Whole Foods Market Pressures Sonoma Foie Gras to Discontinue Foie Gras
An article in the New York Times discusses the pressure Whole Foods Market is putting on Sonoma Foie Gras through it’s processor. Now Sonoma Foie Gras is fighting back with a lawsuit.
From the Times article:
“In the lawsuit, Sonoma Foie Gras is charging Whole Foods with “intentional interference with contract.” According to the complaint, filed in January, Whole Foods told Grimaud Farms last fall to stop processing and distributing Sonoma’s ducks and foie gras or the grocer would no longer do business with the company. Grimaud, which sells ducks to Whole Foods, will terminate its contract with Sonoma at the end of this month.”
From a spokesman at Whole Foods
“We will not do business with them if they don’t terminate their relationship with Sonoma Foie Gras”
Whole Foods has a written policy not to sell foie gras, Ms. Lowery said, “because of the cruelty,” a reference to the force-feeding of ducks and geese to make their livers grow large and fatty.
The grocery chain’s decision to require Grimaud to terminate its relationship with Sonoma is based on its “compassion standards,” which were formulated with animal rights groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and The Humane Society and applied to all its suppliers.”
You can see the full article here
You may have read last week that Whole Foods will also discontinue selling live lobster or crab. Seems to me they are taking all of this a bit far, and risking alienating the very people that probably bring them a large portion of their big profits: the foie gras loving, lobster eating, caviar munching, oenophiles. I actually had some excellent foie gras last week in Alaska. I suppose I’ll no longer be welcome in what has most recently been my favorite grocery store. What’s next – a ban on the sale on yogurt with live bacteria?! Hmm… New Season’s Market just got a lot closer.
DerBingle says
Sure they’ll stop carrying live lobsters and crabs, but crustaceans will still be available in the near-fresh and canned varieties. Yet another “let’s pretend what we’re eating wasn’t alive at one point” move.
KevinS says
Who’s pretending?
atlas says
I really enjoy Whole Foods, but I am troubled and concerned with their tactics here. I believe they are taking their point of view and using the company power in a reckless fashion.
I recognize it is their prerogative to do so… I guess I have trouble seeing why the decision to not sell foie can’t just stay at that. Why they feel the need to strong arm a company to in essence put another company out of business. (for Sonoma it’s a Catch 22 because they can’t subside on foie alone but can’t either subside on the ducks alone)
It’s sad and IMO a supreme example a taliban death stare… and we all know how creepy that can be.
Vapid1 says
I suggest we as compassionate human beings take our own lives. It’s the only way to remedy the suffering we inflict on the helpless organisms around us. The food chain stops here.
bradley says
A “supreme example of a taliban death stare”? Hey, the Taliban worked pretty hard to join some of the most feared and horid groups in history. Ironically, equating Whole Foods to the Taliban is offensive – to the Taliban.
Whole Foods chose not to encourage the selling of Foie Gras. Good for them. You can still buy it elsewhere. What’s the problem? I respect their ability to put ethics over profit. They have their choice, you have yours.
And suggesting that “we take our own lives” out of compasion? Wow, nice troll.
s says
I’m a bit surprised they went this way on the lobsters — the innovative Whole Foods would find lobster producers who fit some sort of hyper-humane standard and sell their product at a huge premium, thus looking good and making huge profits at the same time. Looks like the CEO let his veganism get the best of him.
It’s also nice to see people realize that Wal-Mart isn’t the only retailer that bullies its suppliers.
Angelhair says
This is such a ridiculous PR move. Admittedly, I have never purchased foie or live lobster from them. But I did consider it a one-stop shopping for many other yummy things.
We are lucky that we live in a town where good produce and cheese and beer and wine are available easily elsewhere. I have been too lazy to spend my money locally, but this really gives me the impetus to do so now.
Apollo says
Well I guess Whole Foods is now on the list with WalMart of places that I will never give a dime to. They do have good meat and produce, but oh well. Viande is a better butcher, and the produce at City Market isn’t too shabby either. And there is always Zupans on burnside.
cuisinebonnefemme says
Question: Where is the best place to get fish in Portland? I’ve lived here many years and have yet to find a fish market I’m thrilled with. I like Uwajimaya’s, but driving to Beaverton is such a pain. I like New Seasons for just about everything else, but I wish their fish department was a little bigger and better.
grapedog says
I buy my fresh fish from City Market (Newman’s). Uwajimaya is good, but I don’t like to drive out to Beaverton if I can get my fish in NW portland. Newman’s has sea scallops that haven’t been treated with tri-poly phosphate (a preservative), they have Louisiana gulf prawns (yummy!) and a selection of smoked fish.
cuisinebonnefemme says
Thanks for the tip Grapedog. I love me a good sea scallop.
grapedog says
One other thought: I am a big fan of buying locally. I will never buy from Wal-Mart or Whole Foods because they do not strive to support local growers or businesses. After seeing the massive engine of overseas production feeding a US market that looks for cheap products with no regard to where they came from or if they are even healthy food products, I do my best to buy local whenever possible.
