Not just coffee

Posts Tagged whole foods

Sans Gluten-Free

Dec 23

Posted by admin in gluten-free, health

In an effort to be a player in the ever-emerging G-F market, some companies are taking it to a higher, or maybe lower, level. I just saw a whole new tagline: Sans Gluten-Free. You know about double negatives so I guess this means it’s chock full of glutinous ingredients. For those who missed the first day of French class, “sans” means without. That means this product line, stated another way, would translate as “without or lacking” gluten-free properties which means it’s got gluten. Not. It’s actually a product line from a well-regarded supplier in this market space: Glutino, a French-Canadian company that has many of its products supplied from Israel.  Most significantly, they offer an extensive product line!

You gotta laugh as so many companies are trying to rush out products to meet this growing market where cost becomes second nature as a bag of Glutino pretzels costs almost $7. Seriously, the price makes it prohibitive for many which is often the overriding G-F product problem. Or, you can really indulge and go to the big box merchant Amazon and buy 12 bags for over $70–not enough of a savings to warrant the big shell out. You’ll seldom run out. Amazon is smart like that and understands the captive audience syndrome so they have a frequent shipping plan which lowers the price considerably! 41q-5g5Oe5L._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-12,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_

Sans gluten works BUT sans gluten-free has its own marketing snafus. It sends a different, albeit humorous, message. Test it out: Walk into a Whole Foods aisle and exclaim “Sans Gluten Free,” and you’re guaranteed a laugh from nearby shoppers.

True.

Tags: , ,

2 Comments

The Smarter Grocery Store

Oct 15

Posted by admin in grocer, news

It seems like we’ve been telling grocers that things have to change, and they have just realized we mean business, in every sense of the phrase. Prices were too high; deals were limited. Now we’re being inundated with mailings from every market within miles of our zip code telling us their prices have come down and whoa did we see the special offers!

These marketing changes are a direct result of what they’ve learned from surveys and studies. In a recent study fresh_salsait was found that consumers believe they have cut back effectively but still not enough. They plan to spend even less on groceries this coming year. Price remains the strongest determinant of a purchase. In a poll of over 6, 000 people, almost 40% said they spend less at the grocers than they did 12 months ago and almost 80% said they would happily switch products for a better price.

In a survey conducted by Wegmans, they learned that almost a third of respondents said they are preparing more meals at home and relying less on take-out and restaurant meals. To help shoppers figure out the actual cost per serving, the East Coast grocery chain added that information to their list of readily available recipes.

Whole Foods continues to add coupons and specials; concepts that were less prevalent a year ago. They’ve even added a section called “Three Under $3.” Pretty impressive.

More coupons, more specials, more discounts: Welcome to the grocer who plans to survive!

We’ll keep talking.

Tags: , , ,

No Comments

Bye, Bye Hamburgers

Oct 6

Posted by admin in food recalls, health, news

burgersSad to see the all-American easy mainstay meal, the hamburger, disappear from the list of dinner possibilities: Grill nites or just hang-out why not have a burger nite! Simple answer: One more, maybe definitive story about the strong possibility of getting E.coli from ground meat. Just let me warn you: This investigative piece is not for the faint of heart!

Sure we could be butchers or grinders and take out our Cuisinarts and hope they were strong enough to wrestle a hefty piece of meat such as a chuck roast and grind it into a burger. That’s a big maybe. Or we could find a trusty, local butcher. Good luck on that, talk about a vanishing breed. Trust may be the bigger issue. While we’ve been reading labels on so many products and deciding whether to buy the 80-20 or 90-10 package, we’ve been ignoring the fearsome possibility of getting the ultimate bacterial infection with all its scary consequences.

What’s one to do? The US government site immediately refreshed its E.coli information link on its site. Sure we can manage the temperature part of avoiding the  scary consequence, but what do we know about meals we purchase or those we order in a restaurant? How comfortable are we about asking the necessary, detailed questions? Are we better off just moving away from the ground beef discussion? What about ground turkey or ground chicken?

In the lengthy, graphic New York Times piece, Costco seems to come out a winner. Another possible bright spot is Whole Foods with its policy about grinding the product fresh at each store. This is the type of information we need to feel safe. Then it is up to us to prepare it properly.

Cooked ground meat cannot sit around. Food safety demands strict adherence to temperature and holding guidelines. Yes, some of the onus is on us, but we need to know what we have. Manufacturers have to be honest about the process. The end result is far too scary. The burger may look good enough to eat; we just need to understand its history!

A veggie burger is gaining appeal!

Tags: , ,

No Comments

These Numbers Don't Lie

May 13

Posted by admin in food, health, news

USDAOrganicLogoIt’s not surprising that the organic market continues to grow. We’re talking a 17% increase in 2008 despite the continual outpouring of negative economic news. These consumers blew that concept off in favor of quality, healthy foods.

What is surprising is how expensive it is to buy certain organic fruits. Do we really need organic bananas when we only, unless the monkey urge takes over, eat the inside under the peel?

Lettuce, now that’s another story, as the ground creates all types of issues. What does it mean for these products to be organic and why the high price tag?As Kermit taught us a long time ago, it’s not easy being green.

Going organic can often prove a costly experience for the farmer, the producer. So many rules; so much time spent cleaning up the land to ready it to meet the standards. We pay the price, and our bodies send out the big shout out: thank you.

Commitment is so high among some people that price never enters a discussion. Capturing that clientele is often a store’s goal. Look at Whole Foods which has an impressive array of organic products and often lists the ever-changing daily number as a welcome greeting when you enter the store. They are conscious about price and the fact that they suffer from high prices as a negative nomenclature, “whole paycheck,” for instance, but they have made changes. Their list of products that are organic and less costly than many of their original inventory keeps expanding.

If you can’t make the farm markets, the organics at major grocers such as Whole Foods or Wegmans are worth the investment in the meat, produce, egg, and poultry aisles. If you are buying canned or frozen, there is, likewise, plenty of availability. Don’t forget that Amazon has gotten into food in a big way. Show the power of suggestion: Check with your local supermarket and encourage them to increase the organic selections.

Whatever the route, the path to organic continues to widen.

Tags: , , ,

No Comments