September 2008 Archives
Hawaii's first Whole Foods Market opened a few hours ago, and if the next few are like this one, the other supermarkets had better step up their game.
Whole Foods is known for being the pricey gourmet/granola supermarket. Ecologically conscious and epicurean. Continuing the design trend Hawaii has been seeing in the newer Safeways like Kapahulu and Manoa (remodeled), the Whole Foods Market interior features dark floors, wood accents and warm lighting. If they had tables, you'd want to sit with coffee and a good book.
Food-wise, a surprisingly large amount of floorspace is devoted to prepared foods, everything from the standard poke counter, to paninis to a Chinese food counter. Many items are prepared fresh in the store. Sausages are stuffed by the butchers. Coffee is small-batch roasted by Allegro. PIzzas are fired in what looks to be a wood oven.
But what about the prices? I did a quick price comparison of a few staples to see if the "Whole Paycheck" nickname is deserved.
| prices on Sept 10, 2008 | Foodland Aina Haina | Whole Foods Kahala |
|---|---|---|
| apple bananas (local) | $1.99/lb | $1.99/lb |
| mangoes (local) | $2.19/lb Oahu | $2.29/lb Big Island |
| multigrain bread | $6.19 | $6.29 |
| lowfat milk | $7.29/gal | $8.99/gal |
| large eggs | $3.99/doz | $3.69/doz |
| 6 pack, Kona Longboard beer (local) | $9.99/lb | $9.99/lb |
The first thing I notice is that food has become crazy expensive in Hawaii. Holy energy crisis, Batman! Eating costs too much. Beyond the generally high prices everywhere these days, Whole Food's prices for staples are pretty darn close to Foodland; some a bit higher, others lower.
The real reason people come to Whole Foods isn't for the staples though, it's for everything else: the cheese selection, the olive bar, the countless varieties of organic potato chips, the "I'm a conscientious shopper" vibe. And they do it well. Walking down the aisles, everything looks so good. Not good in the sense that you know it must be good for you if you can force this healthy crap down your throat, but good in the sense that you want to eat everything you see. Whole Foods first foray into Hawaii has succeeded at creating a store that carries items I want to buy. Maybe that makes me a cliche, but I'm okay with that.
This is one store I'm happy has opened in my 'hood.
