Whole Foods Market here said it is "thrilled" with the business it is doing at a store it opened in Detroit in June — a store featuring a new "value strategy" on perishables.
David Lannon, executive vice president, operations, said the Detroit store is doing "at least double what we expected it to do, and it's off to a tremendous start [with] a super-diverse customer base. And that gives us great confidence to go into markets we haven't been or [to serve] people we haven't thought of as traditional for Whole Foods Market in the past."
As previously reported, the company said it plans to take a similar pricing approach on perishables at a store it plans to open in New Orleans later this year, "and we think there are opportunities to duplicate elements of this value strategy for perishables in select markets across the country," Walter E. Robb, co-chief executive officer, told analysts during a conference call.
The Detroit store features lower pricing and a larger selection of private-label items and frozen and prepackaged foods designed to appeal to budget-conscious shoppers.
