| Happy Friday. And happy holidays! -- We asked:
Business Insider just did a store-level comparison of Whole Foods Market vs Wegmans Food Markets. So, who do you think the clear winner is?
And you answered: Wegmans (74%) Whole Foods (26%) -- You also said:
Rob Kaufelt, former owner of Murray’s Cheese
That Wegmans remains in family hands, and still regional here in the east (especially the Northeast) is certainly to its advantage. Danny Wegman was handed the top job early on, and did a great job of running with the ball, and had the wisdom to continue to hand over the company's operations to the next generation. The real secret seems to be the ability to continue a family business successfully for many generations, with its values intact (to oversimplify these are quality, variety, and service), and its growth and progress sustainable. Whole Foods, on the other hand, has to contend with many markets, and lost its initial advantage when it sold to Amazon, which, despite its enormous success, knows little about food retailing, and has lost the special sauce it had for many years. Still, in our market here, in New York, it prevails, although in my neighborhood, Greenwich Village, the business will undoubtedly shift to the new Wegmans coming to Astor Place. The great specialty food pioneers, whom we all learned from (and copied), like Balducci's (which was my corner grocer), and Dean & DeLucca, are gone, leaving whatever is left of their legacy to the supermarkets like these that succeeded into our time. Sam Lowder, Real Estate Investment Analysis
No one compares to Wegmans. Maybe HEB or some other smaller chains or individual Whole Foods locations but comparing an entire chain, no comparison. Kathleen L., Educator/Advocate/Promoter/Researcher
It’s amazing how the organic food market has changed over the years. Whole foods used to be the gold standard in the organic department alongside stores like Mom’s. Now, consumers can find organic foods in many stores. As someone who shops at a few different grocery stores I’m impressed by the consistent quality of organic produce from Wegmans. I think both stores have strengths and they are too different to compare. Dorie Vedas, Wild Planet Foods
Wegmans 100%. I wish I lived in a market that had a Wegmans
Douglas Pierce, Retired Wegmans Food Markets
Totally agree !!! The best in nation
** Wegmans by a landslide! The people have spoken...for now. Have another thought? Weigh in via the comments on our LinkedIn poll here, or email SN Executive Editor Chloe Riley at chloe.riley@informa.com. And have a happy holiday! WHAT DO YOU THINK? | 