Whole Foods to stop sale of unsustainable seafood

Written by

Michael Hill

Associated Press

• Filed Under

• Business

<!–individual: 7 numChar :2262 –>

ALBANY, N.Y. — Whole Foods Market said Friday that it will stop selling fish caught from depleted waters or through ecologically damaging methods, a move that comes as supermarkets nationwide try to make their seafood selections more sustainable.

Starting Earth Day, April 22, the natural and organic supermarket chain will no longer carry wild-caught seafood that is “red-rated,” a color code that indicates it is either overfished or caught in a way that harms other species. The ratings are determined by the Blue Ocean Institute, an advocacy group, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.

Among the seafood disappearing from Whole Foods shelves will be octopus, gray sole, skate, Atlantic halibut and Atlantic cod caught by trawls, which can destroy habitats. The company will stock sustainable replacements like cod caught on lines and halibut from the Pacific.

“In the long term, what we’re really looking to do is help reverse trends of overfishing and bi-catch, so that really we can move the industry as a whole toward greater sustainability,” said seafood quality standards coordinator Carrie Brownstein. She added that Whole Foods is making the shift a year ahead of its internal deadline.

To read more, click the following link: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120330/BUSINESS/303300098/Whole-Foods-stop-sale-unsustainable-seafood

Whole Foods founder Mackey weighs in on grocer’s resurgence, future

It’s a good time to be Whole Foods.

The natural foods grocer has roared back from the recession, rebounding in sales and profits and once again becoming a Wall Street darling. Analysts say the company accomplished a rare feat: cutting down on expenses while simultaneously becoming a better retailer.

And the company has throttled up on new stores, with 24 to 27 projected for fiscal year 2012, including two new Austin-area stores, at Shops at Arbor Trails on South MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) and the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave.

But that’s only part of the post-recession story.

Whole Foods has also used its momentum to focus on other efforts like healthy eating education and demanding higher standards from its suppliers (requiring better treatment of poultry and livestock, for example).

Those measures have the potential to filter down to the rest of the grocery industry, given Whole Foods’ position as the leading natural foods grocer in the country.

READ MORE: http://www.statesman.com/business/whole-foods-founder-mackey-weighs-in-on-grocers-2038672.html

Whole Foods Market Road Tour. Join the Fun

Whole Foods Market “Local Lunch” this Saturday to support Kansas City Food Circle

From our friends at Whole Foods Market:

On Saturday, April 16th, you can eat a fantastic “Local Lunch” at Whole Foods Market and help Kansas City Food Circle at the same time!
Whole Foods is serving up a fantastic meal with ingredients straight from some of our KCFC producers, and all proceeds are being donated to us.  From 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., the market will be serving up Camp Lindo chicken sandwiches and Local Burger veggie burgers with sides for $5.99.  A children’s meal of peanut butter, banana and Cooper’s Honey sandwich, applesauce, drink box also is available for $2.99. 
 
When: This Saturday, April 16th, from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Address: 7401 W. 91st Street, Overland Park, KS 66212 (91st & Metcalf)
This “Local Lunch” is part of a bigger Whole Foods’ Earth Day Celebration that day, including a Kids Club Earth event from 9 a.m. – 11a.m. and information about the new Overland Park Community Garden from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Other activities include a recycling demonstration and information about going green at home. There will also be a Health Starts Here demonstration featuring local & organic foods.  We’ll have our usual table set up to provide information and sign up new members.

See you Saturday!  Come hungry!

School salad bars, and the limits of relying on charity for what government should do

This is another example of charity trying to do what they can, but government should be stepping up to the plate and doing more.  As usual some schools who need something like this are left out, and that is not the fault of the Charitable organizations trying to do what they can.  The idea of fresh food should not be a frozen nugget creature “FRESH out of the microwave.”  Our government needs to do more for schools! 

http://www.grist.org/article/food-2010-10-21-whole-foods-school-salad-bar-program