Beginning today, Whole Foods will only sell sustainable seafood, an initiative the company announced last month, with seafood quality standars coordinator Carrie Brownstein explaining, "In the long term, what we're really looking to do is help reverse trends of overfishing and bi-catch, so that really we can move the industry as a whole toward greater sustainability." But some fishermen accuse Whole Foods of killing their livelihood and hypocrisy. more ›

Quick, what New York City supermarket's neighbors have the highest median income in the city? If you guessed Whole Paycheck, you might want to guess again! more ›

Whole Foods announced today that it will stop selling seafood that isn't designated "sustainable" by the Blue Ocean Institute, an advocacy group, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The popular chain says it will drop unsustainable seafood for good on Earth Day, April 22nd, which the company says is a year earlier than its target goal. Starting next month, octopus, gray sole, skate, Atlantic halibut and Atlantic cod caught by trawls will no longer be sold at Whole Foods. Instead, the AP reports that Whole Foods will stock sustainable replacements like cod caught on lines and halibut from the Pacific. more ›

In the time it will take Whole Foods to wrap itself around that landmarked building in Gowanus, the borough of Brooklyn may well already have gotten a Whole Paycheck to call its own. That's right, the Post is reporting that the loved and loathed upscale market is close to signing a deal to anchor another new luxury building in Williamsburg. more ›

The fascinating Coignet Stone Company building, which stands isolated on the edge of a massive vacant lot at 360 Third Avenue in Brooklyn, will be preserved when Whole Foods opens at the location. But some preservationists are still unhappy with the popular supermarket's plans, because Whole Foods plans to build within five feet of the landmarked building. "Our building will almost wrap around that building," a Whole Foods spokesman tells the Daily News, adding that the store has agreed to fix up the 140-year-old building, which has fallen into disrepair. more ›

The proposal to build a massive, 52,000-square-foot Whole Foods in Gowanus was unanimously approved this afternoon by the Board of Standards and Appeals, Brownstoner reports. So it looks like some local residents will have their loyalties and values put to the test: Brooklyn's gentry loves buying stuff labeled organic , but they also hate chains and genetically engineered food. more ›

For over eight years now, Whole Foods has been trying to get a new location in Gowanus off the ground. The company removed the toxic waste from the 4.2-acre site on the corner of Third Street and Third Avenue, and promises the establishment will feature a 20,000-square-foot rooftop greenhouse, and a charging station for electric cars. You'd think it would be welcomed with open arms by those Brooklyn residents who don't belong to the Park Slope Food Co-Op, but Whole Foods is still trying to persuade the community it's going to be a great neighbor. more ›

Whole Foods has pulled the plug on ex-Real Housewife of NYC/bare-naked diet guru Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Margarita, which contains a potentially carcinogenic preservative. more ›

Snowstorms, hurricanes, basically any time people are in full-on freak out mode, grocery stores tend to make a killing based on our need for three dozen eggs just in case we're trapped in our apartment for 10 days and really, really crave omelettes. Readers have passed on evidence of the vicious scramble for victuals, and see check out last night's line at the Food Emporium on Union Square in the video below. more ›

Looks like Whole Foods has gone and found a way to get a bigger chunk of your whole paycheck! The expensive market has started rolling out its new "Wellness Centers" this month, and the TriBeCa edition is set to open to the public on October 17. Question: Would you pay a $199 initiation fee and $49 in monthly dues for services like 10 percent discounts on "better-for-you" foods, a supper club, lifestyle evaluations and access to cooking classes? more ›

Whole Foods is in full-on damage control mode after an embarrassing internal email fell into the hands of a reporter for the Houston Press. It all started innocently enough, when the popular supermarket chain sent out an email to its regional managers reminding them about the annual tradition of "carrying and promoting halal products for those that are celebrating Ramadan this month." Unfortunately for Whole Foods, one region—quick, guess which one!—was scared off by one Islamaphobic blogger's reaction to the scary Muslim Caliphate promotion. more ›

