EUG Whole Foods Market opening in Fall 2016 (Portland, Eugene: sales, co-op)

[lostsailor]

I am considering a move to Eugene, and was exploring grocery store options in various neighborhoods. I was surprised that there is no Whole Foods in Eugene, but see that there is one on the way.

Whole Foods in Eugene: 'No two stores are alike' | KVAL

It looks like it will be big, at least in the drawing.

For Eugene residents - is this as seen a welcome addition, or there already good options? What are the best supermarkets right now?

Thanks!

[Metlakatla]

Not a fan. I don't live in Eugene anymore, but I visit often, and I'll stick with Market of Choice. Yes, I know it's expensive, but it has stuff I can't get elsewhere, and I can get in and out of there quickly.

Winco is good for people on a budget or those feeding a bunch of hungry kids. I like the store but rarely shop there -- it's combat grocery shopping unless you go at 2 a.m., and the savings aren't worth it to me.

There's Albertson's, Fred Meyer, and Safeway. They're average, I guess. haven't been in one for years.

[blurooster]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Not a fan. I don't live in Eugene anymore, but I visit often, and I'll stick with Market of Choice. Yes, I know it's expensive, but it has stuff I can't get elsewhere, and I can get in and out of there quickly.

Winco is good for people on a budget or those feeding a bunch of hungry kids. I like the store but rarely shop there -- it's combat grocery shopping unless you go at 2 a.m., and the savings aren't worth it to me.

There's Albertson's, Fred Meyer, and Safeway. They're average, I guess. haven't been in one for years.

Thanks for the recommendation. I did not realize there were several Market of Choice locations. Also read the farmers market is very good.

[bler144]

The Whole Foods launch will probably have the most impact on Natural Grocers (very Whole Foods-like in terms of groceries/supplements, lacks the WF deli/bakery) that sits 1/4 mile north of the planned WF site, and the Kiva (small independent downtown shop).

Add in the farmer's market, and the multiple Market of Choice locations, Sundance, etc. and WF is entering a quite crowded field. Hard to imagine they don't end up squeezing someone out. If Natural Grocers/Kiva can both hang on with dedicated existing shoppers, it's possible WF ends up missing its sales targets. Possible any/all of them are wounded significantly.

Personally I don't see the need for WF in Eugene, and think it's at least possible their entrance hurts more than it helps. Very unlikely I will shop there.

[Metlakatla]

Another thing about Market of Choice is that it is rare to see children in the store. I'm all for paying higher prices in exchange for a relatively child-free shopping experience. Nothing against kids, just not in stores. You go to Winco or elsewhere and it's parents with five kids, two shopping carts, and you get behind them in line every time. And grubby little hands all over the produce, and horrible noise levels. Just no.

Thistledown Farm is good for seasonal produce; there are several places like it around.

[theoaks]

Eugene politics favors local businesses, with local owners going back for many generations, just like all cities in Oregon, except metro Portland. That's why it's taken so long for whole foods to come in.

Here in Arizona, same thing, except in Scottsdale, which was solely created to attract wealthy midwestern and nyc trasplants uses to the big box megastore approach.

[NW4me]

Eugene seems like the kind of place that would support a food coop... I've seen them in Ashland and Medford; are there none in Eugene??

[bler144]

Originally Posted by NW4me

Eugene seems like the kind of place that would support a food coop... I've seen them in Ashland and Medford; are there none in Eugene??

None that I can think of.

Though Sundance/Kiva/Capella all kind of fill the same sort of small-end niche that a co-op would have in the past.

Though certainly Ashland's co-op has grown particularly in terms of deli/prepared food service in a way that none of those really has. Sundance has a decent hot/salad bar, and Kiva has a very modest deli, but nothing on the scale of what Ashland's co-op is doing.

[Metlakatla]

There's at least one small one that I know of.

[Travelin Mann]

I have real concerns about Whole Foods, for their corporate atmosphere and INFLATED prices, and stopped shopping at my local natural food store when it was bought out and converted into a Whole Foods. Today I saw a more disturbing bit of info:

"Whole Foods' CEO Walter Robb is captured on video professing his enthusiastic support for a Monsanto-engineered GMO "fake labeling" law that would outlaw existing GMO labeling laws nationwide."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twEYNf79gPw

According to Mike Adams, who made the video, Whole Foods has also been selling GMO foods for 20 years, unlabeled as such, and reportedly tells its managers to tell customers that none of their foods contain GMOs.

I am considering moving to the Eugene area and have been avoiding Genetically Modified Organisms for years now. I'm glad that Eugene supports local agriculture and local clean food businesses.