Comments on: Trader Joe’s Gets FTC Discount

By: Discounts Sydney

Discounts Sydney — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:52:09 +0000

Really?? You begin a purportedly investigative article with the title “Trader Joe’s Gets FTC DISCOUNT” (emphasis mine) and then conclude the article by saying that you don’t know the terms of the deal, or even what Trader Joe’s is paying? Why not be honest and title this article something like “I think Trader Joe’s got a special deal, but I don’t know if its true or not?” This should be listed as an opinion article.

By: Rory Tony

Rory Tony — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 05:48:52 +0000

Granted TJ’s has only been here a couple of weeks, but so far the impact on both Hannaford’s and Whole Foods has been very noticable. Hannafords has parking spaces at times and close to the doors that it definitely did not have before. And Whole Foods has SIGNIFICANTLY lowered some prices (milk has dropped; fresh mozzarella dropped over 25%; cereals down about 50 cents a box, etc.)

By the way, there are many things that Whole Foods has which are simply unavailable at Hannafords. Poultry meats are a good example, like unprocessed turkey bacon and skinless chicken sausages, both at prices comparable to beef or pork. Organic pasta sauce is half the price at Whole Foods (compared to Hannafords). You can’t get natural frozen fruit bars at Hannafords, and they’re reasonably priced as well.

And of course, the prices at Trader Joes on things like maple syrup, olive oil, cellulose sponges, dried fruit, frozen green chile cheese tamales — these are the things that make it such an amazing store.

But the Portland TJ’s prices are slightly above those around Boston. Trader Joe’s told me for years they couldn’t move to Portland because it was too far from it’s nearest other store, and that may explain the increase in cost. But it’s possible the FTC DID help jump start TJ’s expansion, and if so, I agree it’s unfair to Whole Foods. In the long run though, Hannafords, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes, are going to have to learn to live with each other. They actually complement one another pretty well. (And how convenient they decided to camp within blocks of each other!!)

One last thing — finally Portland will have a large grocery store open on Easter and the Fourth of July. It always pissed me off that WF, Hannaford, and Shaws couldn’t agree that at least ONE of them should be open on a holiday.

By: Joel Glidden

Joel Glidden — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:00:45 +0000

Maine has a very business-hostile climate. I don’t think anyone here would naturally assume that any store would come here without a special discount. People were actually pretty shocked to hear that Trader Joe’s was coming to Portland. Development has always been slow here and business tend to do badly, especially new chain stores.

By: James Arrison

James Arrison — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:25:54 +0000

Thank you Alfordd! This is what I intended to post as well – the title is factually inaccurate. It is likely that Trader Joe’s got a good deal because there would be few other supermarkets with interest in the property, but this is as much a function of market forces as the FTC’s involvement. This is exactly the kind of shoddy scare tactics that govern so much of right wing media these days. It is clear to me, though, that this is a blog and therefore opinion. It is just not very well thought out or communicated opinion.
As someone living near Portland I am eager to welcome Trader Joe’s to town. Folk from Maine have been trying to drag them into the state for a long time and it is quite a hurdle for a company to add a new state to it’s offerings. As to the author’s question, about when the competition was lost, it was clearly when the number of stores when from 2 to 1 which happened exactly once, when Whole Foods acquired Wild Oats – a very noticeable event in the community. And whereas there is an excellent Hannaford supermarket beyond the highway, a few blocks from this location, until next month when Trader Joe’s opens, Whole Foods is the only supermarket on the peninsula that is the heart of Portland.
There are many issues the FTC needs to take on after years of stagnation. A properly free cannot operate without competition. There is nothing in Adam Smith to counter the market damaging forces of monopoly.

By: Peter Hayward

Peter Hayward — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 19:11:49 +0000

Maggie, you have perfectly described the woeful state of Whole Foods in Portland.

With its new store only a fraction of the size of Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s Portland store (opening 10/29) will probably not have a great impact on Whole Foods’ Portland sales, but the free market competition between the two stores will be a win-win for Portlanders (something that the blog’s author fails to mention).

By: J. Murray

J. Murray — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:47:45 +0000

If Trader Joes was so great, then you guys would have voluntarily convinced them to open shop up in town. Since they didn’t, it’s clear Portland really doesn’t value Trader Joes or Wild Oats all that much. It’s also odd you think you speak for the whole 533,000 people who live in the area as if the entire city operates in efficient, ant colony lock step.

