Technology Initiative Heightens Whole Foods Revenue

A Whole Foods store.

 Whole Foods.

The CIO Journal, a blog by the Wall Street Journal, discussed Whole Foods’ recent success stemming from the implementation of technology. According to Whole Foods CIO Jason Buechel, their partnership with Instacart, a grocery delivery app, has increased quarterly revenues for Whole Foods by an astounding 5.8%. I think that Whole Foods’ focus on technology, specifically to expand from just a brick and mortar standpoint, exemplifies the sustainability and efficiency aspects outlined in Class 15: CSR and Efficiency. This technology has made it far more efficient for customers to purchase their groceries through the app, resulting in greater checkout loads; 2.5 times the average in-store cart to be exact. It also helps prospective customers, conscious of their health but are unable to physically shop in stores, to purchase quality organic food previously unable to them. Whole foods is making buying natural, healthy food accessible to everyone, effectively combating the societal problem of obesity. This unique partnership also differentiates the chain from known competitors such as Kroger and Walmart, which have begun carrying organic food. This creates a customer segment unique to Whole Foods. Customers that previously elected to buy from closer to home stores can now see the value in purchasing from Whole Foods. The investment in technology already proves to be paying off for Whole Foods.

Organic Zone in Whole Foods.

Organic Zone in Whole Foods.

The article used in this post can be found at:

http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2014/11/06/whole-foods-cio-says-apple-pay-instacart-paying-off/

Photos can be found at:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/sites/default/files/media/Westlake_Photo_Official_sm_0.jpg

http://www.theblondevegan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/15.jpg

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *