Organizing Whole Foods Markets
Whole Foods Markets was founded in 1980 by Craig Weller, Mark Skiles, John Mackey, and Renee Lawson in Austin, Texas. The four businesspeople decided to open a natural foods supermarket in Austin with a staff of 19 people. It was an immediate success since natural food supermarkets were very limited in the United States at the time. Since then the growth of Whole Foods Markets has been accomplished through mergers and acquisitions that include the following companies: Whole Food Company; Wellspring Grocery; Bread & ‘Circus; Mrs. Gooch’s; Fresh Fields; Bead of Life; Amrion; Merchant of Vino; Allegro Coffee; Nature’s Heartland; and more.
In 1984 Whole Foods Market began to expand to Dallas, Houston, and then into New Orleans with the purchase of Whole Foods Company in 1988. By 1990 Whole Foods Markets fueled rapid growth by acquiring other natural foods chains from coast to coast. In 2001, Whole Foods moved into Manhattan, generating a good deal of interest from the media and financial industries. In 2002 they expanded into Canada and in 2004 they entered the United Kingdom with the acquisition of seven Fresh & Wild stores (Whole Foods Market, 2009). The flagship store in Austin, Texas, also serves as the organization’s headquarters. Whole Foods Market claims to be a dynamic leader in the quality food business. They are a mission-driven company that aims to set the standards of excellence for food retailers. This paper will evaluate the organizing function of Whole Foods Markets as it relates to human resources and specialty food knowledge.
Whole Foods Markets maintains a high standard of core values which includes but is not limited to the following: they claim to sell the highest quality natural and organic products available; they aim to satisfy and delight their customers; support team member excellence and happiness; support communities and encourage local involvement; promote environmental stewardship; and support...