That it has remained the haven for the gold-bug class to the beat of inner city ennui, time will tell what  effect the Amazon purchase of Whole Foods  will have on us shoppers as it opts to change its whole paycheck image to a cut-rate store.  Will quality suffer?  And will we lose the cachet of shopping at Whole Foods where Vuitton bags on the arms of women shoppers are the norm in an otherwise diffident city?

The Portland Whole Foods Market

I visited the store on the day that the changeover occurred and was shocked to see a sign that read: “Air-chilled chickens, $1.79 per pound.”  Wow, this was big news in our community where farm chickens  run $5 to $6 per pound.  WF’s cut-rate bird is not a locally raised farm bird but respectfully natural with decent taste and texture.

As I toured the store that day and later in the week most products were priced without discount.  Take butter, both local and national brands. Kate’s is over $6 per pound at Whole Foods compared to around $4 at Hannaford (it’s since been raised to $5.25 there).

Notable price drops at WF

Hannaford, for example, was running a special on Casco Bay Butter at $3.99 per pound, compared to $7+ at Whole Foods.  I overheard the dairy guy at Hannaford say to a co-worker that they had to get rid of the CB Butter because the warehouse was overstocked. At the Forest Avenue store, it’s off the shelf.

Standfard pricing is still prevalent; look for special discounts periodically

A few notable exceptions included local produce.  By comparison, the price of green beans at various farmers’ markets are topping out at $9 per pound for haricot vert and about $4 per pound for regular green and wax beans.  Whole Foods had local beans at $2.49 per pound—both thin and standard.

Green beans are a good buy but organic corn is pricey

Interestingly prices at farmer’s markets vary widely, the highest being Portland markets compared to those outside the city, from York to Belfast and beyond.  See later posts on the price disparities of farmer’s market shopping.