I recently wrote about how Whole Foods was importing some foods under their 365 brand from China. I emailed them about this and they responded. Here it is…
Whole Foods Market works hard to offer the highest quality products from responsible, reliable sources, regardless of the countries where they are produced. In regards to products from China, a very small percentage of single ingredient products in our stores actually come from China. We monitor to the best of our ability the sourcing of Chinese products and are currently unaware of any reason to discontinue products from China.
Single ingredient products from China make up a very small percentage of our overall private-label product mix. We have a comprehensive quality assurance and social accountability process to ensure the integrity of suppliers and their products, regardless of the country of origin. When we evaluate products we choose to offer our shoppers, we are constantly monitoring emerging issues. At this time, we will continue to sell select products from China in our private label family of brands, sourcing products from credible vendors and working with independent third-party inspectors on whom we rely to perform audits to assess food handling and safety procedures.
All organic products – regardless of where they are grown– are audited and certified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
The demand for affordable, quality agricultural ingredients – especially organics – has outpaced the domestic supply, requiring us at times to purchase products from other countries. This has caused a lack of availability and, due to our strict quality standards, it has become increasingly challenging to find sufficient supplies of products in the U.S. To satisfy the demands of our shoppers, we purchase products at times from both in the U.S. and in other countries. Our team of global and regional buyers has developed strong relationships with artisans and food producers around the world. By using our buying power, we are able to obtain the highest quality products and pass the values on to our customers.