I buy from New Season’s, my local farmer’s market, City Market, Willamette Valley Cheese, etc. When I cook for friends, I always make a point to show where the ingredients came from and if they are organic or not. I do believe that there are still people who care.
DerBingle says
Who’s pretending?
My answer – We all are.
People are squeamish about dropping a lobster into a pot of boiling water (their “scream” that is often cited as an example of the cruelty of this practice is actually steam escaping from the exoskeleton – lobsters don’t have vocal chords) but will happily eat a hamburger that came from an animal whose death was far less humane. Why? The disconnect we’re able to have with our pre-packaged food culture.
Michael Pollan addresses this issue directly in an NYTimes essay from 2002:
“Except for our pets, real animals – animals living and dying – no longer figure in our everyday lives. Meat comes from the grocery store, where it is cut and packaged to look as little like parts of animals as possible.”
Why do you think “boneless” meat is so popular? Yes, convenience plays a part, but avoiding bones also allows one to avoid the obvious knowledge that one is eating a critter.
It’s a theory, at least.
pascal says
It does not make any sense to me to shop at Whole Foods. Not when we have so many other options available, such as New Seasons, City Market and many other small venues.
Whole Foods does not treat their employees as well as they say they are. And their action towards Sonoma Foie Gras is less than ethical. If I had the time, I’d really like to organize a boycott. If anyone is interested, I could use the help. I understand if they don’t sell products they don’t believe in, I am just furious they try to push people out of business.
Feisty? Me? YES, YOU BET!
atlas says
Regarding the poll, I will lkely continue to shop Whole Foods but my shopping is kind of divided up. I like Whole Foods, City Market, Trader Joes, Elephants, and Food Front and go to all of them somewhat equally and regularly.
Though I am dissapointed in Whole Foods and I do feel like “putting them in the corner” for awhile… I will get over it and be back sooner than later. Among other things, they have some of the best heirloom tomatoes come summertime. Anybody know who else has great heirloom tomatoes please tell…
Bradely comment 5, I think you just gave my comment 3 the Taliban death stare… what about that turbo?
In all seriousness Bradley, a genuine equation of the Taliban to Whole Foods would be absurd and foolish and to read comment 3 that way examples such on your part. For your benefit, I want that to be clear. Futhermore, since I think with you we may be on shaky ground, let me note that Vapid1 seems to be not really be suggesting that we take our own lives… rather he/she seems to be suggesting that once you open this door where does it end?
Djonn says
My chief objection to shopping at Whole Foods has always been that it’s freaking expensive compared to everywhere else, and I don’t have Martha Stewart’s bank balance….
Meanwhile, atlas makes a point I’ve always thought underlies much of the “animal police” movement: at root, what these folks are objecting to is the fact that humans have an effect on the Earth’s ecosystem — not that we have a negative effect, but that we have any effect at all.
This not being something that we can realistically change, it seems to me that the logical answer is for all those with this view to remove themselves from the ecosystem. (No, I am not proposing mass suicide for ecoterrorists — at least not necessarily. These folks should be supporting development of orbital space colonies and generation starships….)
pollo elastico says
atlas – New Seasons in late summer breaks out with an entire panoply of heirlooms. Also, farmers markets of course, where you will find them closer to $2/pound rather than the $5-6 Whole Foods decides is the going usary…er…free market rate.
I read an article recently about King Salmon and the author mentioned Whole Foods had filets for $27/pound.
When food gets to be more expensive than drugs I think I’d rather go on a weekend bender.
Sir Loins says
“The food chain stops here.”
Vapid1: Time to catch up on your Wild Kingdom and Discovery channel reruns.
cuisinebonnefemme says
I was near Whole Foods today and having some time to kill went inside. Bought some of my favorite (but hard to find elsewhere) lucque olives, and looked around. Lo and behold they are selling lobster tails from Australia which does make me wonder about the logic behind their policy no live lobster policy…I guess if someone somwhere else kills them its ok?
bradley says
Atlas: I do tend to nit pick statements that imply of an association between anything and Taliban and Nazis as its a bit too much of an hyperbole.
Obviously the related comments were not intended to be taken literally, nor seriously. I just hope that perspective is maintained. We’re talking about one store that is making a PR move by waving its ethics flag. It’s not Wall-mart trying to increase its bottom line by laying people of, not is this a government effort to limit our purchasing freedoms.
There are bigger fish to fry. Now to make my Solent Green enchiladas… Groan.
lexuh says
“When food gets to be more expensive than drugs I think I’d rather go on a weekend bender.”
That cracked me up, Pollo.
I soured on Whole Paycheck and Wild Oats long ago. Unfortunately, you have to compromise if you’re going to write off entire chains of stores. If you don’t want to patronize WF or WO (and you don’t live close to a New Seasons), you can either buy tasteless, mealy produce at Fred Meyer, or you can spend more time hitting various farmer’s markets to find the produce you need.
We each have our various sticking points and personal ethical decisions, and shop accordingly. No retail outlet will appeal to everyone for every reason, and bashing each other because we don’t all share the same uniform moral code is tricky. Chances are, there’s someone even harder core than thou to come along and call you names for buying or eating something they disapprove of.