By: Maggie

Maggie — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:43:08 +0000

Whole Foods completely sucks and needs to watched. What they’ve done in Portland is despicable. This article doesn’t mention the fact that they told the Maine Lobster industry that they were inhumane and incorrect in the way that they process lobster and decided to buy all of their lobster from a New Hampshire distributor and then electrocute the live lobster in the store using a “Crustastun”. Lovely. Way to keep it local, not. They couldn’t purchase fresh lobster from the docks just down the street? Talking about pissing off the entire local economy and the 1000s of people employed as lobstermen, distributors, retailers and others who rely on the lobster industry to make a living. Most people in Maine boycott the store for this reason alone, or for the fact that they swallowed a local health food store, The Whole Grocer, plus the prices are ridiculous. I can find most of their items at Hannaford for a fraction of the cost and none of the pretension. People who do shop at the Portland, Maine Whole Foods are completely unaware of where their food comes from and where their dollars are going. Portland is a very green, outdoorsy city with local pride and and the people here can see right through WF’s corporate monster tactics and lack of sensitivity to the local market. Trader Joe’s has a much better shopping experience and reputation. TJs is so consumer focused that they’ll probably hurt traditional supermarkets in the area, though. I, for one, will frequent Trader Joe’s any day before Whole Paycheck, I mean Whole Foods. Thank you, FTC and down with Whole Foods.

By: Alfordd

Alfordd — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:04:13 +0000

By: kj

kj — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:21:45 +0000

princess Eugene named after & part of Nazi Eugenics. http://host01.web.officelive.com/Documents/zizzner.html

By: will

will — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:39:48 +0000

Great essay, and well-argued. The FTC's push to undo the Wild Oats acquisition after it had already been consummated has always stuck in my craw. The process of selling the former Wild Oats store in Portland is further evidence of the FTC's highly-questionable standards and procedures.

By: Perpetuity

Perpetuity — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:04:37 +0000

A multinational also owns our other decent grocery chain: hannafords

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannaford_Bros._Co.

By: Perpetuity

Perpetuity — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:00:20 +0000

I boycott Whole Foods on the basis that they barely sell whole food anymore. It caters to a bourgeois holier than thou crowd who commute miles to buy their pre-packaged junk that can be had at the local Hannafords.

Well, there is sone uniqueness in their products. The grass fed beef is great. The 365 brand ice cream has no high fructose corn syrup (thanks farm subsidies for putting this in everything on the shelf).

I can’t do my weekly grocery shopping there or it would triple my bill on just the basics, and they don’t carry all the basics anyway.

I am a foodie, and a cook, and Whole Foods is not whole.
Trader Joes will bring another choice, period and that makes me happy.

By: Perpetuity

Perpetuity — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:53:27 +0000

O sure, just like the BP spill is revenge against all the gulf state crackers against everything but some nostalgia nightmare of liberty.

By: S.M. Oliva

S.M. Oliva — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:06:04 +0000

KCJ –

Keep in mind, Whole Foods is selling 32 stores under the FTC’s order. The stores are going to a variety of buyers; Trader Joe’s was likely the only bidder for the Portland store.

By: KCJ

KCJ — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:22:46 +0000

One wonders why the FTC chose to assist a German-owned company in the US market? According to Wikipedia, “Trader Joe’s was founded by Joe Coulombe and is currently owned by a family trust set up by German businessman Theo Albrecht, one of the two brothers behind the German supermarket chain Aldi.[4]“

By: S.M. Oliva

S.M. Oliva — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:07:07 +0000

Richard –

As Lemmywinks said, the FTC brought its case against Whole Foods in 2007 when the Republicans ran the Commission (and a Republican judge, Janice Rogers Brown, wrote the decisive court opinion supporting the FTC).

However, it’s worth noting that some of the Portland commentators who support the Trader Joe’s sale said they welcome a new option specifically because they chose to boycott Whole Foods after John Mackey opposed Obama’s health care scheme. This further undercuts a lot of the FTC’s efforts to define markets based solely on price sensitivity.

By: Lemmywinks

Lemmywinks — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:16:44 +0000

Although it’s an interesting theory, the FTC has been messing with whole foods since before Obama even got elected, starting with the 2007 Wild Oats merger.

Funny how Whole Foods is probably the best example of environmentally conscious capitalism. They must be punished.

By: Richard Moss

Richard Moss — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:25:00 +0000

Perhaps this has something to do with the then Whole Foods CEO criticizing Obama’s Health Care Plan?

By: mundi

mundi — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:12:35 +0000

One thing i have learned is that the more regulated an industry is, the far far better the rewards are once you are in it. He will follow the money just like everyone else.

By: brian

brian — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:08:55 +0000

Obvious sarcasm by Shay, I’m sure.