03/14/06 Whole Foods and Walmart

John Mackey, the founder and chief executive of Whole Foods Markets recently told his shareholders that he is forecasting that his chain of organic stores will reach 12 billion in sales in the next four years. To achieve this objective he plans on opening 25 to 30 new stores a year. But investors better hold their horses, there might be trouble in holistic paradise as it appears that Wal Mart is intent on taking "green" mainstream and has plans to mass market organic food. Now critics say the Wal-Mart client does not fit the profile of the typical organic food consumer, but somebody is certainly purchasing Wal-Marts organic milk because the chain now boasts the highest organic milk sales in the US. So if the major objection to buying organic products is price we can rest assured that the 100 million US customers that shop at Wal-Mart each week will find their organic products a value. Watch out Whole Foods, organic is no longer only for the wealthy. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought