Chain HFS vs. Local HFS

[Guest guest]

I can see both sides of the situation also. In order to keep the local stores

in business we need to support them. The problem is that there isn't much

variety in the ones around here and their prices are so high I can't afford to

buy much of anything from them. They don't lower their prices because they

don't do the volume the bigger stores do which enables the larger/chain stores

to have lower prices. BUT when they were the only game in town and the only

place to go which meant their volume was larger, their prices were still out of

this world. So, I guess it's have a monopoly (the independent only HFS in town)

and charge what you want no matter what because you can or charge fair prices

from the start so that you build a loyal customer base who will come to you no

matter what. Had the local stores charged fair prices, I would have continued

going to them. When this area got a Nutrition S'Mart close by, a Whole Foods

about 50 miles away and then a Wild Oats right he!

re, I'm sure it hurt the local HFS. But honestly, I cannot afford the cost of

the local stores - never have been able to. I also did not want to have to

order things all the time that the local HFS did not stock on a regular basis

and have to wait for what I needed right then.

 

I think the larger/chain HFS makes healthier, organic food more visible and more

available for those who would not venture into a local HFS for various reasons.

The prices are less expensive which also helps to promote it.

 

While I would love to support the local HFS (like I do the local grocers and

other " mom and pop " stores as much as I can), I cannot give up the chance to

feed my kids healthier food because their prices are beyond my budget. My mom

says the same thing about WalMart which I refuse to shop at. She shops there

all the time because it is what she can afford. I go to thrift stores and the

like instead and buy gently used items. Can't buy gently used food. )

 

 

God's Peace,

Gayle

" How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting to

improve the world. "

--Anne Frank

 

 

Stop the Forest Service from killing more wolves, bears, cougars, and other

animals in the wild:

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[Guest guest]

This is a good point. I think where we are, there are only the chains- Whole

Foods, Trader Joe's (which is a hike for us to get to, so we don't always go

there - maybe once every few months because they have something we want).

The co-op/food buying club I'm in has stuff that is local (YAY cases of

Temptation) and other stuff we can't find locally at all (Vegan Rella,

Tofutti soy slices, Wildwood soy yogurt -it's really not sweetened and is

very nice and tart like I like yogurt to be!).

We'll be hitting up the farmer's market once it opens here (mid-April I

think). So we otherwise get fresh stuff. I still need to sign up for the CSA

we can get year round (in season it's all local, out of season/winter they

supplement with other organics but not quite local - I thin they do this

with some 'specials' and stuff they get in, in season- so I guess they

support other local-to-them but not local to me).

 

I'm intrigued by the 100mile diet (http://100milediet.org/) though.

 

Missie

 

On 3/25/07, Gayle Nelson-folkersen <dilemma wrote:

>

> I can see both sides of the situation also. In order to keep the local

> stores in business we need to support them. The problem is that there isn't

> much variety in the ones around here and their prices are so high I can't

> afford to buy much of anything from them. They don't lower their prices

> because they don't do the volume the bigger stores do which enables the

> larger/chain stores to have lower prices. BUT when they were the only game

> in town and the only place to go which meant their volume was larger, their

> prices were still out of this world. So, I guess it's have a monopoly (the

> independent only HFS in town) and charge what you want no matter what

> because you can or charge fair prices from the start so that you build a

> loyal customer base who will come to you no matter what. Had the local

> stores charged fair prices, I would have continued going to them. When this

> area got a Nutrition S'Mart close by, a Whole Foods about 50 miles away and

> then a Wild Oats right he!

> re, I'm sure it hurt the local HFS. But honestly, I cannot afford the cost

> of the local stores - never have been able to. I also did not want to have

> to order things all the time that the local HFS did not stock on a regular

> basis and have to wait for what I needed right then.

>

> I think the larger/chain HFS makes healthier, organic food more visible

> and more available for those who would not venture into a local HFS for

> various reasons. The prices are less expensive which also helps to promote

> it.

>

> While I would love to support the local HFS (like I do the local grocers

> and other " mom and pop " stores as much as I can), I cannot give up the

> chance to feed my kids healthier food because their prices are beyond my

> budget. My mom says the same thing about WalMart which I refuse to shop at.

> She shops there all the time because it is what she can afford. I go to

> thrift stores and the like instead and buy gently used items. Can't buy

> gently used food. )

>

> God's Peace,

> Gayle

> " How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting

> to improve the world. "

> --Anne Frank

>

> Stop the Forest Service from killing more wolves, bears, cougars, and

> other animals in the wild:

> http://go.care2.com/99055

>

> http://www.Care2.com Free e-mail. 100MB storage. Helps nonprofits.

>

>

 

 

 

--

I'm all out of bubblegum.

 

--

http://mszzzi.evite.shutterfly.com

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

It is difficult if those stores are the only ones around. I live in a

very rural place and the only stores here are walmart smiths &

albertsons. I had another weird encounter with the lady in the only

hfs in my area (she must own it because she' always there...guilty of

spying). So if I wanted anything even from whole foods, which is the

closest, I would have to load up everynt & drive almost 2hrs away. Csa

don't exist here & the farmers market looked like a place for people to

hold their yard sales (I may have come in too late in the season).