bountiful fresh produce at Sprouts Market

The transformation is complete. Sunflower Markets have merged with Sprouts Farmers Markets. Outside signage has changed to Sprouts.

I went into Sprouts the other day and definitely noticed the change. The interior seemed more crisp or perhaps better described as less cluttered. For instance, the produce department seemed much more organized and not as helter skelter.

The wine department looked as though someone gave it a good polishing. Wines were better designated and with far more choices.

I am hoping the prepared food is more on the caliber of Whole Foods/Wild Oats than Sunflower Market. Custom-made sandwiches start at $2.99. Does that means made to order?

There were more new products and brands throughout the store including apple bread from Apple Annie’s Orchard in Willcox and individually wrapped biscuits and chunks of cornbread in the bakery case.

In the dairy case, I saw different kinds of coconut milk. Since I am lactose intolerant I have been using more almond milk and coconut milk and look forward to trying different brands. Coconut seems to be everywhere — in oils, in beauty care, in milk, in water.

Their monthly circular has coupons for more deals. According to the circular, there are four essentials supplements for healthier living — probiotics, omega oils, super foods, and multivitamins. Here’s an intriguing product — Doctor’s Best Natural Brain Enhancers featuring GPC & PS. Anyone ever try it? My brain can use a bit of enhancing and mood elevating. (better price at Sprouts). There’s even an entire line of nutrient dense products for people who have had bariatric surgery. And gluten-free products are more prominently displayed near the front of the store instead of in the rear.

Double ad Wednesdays are still in effect. I like that. According to the in-store weekly circular, Sunflower Market and Sprouts are a lot alike. How so?  Both have headquarters in Phoenix. Both sell natural and organic foods. (I have a problem with the overuse of the word “natural” to describe foods but that’s another blog post entirely.) Both offer wide open floor plan with emphasis on fresh produce and great values. And both boast about their customer service.  Show me; don’t tell me.

I had a negative customer service experience in Sunflower a few months ago and didn’t return until it became Sprouts. When I go grocery shopping my brain has the uncanny ability to remember the price of every item that I put into the shopping cart. Once I drive out of the parking lot, it fades but while in the store I remember the prices. At the checkout counter the clerk ran up an item at a different price than I remembered. Now I don’t remember the item nor do I remember the price but it was somewhere around the meats and deli on the west side of the aisle. The price difference was 49 cents. I mentioned what I thought was the lower price and the clerk gave me a disgusting look and called someone to the checkout who checked out the price and said I was wrong. I was embarrassed. I mostly buy what’s on sale and only what I need.  I paid and left the store. Before driving away I went back in and when I was about 40 feet from the product display, I saw another employee messing with the prices. So the computer had one price but the display had the price that I claimed it was.  Human error! At that point, I guess I could’ve complained but did not. My uncanny ability to remember prices was still intact but the negative customer experience lingered until Sprouts sprouted.

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Do you think corporations or even local businesses should publicly speak out, support, or disavow political initiatives and candidates?

 
Yesterday I was minding my own business trying to work when I received an email that Whole Foods Market was campaigning against single payer healthcare. When I went to check it out, I realized it was all over the Internet.

 
That got me thinking…do I want to know the political beliefs of the places that I shop or dine?

 
And, yes, I do.

 
I like to support businesses that have similar ideals and are contributing to the same issues that are near and dear to my heart. 

 
I have a mental list of places that I won’t go to because of who was on the committee to elect someone I would never vote for and refuse to go to restaurants that have off-track-betting which props up greyhound racing, a “sport” I vehemently oppose. Previously, I referred clients to a Realtor until one day in a social setting, I overheard her say she contributed money to a candidate I voted against. My referrals stopped.

 
As a business, I think it could be suicide to publicly support or disavow a candidate or a heated political issue.

 
But back to Whole Foods Market, boycotts have popped up all over the Internet but whether they pan out is another story. Time will tell.

 
In the Daily Kos blog, Whole Foods Market is saying the opinion is just the opinion of the CEO not of the company. Really? Perhaps he should’ve kept his thoughts to himself. He’s not exactly an anonymous man on the street. 

 
Here is the original Wall Street Journal op-ed piece.

 
Do you think Whole Foods Market has been damaged by this incident? 

Would some of the masses be so angry if the ceo of Safeway voiced the same sentiments?

Do you shop with your political pocketbook?