Whole Foods Busted On The News

When I first visited Whole Foods at the Annapolis Harbor Mall last September, I was surprised to see such disgruntled employees. Everyone seemed to be a total grump. It was certainly effective in pushing down the number of visits I would make to such a store. Don’t forget that Whole Foods was one of last year’s top 100 companies for employee satisfaction.

After a couple of weeks, I found out that the employees were quite unhappy with the company. The day I recieved the inside scoop on the check out line, I was told 7 people had quit all at once. The net result made for a very long check out in the store. None of this is good for a company known for its employee satisfaction, or so they say.

Now a local news channel has busted Whole Foods for organic and labeling issues. The company is bringing in food from China and can’t prove the validity of the Organic labeling of their store brand frozen foods. For a business who thrives on an organic reputation, you would think they are smart enough to understand all of the implications with wheeling and dealing in China.

To make things worse, the added an FDA approved label on to the packaging. Oops! The FDA doesn’t do inspections on incoming food from China. If I know the FDA’s mindset, and I’m sure I do, they will only jump on it once something hits the radar screen.

If you have been watching the news lately, especially listening to NPR, there is no doubt that the legislation pushed through congress has shown the need for watching what people claim to be organic. Even though something is labeled as all natural, the actual quantities can vary depending on the food type. 100% organic used to mean just that, but the food lobbyists in Washington fixed that problem so the larger food companies can move in and make a profit.

So, buyer beware when it comes to organic food. A real concern for a parent who wants to provide the best for their child.