there are no more than 550 staff at any one time, but it certainly looked like there could be more than that, and there were dozens of staff who'd flown in from US Whole Foods store to make sure the 'experience' is right.

In Kensington and Chelsea at least, Whole Foods is on to a clear success - the crowds today were huge, leading to some tail-backs at the 29+ tills. The big question is how the rest of the country will take to the concept; our hunch is Whole Foods Market will do very well with the other 40-odd stores reportedly planned for the UK.

Comments

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Wed, June 06, 2007 at 9:28pm
greenindian says

Sounds like Wholefoods are onto a winner.However some of the reports I have heard include mineral water being imported from Iceland! I think they’re struggling to source more local suppliers as Tesco, Sainsbury’s have got all their suppliers to swear exclusivity according to rumours...am looking forward to one opening in Edinburgh-until then my humble local veggie box will do me just fine…
Thu, June 07, 2007 at 3:00am
uncleadrian says

I agree - it’s a great store and has some wonderful produce. Today was very busy with a lot of browsers and most people seemed to really enjoy the ‘deluxe’ experience.

But be prepared for the prices - they are super-premium! I agree that the location they’ve chosen is perfect as the Kensington yummy mummies will meet for a latte upstairs, then grab something wonderful for supper - not worrying about the price. And great for grabbing something nice to the weekend.

However, with my ethical hat on, I was amazed and sorely disappointed to find that a number of their household products, like their kitchen roll, is flown in from the US! Not that ethical in my view when we have recycled paper here! (Look out for the ‘365’ range).
Fri, June 08, 2007 at 5:18pm
Pete Sheild says

One of the things about Whole Foods Markets that I discovered when writing about them was that they are 100% dead set against allowing trade unions to organise their workforce.
I spoke to the United Food & Commercial Workers in Washington who had run an campaign in 2003 to organise workers, they told me “Whole Foods has fought its employees’ efforts to organize a union for many years and continues to do so. The UFCW does not currently represent any Whole Foods workers”.
It is a shame that a company that sells Fairtrade products, one of who’s rules is that plantation workers must have the right to organise a union, do not extend the same privilege to their own workers.
Pete

Peter
Fri, June 08, 2007 at 8:09pm
cameron1 says

I am sorry but this wholefoods thing is a sham from first to last. Hardly anything is organic,far less from this country !
Ostrich Eggs, Sugar Cane, Green Coconuts and PLEASE, the eggs which are cheaper than ASDAS, they are boxed and identify only as fresh Eggs.
The fish and meat has now sat there from at least Tuesday(Press day) which is now four days ago and how much longer will it sit there. Do us all a favour, don’t go and get rid of this Carbuncle from Kensington and UK. Oh ! Flavor and Color is not spelt like this in Britain !!! Sez it all !
Sat, June 09, 2007 at 6:29am
Alison says

Interesting that I’m currently reading “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” which is written by an American. He talks about Whole Foods and finds them sadly lacking and missing the point re local supplies and has long since stopped being what many of us really want and sold out to the big boys
Sat, June 09, 2007 at 6:48pm
Clarey says

I loved the Whole Foods store in New Orleans (Flash cow - stayed with my brother for a month) It was full of very local, organic food and the prices were realistic. The “take out” food - handy lunches etc. were perfect, as were the tables and chairs outside provided for diners.
Kensington Whole Foods have a whole lot to learn - wonder what the imported US staff have actually done.
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 7:00pm
Greenways says

I agree with cameron1, in that what I had been hearing was that this was an Organic supermarket, so with confidence I strode up to the “eating in” floor and ordered a smoothie, only to discover that NOTHING specified organic, and that actually very few of the foods being served on this floor were organic. I had heard from our own customers about these spectacular pyramids of eggs that you can pick individually, but was stunned to discover that they weren’t organic and very few of the eggs available were! Don’t Whole Foods realise that free range standards are actually pretty pathetic and if you do care about the chickens then organic free range is the only way to go? And what is with them being unboxed? You still have to box them to take them home safely, so there is no packaging saved.

Personally I felt that it was a grandiose Waitrose, who do a great job of promoting Local, Organic and Fairtrade foods and supporting their suppliers, which is why they get access to some of the independents like Tyrells who will not supply the other supermarkets. Can we not support our UK stores rather than this wayward and misrepresented import? There is such a backlash against imported food, so why all the fuss over this imported store which doesn’t do it as well as our UK equivelants (like Fresh & Wild USED to be!).

One of our food suppliers was also very sad that when speaking to Whole Foods (who they also supply) that they were told “it doesn’t matter if it is organic”.

