Has the beer selection at Whole Foods changed post-Amazon buyout?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by eldoctorador, Oct 10, 2018.

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  1. Mattttt

    Mattttt Initiate (0) Feb 20, 2018 New York

    can confirm whole foods in nyc and brooklyn used to have great stuff and now rarely has anything good.
     
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  2. bgold86

    bgold86 Pooh-Bah (1,836) Apr 1, 2015 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    WF in NYC has taken a huge hit in terms of variety and quantity.
     
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  3. IPAExpert69

    IPAExpert69 Savant (1,065) Aug 2, 2017 Pennsylvania

    They will never get the proper recognition, but Giant (the grocery store chain) has a tremendous beer section in almost all their stores in Pennsylvania. Really good selection, not just a shitty mix a 6 and macros like acme etc.
     
  4. NeroFiddled

    NeroFiddled Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,122) Jul 8, 2002 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    This is something that boggles my mind. I've always thought of WF as a place to buy interesting foods, and their selection of cheeses, breads, seafoods, and produce used to be great. So who are these people that are buying basic, fairly bland beers? If you have high quality tastes in one thing, shouldn't it be across the board? Are you going to pair a nice piece of Stilton and a fresh baguette with a bottle of Corona? Are you going to pair fresh Blue Point oysters with a bottle of Andre Brut? What about your "Leek and Potato gratin with Smoked Salmon and Brie" (an actual WF recipe) with PBR? It makes no sense. Why pay extra for specialty foods and then drink crap? Can these people not taste food if it's not a solid? Uggghhhh. Rant over. Enjoy your prime rib and Landshark.
     
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  5. bgold86

    bgold86 Pooh-Bah (1,836) Apr 1, 2015 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Pre-Amazon acquisition decision by management to move away from variety and gear towards a few skews. Have discussed this with multiple WF beer buyers and distro peeps. WF is not really a place for craft beer anymore in NYC.
     
  6. NeroFiddled

    NeroFiddled Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,122) Jul 8, 2002 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Well that looks awesome! I think that WF should have focused more on local beers from day one, but whatever. My response to @Giantspace above shows that even people who are willing to spend an entire paycheck are not entirely of taste and not only willing, but want to buy basic or mediocre beers. This is why some craft brewers are now turning to making basic lagers - people want to buy something different, but they don't really want something different, only the impression of it.
     
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  7. eldoctorador

    eldoctorador Pooh-Bah (2,096) Dec 12, 2014 Chile
    Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for your response. Is there any way I can give feedback to my store? Probably not, but maybe they haven't realized that the quality has decreased (if they don't have a beer person).
     
  8. bgold86

    bgold86 Pooh-Bah (1,836) Apr 1, 2015 New York
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    FYI, at least in NYC, the beer buyer no longer has the buying power they used to. For the most part the orders are placed or confirmed by someone at corporate.
     
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  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    As has been discussed by a number of others in this thread the beer selection and pricing really changed in the Whole Foods in SEPA a few years ago (pre-Amazon purchase).

    I used to buy beers from my local Whole Foods (Devon. PA) but after the beer buyer (Joe) left and shortly thereafter the prices significantly increased I stopped shopping there. It has been over 2 years since I have purchased beer from a Whole Foods store.

    Cheers!
     
  10. deleted_user_1007501

    deleted_user_1007501 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2015

    It couldn’t hurt to reach out, so I’d say go for it.


    Yeah, they started integrating a new OTS (order to shelf) system, but this was years after I left. For the beer department (and other depts as well), I’ve heard there is a pre-set order based off of inventory to eliminate back stock, however these orders are able to be modified and added on to.

    One could still order extra cases that are not on the order, but as you said, it probably has to get verified first that it’s not an unnecessary amount that would mess up inventory too badly.

    Overall, old co-workers just said the system is forcing them to order less.
     
  11. Giantspace

    Giantspace Pooh-Bah (2,879) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society


    When the PM wF opened the pub I was told it would be a full focus on local beers. That lasted not too long.

    Enjoy
     
  12. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,291) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    That brewery name does not ring a bell so I looked in my records to see where I had been. You have The Alameda location correct, but my notes say the brewery's name is Mission Creek Brewing. It has an open-air, second floor setting at one end of the Whole Foods building with exterior stairs to get up there. It is still in the BA database under that name. https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/38396/ Possibly a (recent) name change has occurred since 9/2/16 when I was there and the database hasn't been updated?
     
  13. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,291) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I generally liked them and gave an overall average rating of 3.78.
     
  14. Socialillness

    Socialillness Initiate (0) May 9, 2018 New York

    I was to frequent whole foods in Columbus circle in NYC but they lost their edge.. Had to take my money to food emporium on 49 st.. Their more expensive but they have a great selections... Love that they carry sloop and lic beer project now
     
  15. bgold86

    bgold86 Pooh-Bah (1,836) Apr 1, 2015 New York
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    Hm, do you world at FE?
     
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  16. Ten_SeventySix_Brewhouse

    Ten_SeventySix_Brewhouse Zealot (744) Jul 20, 2016 Indiana

    It just depends on lots of things, real estate included. Here in the Phoenix area, one whole foods I go to has maybe half of an aisle devoted to mostly craft beer and maybe 5 taps, but no bar to drink at. The other store is much bigger and has several restaurants, a coffee shop, and separate meat and seafood counters. They have a whole long aisle devoted to beer, plus an endcap or two. Plus, it's all stored cold. Then, they have a bar with maybe 20 or so taps for pints or growler fills.

    I still prefer to shop at my local bottle shops, mostly to buy singles, but that WF is a good destination if I'm in the area and looking for something uncommon but not too rare.
     
  17. Socialillness

    Socialillness Initiate (0) May 9, 2018 New York

    I wouldn't last a day as I drown in all that beer :grin:
     
  18. Ceddd99

    Ceddd99 Zealot (585) May 14, 2018 Michigan
    Trader

    My local Whole Foods has sold PBR, Corona and other large commercial beers as far back as I remember. I am guilty of buying PBR there a few times back in the day. It makes sense they would carry these beers. PBR was a popular hipster beer a few years ago and I've seen a number of people buying it at Whole Foods. Remember Whole Foods is a pretty mainstream store these days and lots of people who appreciate better food selection but don't have sophisticated tastes in beer, shop there. Some people don't even know enough about beer to know what other styles they might like, and don't want to spend the money testing out imperial IPAs and stouts when they are perfectly happy with Bud Light.
     
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  19. ktr5010

    ktr5010 Savant (1,016) Dec 12, 2014 Illinois
    Trader

    I'll echo what others have said mainly that the quality is pretty good. But in the Chicagoland area I still see very large discrepancies in quality from store to store (post Amazon acquisition) which makes me think there are still individual beer people at each store.
     
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  20. ecpho

    ecpho Savant (1,159) Mar 28, 2011 New York

    I think the Cambridge, MA WF has had a great selection but in the last few years the hazy IPAs have taken over shelf space from more beer I'd like to drink. In NYC the Bryant Park location, closest to me, has lost something now that I think about it.
     
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