Well then! Lots of people have gross things to say about the supermarket Whole Foods but it seems one (former) employee in Toronto has a whole lot to say about the retailer lovingly referred to as Whole Paycheck. As a goodbye salvo he wrote a doozy of a resignation letter which he sent to the entire company last week. To nobody's surprise that letter is now making the rounds online (first on Gawker). What are we talking about here? Well, this is how it starts: "My experience at Whole Foods was like an increasingly sped up fall down a really long hill. That got rockier with every metre. And eventually, just really spiky ... With fire, acid and Nickleback [sic] music." more ›

Whole Foods' on-again/off-again relationship with Gowanus is on again! The grocery store has officially declared that they'll be moving into the neighborhood, Superfund be damned. According to a letter Brownstoner posted, here's what locals can expect when the 52,000-square-foot shop sets up at the corner of 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue: more ›

Over the weekend, a tipster sent us this photo taken in a service elevator at the Union Square Whole Foods, where "cooked, prepared turkey breasts were being carted upstairs along side filthy garbage cans and employees with dirty dustbins." The world was shocked and appalled, and Whole Foods has issued this statement in an attempt to put the incident behind them: more ›

A reader sent us a tip and photo from the Whole Foods at Union Square, where they were shopping with their baby (and stroller) this afternoon: "The prepared foods (cooked, prepared turkey breasts) were being carted upstairs along side filthy garbage cans and employees with dirty dustbins...Really disgusting situation. This is how they transport the prepared foods from the kitchen to the counters. Notice one of the employee's ass rubbing up against the tray." more ›

In 2006 Whole Foods broke ground at what would be their first Brooklyn location, at 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue in Gowanus. By 2009 rumor spread that the company may pull out of the contaminated area, spurring Whole Foods manager Mark Mobley to make a statement saying: "recent reports of Whole Foods Market's demise in Brooklyn seem to have been greatly exaggerated!" And with that, a neighborhood has been patiently awaiting their grocery overlords to build an overpriced outlet for food atop the contaminated soil. more ›

A 14-year-old girl was charged with bias intimidation and harassment, after grabbing a microphone at the Edgewater, NJ Whole Foods and saying, "All blacks leave the store" this past Saturday. The AP reports, "Edgewater police say the new case is being investigated as a possible 'copycat' situation," referring to two incidents at a Wal-Mart store in Washington Township, NJ, where a teen said, "Attention, Wal-Mart customers: All black people, leave the store now." The 16-year-old in the Washington Township case faces the same charges. more ›

Decontamination efforts are well underway for a toxic Gowanus site, slated to house Brooklyn's first Whole Foods. But though the hole should be contaminant-free by April, the upscale grocery purveyor won't confirm its move to the neighborhood. “Everything I know is that Whole Foods is committed to building on that site,” said John Bogdanski, an environmental consultant for the store. “Still, there is always the option to sell the property.” more ›

If you're a Whole Foods employee who's been stocking up on the 365 brand quinoa and tofu, then you're in luck. The grocery chain has just introduced a "weigh less, pay less" discount plan that will allow the company's healthiest employees to knock an additional 10 percent off of in store purchases in an attempt to "encourage and reward Team Members for making healthy, positive lifestyle changes and to reduce the costs of our health plan." more ›

There's been so much confusion over whether or not a Whole Foods will open up in Gowanus — last summer, the company stated: "the Brooklyn Paper published a story this week that inaccurately suggests we have definitively decided not to pursue the development of a store on our property at 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue and further that we are planning to sell the property. This is simply not true." more ›

The team behind the Yes Men movie are doing a great job getting audiences at Film Forum to participate in direct-action stunts after the screenings. On Wednesday night organizers persuaded most people in the audience to head over to a nearby Chase bank and write political stuff on the sidewalk with coal—because JP Morgan Chase underwrites Massey Energy, which does a lot of mountaintop removal coal mining. Anyway, last night they kicked it up a notch. more ›

If the outer boroughs aren't willing to come into the city for their Whole Foods, then the city is making sure it finds a way to get Whole Foods into the outer boroughs. Yesterday the City Planning Commission approved a plan to encourage grocery stores with fresh produce, meats and dairy to expand into poorer areas by allowing them to sidestep existing zoning and development regulations. Supporters of the plan say it would encourage gentrification to continue its sweep across the boroughs. more ›

The long-awaited Whole Foods at Columbus and 97th Street is opening on Thursday, but yesterday it opened its doors to the neighborhood—for $15 admission, which went to the Riverside Park Fund. MyUpperWest reports, "The store itself occupies two vast floors, outpacing the Columbus Circle in terms of size and selection." And Racked, which calls it a kid-friendly location, adds, "This store won't be selling as many different prepared foods as its downtown compatriots, but what it lacks in variety it makes up in kosherness—a nod to the demographics of the neighborhood," and found that the wine shop (Whole Foods' first in the city) does indeed sell three kinds of Ed Hardy wines. But can someone tell us if the UWS liberals were up in arms about Whole Foods CEO John Mackey's "anti-health care reform" op-ed (here's his unedited version)? more ›

While the fate of a proposed Whole Foods in Gowanus Brooklyn remains an open question, a group of Upper East Siders are hankering for their piece of the Whole. NYC the Blog spotted this desperate entreaty on Lexington Ave between 86th and 87th Street. Did you know it's tough out there on the mean streets of the UES? It's true; the sign says so: "I'm sick of eating out! We need to take action! They have taken away many of our amenities, making it hard to live in this area! We should have a say in what stores are welcome in our neighborhood." The community urgently needs a tiny violin shop, for one thing. According to an article in Crain's last year, a Whole Foods on 57th and Second Ave is expected to be completed by 2012, so that's a start. Hang in there Upper East Siders! more ›

Gowanus-area residents, there may be a Whole Foods in your future—maybe! After an earlier report that the supermarket was abandoning its plans for a Third Street location, the company sent a memo to Community Board 6. Via Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn, Whole Foods manager Mark Mobley writes: "I am writing with just a quick update to let you know that recent reports of Whole Foods Market's demise in Brooklyn seem to have been greatly exaggerated! As you may have seen, the Brooklyn Paper published a story this week that inaccurately suggests we have definitively decided not to pursue the development of a store on our property at 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue and further that we are planning to sell the property. This is simply not true and we have sent a letter to the Brooklyn Paper editor clarifying our position and requesting a correction. You may recall that last Fall I sent you a memo explaining that Whole Foods Market had begun re-evaluating our plans for our property and that we would be working to identify potential development partners for a Brooklyn store. That is exactly what we have been doing in recent months and we are continuing these efforts in hopes of arriving at a potential development scenario that will enable us to finally come to Brooklyn..." more ›

Back in 2006, Whole Foods held a groundbreaking ceremony for its first location in Brooklyn, in Gowanus on Third Street. Now, the high-end supermarket chain is abandoning those plans. Brooklyn the Borough reports that a Whole Foods spokesperson said, “At this juncture we do not have immediate plans to open a new store in Brooklyn but do hope to be there someday soon." The Brooklyn Paper also mentions that a spokesperson "suggested that the land would be sold." The demise of Whole Foods had been rumored for a while, given the polluted nature of the area, and there was opposition to the size of the proposed parking lot. more ›

Out of 30 tuna fish sandwiches bound for the trash, 57-year-old Whole Foods employee Ralph Reese set aside one for himself, to be eaten at the end of his shift last November. But an unnamed supervisor at the Union Square supermarket (let's call him Inspector Javert) noticed the sandwich sitting on the deli counter and demanded to know why it wasn't on its way to a landfill. After Reese explained that he intended to eat it, Javert threw it out, and Reese was fired two days later, because, the company claims, he was essentially attempting to steal the sandwich; Whole Foods policy dictates that food cannot consumed by employees without being purchased. more ›