They have to sell a hell of a lot of overpriced “conventional” (as they so cutely describe their non-organic fruit and veg - what on earth is conventional about spraying everything with bucketloads of pesticides and fertlizers? Organic is the conventional, traditional way of doing things, “conventional” is the modern aberation!) foods to pay for this huge store and all their staff. I think they are going to struggle, but they seem to have some aggressive backing in the US…

I also think that it is a bit of a shame that New Consumer have been so gushing about this shop over our homegrown independents, and i’m a little uncomfortable that we are now being compared to them. We are definitely NOT a Whole Foods type shop. If something can be organic and fairtrade, we won’t stock anything else. Otherwise it HAS to be local or eco-friendly.

Ian
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 7:36pm
ethicalangel says

I think New Consumer have been fair to talk about Wholefoods - it’s certainly an issue of our time and it’s wonderful having this space to vent our opinions. I like their positive not negative approach! But perhaps the big Organic question should be further investigated.
We should not allow these superstores to take over, but it’s happening already and in a current climate of supermarkets bullying the little guys this is the second best thing to that.
I just hope it remains true to its Fresh & Wild roots.
It’s the expense which is crazy. I will continue to buy from the farmer’s markets, at least I know the food miles.
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 7:55pm
cameron1 says

Can you imagine the wastage in this Store. It is quieter than the old Barkers used to be and that is saying something and they dont have the benefit of high profit margins and low wastage. i was told the other day that at least 10 tons of food was thrown out every week alledgedly.
I note they have sacked 70% of the till staff at quiet times so the ques are still as long but with only 5 tills open(and have you seen the tills and staff)and inefficient at that. Why dont they go to M&S;and see how to handle volume purchases.
The Cheese room is another joke. It has closed doors which you have to slide open and close after you enter and woe betide you if you leave them open !
Friendly is it !!
I was in today just checking and at 11.30 there were not more than 20 people in the store and 50% of them were browsing.
As far as I can see there is no way they can make a profit from this operation. With rent and rates and development costs, this will never be anything other than a tax loss. The Organic label is a total abuse of the old Fresh and Wild name and standards. Maybe that is why they closed it down !
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 8:30pm
cameron1 says

Sorry ...deleted myself from replies so now put myself back on the list !
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 9:02pm
Pete Sheild says

Just finished researching this article- mainly from the Wall Street Journal about the fun and games John Mackay the CEO of Whole Foods Market has had posting annonimously on Yahoo Finance boosting his own company and slagging off Wild Oats- which he is now trying to buy!
http://www.naturalchoices.co.uk/Not-so-Wholesome-activity-at-Whole?id_mot=1
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 9:13pm
abi says

And they FLEW staff over from the States - just to make sure that “the experience is right”! Never mind the food miles… massive staff miles! It’s unlikely that I will ever have the option to shop regularly in a Whole Foods, but I am thoroughly unconvinced about their commitment to their stated ethos.
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 9:16pm
Pete Sheild says

Well another point is that workers in Fairtrade plantations have more right to belong to a trade union than do ‘team members’ who work in for Whole Foods Markets either in the UK or the US who sell Fairtrade products- surely some irony there!
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 9:32pm
cameron1 says

I saw the article on John Mackay’s breathtaking arrogance on badmouthing Wild Oats which goes to show that ethics are not evident either in Wholefoods nor the man. The staff being flown over from the States have done nothing to improve the quality of the operation rather,one asks the question as to what do they bring to the store that UK staff could not(has anyone noted how many non UK staff there are.?
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 9:38pm
Pete Sheild says

Hay its London, what makes it such a great city is that it has so many nationalities and cultures, its not surprising there are so many varieties of nationalities working there- add to that of course that retail is notoriously badly paid and you are bound to get a real mix.I win’t hold that against them- there are much more substancial points to be worried about than that
Tue, July 17, 2007 at 10:21pm
cameron1 says

Sorry, I did not make my point clear. It was more a critiscm of UK Staff that one finds less of them prepared to work as opposed to incomers who want to work hard,save and create a life for themselves and their families. One or two Americans would have been fine but not the fifty or so they have here,not counting the back staff
Wed, July 18, 2007 at 8:55pm
maradadirose says

At the end of the day, we’ll all vote with our feet. The UK consumer is no longer so gullible.
Thu, July 19, 2007 at 8:00pm
cameron1 says

ETHICS - Today there was a sign up saying mixed salads etc reduced from £1.99/100 gms to £1.79
As £1.79 has been the price since day 2 I find it unacceptable ,unethical and frankly conning the customer to exhibit this sign six weeks after opening the store. what do YOU think ?!
Fri, July 20, 2007 at 1:56am
maradadirose says

Everyone in this debate might be interested to read this article from Grist Magazine:

http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2007/07/19/monopsony/index.html?source=rss
Fri, July 20, 2007 at 9:22pm
Little Green Fee says

Interesting article maradadirose. I think that Wholefoods is just as bad as the other super market chains.
My choice is to buy food as locally as possible from smaller shops and use Waitrose (they’re the best of a bad bunch if you ask me) for things like loo roll and some other house holdy type things.
As responsible consumers we shouldn’t be frequenting these shopping “giants” we should be supporting local shops with local produce.