NEW YORK (Jan. 17, 2025) – At this year’s Retail’s Big Show hosted by the National Retail Federation, Whole Foods Market Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer Sonya Gafsi Oblisk discussed lowering prices, Quality Standards, and food trends during her fireside chat with Progressive Grocer Editor-in-Chief, Gina Acosta.
Kicking off the event titled, “Retail Powerhouses: The Whole Foods Market Story,” Gafsi Oblisk shared her take on the state of the grocery retail landscape as it pertains to the customer and the grocer’s efforts to keep prices low.
“My goal is to make Whole Foods Market as inclusive and as accessible to as many customers as we can,” said Gafsi Oblisk. “And that means that we offer a full spectrum of price points in all our categories – from opening price point all the way up to our specialty offerings. And this past year, we were able to lower prices on over 25% of the items that we carry. More than 20,000 items went through price reductions!”
Calling the grocer’s Quality Standards efforts core to who they are and why the company exists, Gafsi Oblisk described the Quality Standards Steering Committee that she sits on and detailed both the art and science of how new standards are selected. Whole Foods Market currently bans more than 550 ingredients from all stores.
To conclude the session, Acosta led a lightening round of questions, including a discussion about favorite products and how the grocer is always looking for industry and food trends, planning to launch another trends report this year.
“A big part of our DNA as a company is being the tip of the spear and being forward-looking, and food trends [and Quality Standards] are a big part of that,” wrapped up Gafsi Oblisk.
About Whole Foods Market
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 530 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.
Contact: media@wholefoods.com
