Is Whole Foods Straying From Its Roots?

New York Times, February 28, 2007 — THEY came together in what seemed like a perfect marriage: earnest former hippies and Whole Foods, the clean, well-lighted version of the old natural food store. The chain’s stores were filled with organic foods and socially responsible ingredients. They were decorated with pastoral scenes of the local farmers who sold to them; signage explained why local and organic are better for the environment.

Whole Foods Prepares a British Beachhead

The natural-foods chain is opening a pilot store in London's tony Kensington neighborhood, but local rivals are digging in for a fight

BusinessWeek, November 8, 2006 — After three consecutive years of double-digit growth, Whole Foods Markets now is projecting that its same-store sales growth will slow to just 6% to 8% in fiscal 2007. So the natural-foods retailer is eagerly looking forward to the opening of its first store in Britain next spring.