For a confirmed foodie, entering the produce section at Whole Foods Market is nirvana for the senses. The department is chock-a-block with nature’s freshest vegetables and fruits as artfully arranged as any Henri Matisse painting.
And, just as Matisse painted layers of texture, riotous patterns and color, the produce team arranges still lifes with apples, cherries and peaches. The creamy whites of shiitake mushrooms and the speckled browns of portabellas coexist in artful harmony with baby greens and lush purple artichokes. Orange, bright carrots and emerald, slim cucumbers, white globe onions with pale green tops and frills of leafy lettuce fill the organics wall. Different varieties of potatoes, beets, squashes and greens are stacked side by side in a mélange of textures and colors. At the head of the artistry of the 19-member produce crew is Lin Alberti-Hall, produce team leader.
“Unlike other stores, we take down our product wall every night. We trim and resoak nightly,” said Alberti-Hall. “And every day, starting at 4 a.m., we put it back together again.” Freshness is paramount. The team tracks inventory and regularly rotates stock. But not to worry. In keeping with store philosophy, everything is recycled, including vegetables. “We have a composting program,” Alberti-Hall explained. Packaging is recycled, too. “We can even recycle waxed board now. The environment is important to our customers, too. Some bring cloth bags with them.”
Produce team members are trained, tested and reviewed in product knowledge, food safety and sanitation and customer service. According to Alberti-Hall, customer service is a priority. “We greet our customers. We are a pretty happy group,” she said. “We don’t have numbers on our aisles because we take customers right to the product if they can’t find something.”
Customers Sharron Lehan and Jo Ann Carter travel 130 miles round trip once a month to shop at Whole Foods. “The more I read about all the garbage we’re eating – growth hormones, chemicals, pesticides – I’m just tired of it,” said Lehan. “I just about live on vegetables and fruits. When I see something that’s a little brown, that food is already decaying. You might pay a little more here, but there’s less waste. Plus I can choose organic in most everything.” Whole Foods does carry conventionally grown produce, but it is clearly marked and separate from the organic product. Carter noted there are no stores like Whole Foods in Sparta, Ill., just a nearby megastore that carries groceries.
Marcia Whelan, director of marketing and community relations for the store, is also a dedicated customer. “I know organic is not only better for me but healthier for the planet. It’s sustainable agriculture. Plus, I know I’m getting the best nutrition.”
Alberti-Hall works with local farmers to find the freshest selections. A farmer in Illinois supplies living lettuce and living basil. The roots are still attached, so customers can snip off just what’s needed. She also noted peaches, nectarines and plums are coming in now. Want a sample? “Sometimes people want to know how something tastes. If I don’t know, we’ll cut a piece and try it.”
Here’s a rundown of some of the more unusual items the day I visited: fresh black Mission figs, kumquats, Queen Anne and Rainier cherries, Champagne mangos, blueberries, portabella mushrooms the size of Frisbees, purple pluots and a mountain of apples of all kinds, conveniently paired with cheeses. You’ll find salad dressings near the baby greens and lettuces, too.
“Summer is our season to shine,” said Alberti-Hall. “It’s soft-fruit season and there are no shortcuts. Everything requires attention, but we love our work.”
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2005.
