Alternative to Whole Foods? (Dallas, San Antonio: buying, college, prices)

[southdown]

www.greenling.com do an organic food delivery service - groceries of all kinds plus a weekly veg box of fresh local farmers' produce.

[xsloane]

I like Sun Harvest (I have only been to the Anderson one), it is "Austin Funky" and they have good prices on their produce, good selection and prices on their bulk and good organics as well. Nothing will beat good old TJ's though. The Co-Op in the UT area is tiny and cool, but not cheap or with a great selection. I still haven't gone to the Austin Farmers Market on Wednesday but look forward to checking that one out.
Central Market and their products as just as expensive as the ones you get in Whole Foods in my opinion.

[imaterry78259]

I find it really amazin that the world largest health grocers was founded in Austin couple with Central Market and SunHarvest founded in San Antonio. When is Trader Joe come to either city?

[atxcio]

The first Central Market was in Austin. Although the parent company, HEB, is based in SA.

Also, any CA transplants care to do a head-to-head comparison of TJs to Specs? Specs doesn't have produce, but does have interesting gourmet items and low prices (at least for cash). It also has aldi-style bare bones atmosphere, and they own TJs, so I wonder how similar it is.

[cub77cub]

Originally Posted by atxcio

The first Central Market was in Austin. Although the parent company, HEB, is based in SA.

Also, any CA transplants care to do a head-to-head comparison of TJs to Specs? Specs doesn't have produce, but does have interesting gourmet items and low prices (at least for cash). It also has aldi-style bare bones atmosphere, and they own TJs, so I wonder how similar it is.

OK, here's ex-San Diegan speaking up for Trader Joe's. What do I miss from CA? My kids and Trader Joe's...period!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!

I visited Spec's the other day. The wine selection is great, and it's a really nice store. But, it's not Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's has a wide variety of dairy products, cereals, coffees, teas, sodas, deli, bakery, frozen, dog food..etc., etc and beer, wine and liquor. It's a miniature grocery store, and the people working there are great. They have great prices on lots of stuff. When they had the grocery store strike in CA, we started doing all of our shopping there. We found out we didn't really need the grocery store...

[newrrmom]

And TJ has great prices on cheese, I find cheese to be very expensive here.
Also TJ has natural products, made without preservatives etc....for great prices. They even have flowers for cheap, it is a minature cheap gourmet store.

[mimimomx3]

ZZZZZ on Trader Joe's. I support local business. Whole Foods, HEB, Sun Harvest , Wheatsville are local.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

ZZZZZ on Trader Joe's. I support local business. Whole Foods, HEB, Sun Harvest , Wheatsville are local.

Here in Sandy Springs, GA, WF and TJ's are less than a mile apart. I would say TJ's has 'encouraged' a few changes in WF. A little competition can be good for the consumer(even if it IS from an outsider). Y'all try to get a TJ's on the north side before we move out there!

PS...pretty funny finding Two Buck Chuck in Kroger and Publix!

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Here in Sandy Springs, GA, WF and TJ's are less than a mile apart. I would say TJ's has 'encouraged' a few changes in WF. A little competition can be good for the consumer(even if it IS from an outsider). Y'all try to get a TJ's on the north side before we move out there!

PS...pretty funny finding Two Buck Chuck in Kroger and Publix!

I think that Central Market and Sun Harvest are competition enough!

[imaterry78259]

Originally Posted by atxcio

The first Central Market was in Austin. Although the parent company, HEB, is based in SA.

Also, any CA transplants care to do a head-to-head comparison of TJs to Specs? Specs doesn't have produce, but does have interesting gourmet items and low prices (at least for cash). It also has aldi-style bare bones atmosphere, and they own TJs, so I wonder how similar it is.

Sorry, the first Central Market was in San Antonio on 410 and Bandera and then the next store went to Austin. All the conceptual ideas came from the that store. The reason I know is that my sister was on the marketing team that developed the store. The store used to be a conceptual store