How Whole Foods Revolutionized American Eating Habits

Honestly with Bari Weiss

The Free Press

News, Society & Culture

4.6 • 7.8K Ratings

🗓️ 29 August 2024

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods Market, is one of the most consequential American entrepreneurs of our time. Whole Foods began in 1980 as a small hippie health food store in Austin, Texas. Under Mackey’s leadership, it grew into the largest organic foods supermarket chain in the United States, selling to Amazon in 2017 for nearly $14 billion. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the company revolutionized the food industry, mainstreaming health-consciousness for a mass market. Despite the company’s crunchy progressive brand, Mackey is a staunch capitalist and a steadfast defender of free markets. He popularized the term “conscious capitalism,” which marries capitalism and social responsibility, and and emphasizesinges the role of businesses in creating a sustainable and ethical impact on society at large. Today, a conversation about what it takes to build a company like Whole Foods, what it is like to have enormous wealth, the role of unions in the American economy, and why he kicked his own father off the board of the company. And to read Mackey’s full story, check out his new book, The Whole Story. If you liked what you heard from Honestly, the best way to support us is to go to thefp.com and become a Free Press subscriber today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	We love our lacto-free. It tastes just like regular dairy, but without the lactose,
0:05.0	so we've been able to enjoy all of our favorite meals without any worries.
0:09.0	Go and find out more at Aralalacto-free.
0:11.0	C. UK.
0:13.2	From the free press, this is honestly.
0:18.7	I'm Michael Moynihan.
0:21.6	John Mackie is the co-founder of Whole Foods Market in one of the most
0:24.9	consequential American entrepreneurs of our time. Tell me how the idea for
0:28.6	Whole Foods came about. I mean you are the perfect entrepreneur. I mean honestly I moved into this vegetarian co-op when I was 23 years old.
0:38.0	I wasn't a vegetarian.
0:39.0	Whole foods began in 1980 as a small hippie health food store in Austin, Texas.
0:43.0	Under Mackey's leadership, it grew into the largest organic food supermarket chain in the United States,
0:48.0	selling to Amazon in 2017 for nearly $14 billion. It's not an exaggeration to say that the company
0:55.9	revolutionized the food industry, mainstreaming health consciousness for a
0:59.6	mass market. But despite the company's crunchy progressive brand, Mackie is a staunch capitalist
1:06.2	in a steadfast defender of free markets.
1:08.7	He popularized the term conscious capitalism, which marries capitalism and social responsibility, emphasizing the role of business and creating a sustainable and ethical impact on society at large.
1:20.0	Today, a conversation with John Mackie about what it takes to build a company like Whole Foods,
1:25.2	what it's like to have enormous wealth, the role of unions in the American economy,
1:29.0	and why he kicked his own father off the Whole Foods board. We'll be right back with John Mackey.
1:38.3	I don't know about you, but I'm always searching. Searching for better
1:41.6	hypoallergenic detergents.
	...

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