The organic grocery business is expected to explode as Americans become increasingly focused on healthy diets and fresh ingredients.
And that’s both good and bad news for Whole Foods Market, which has long reigned as the nation’s largest organic grocery chain. While there’s increasing demand for the free-range meat, sustainable seafood and locally-grown fruits and vegetables the Austin, Tex.-based grocer is peddling, Whole Foods is also facing more competition than ever from the likes of Sprouts and Fresh Market and major retailers such as Kroger and Wal-Mart that are taking note of the category’s big growth opportunities.
“They were for the longest time the only game in town for a natural, organic experience, and that’s not really the case anymore,” said Jim Hertel, managing partner at food retail consultancy Willard Bishop.
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