GREENMARKETS vs. WHOLE FOODS MARKET
What can we learn from Greenmarkets that could benefit the Whole Foods Market?
Culture
Methods
Primary:
- Observed the overall environment of Union Square greenmarket vs WholeFoods market 
- Interviewed greenmarket customers and a greenmarket stall helper 
- Photographed greenmarket surroundings   
Secondary: 
- Facebook; twitter; growNYC.com(website that holds information of all farms); Youtube
Process
Themes
“Touching and tasting the food is what markets are all about”      -McPhee

Entering the market
Targetting product
Self selection
Purchasing Product
Interacting with farmers/sellers
Transparency
28 year old Biker
- Worked in a farm (US, Japan)
- "I like looking at the apple and knowing where it's from and who grew it"
- "I feel more connected to the food"
- Human aspect = profit: "Whole Foods took over the market like Walmart did"
Stall helper
- "It's much more wholesome, you can have a relationship with the person who actually grows your food"
- "Where it's from, how it's farmed, is there use of sprays?"
- 65 miles from New York city (1 and a half hour drive)
- small operation: 2 farmers, 8 other people employed 
19 years old sports girl
- Concerned that nutritious content of foods will be reduced after long distanced transport
- "Whole foods ship products from Argentina, Chile - that's not organic anymore"
of Greenmarkets
Open Space
Natural Environment
Choosing from the variety
you will be the one selecting every fruit you are buying
sensual experience:
you can see it, touch it, smell it..
..and even taste it!
you can directly question the growers about the products
faster & cheaper!
any questions!
Price cards will tell you how to cook the food!
More User-friendly!
Selective products vs. Mass import 
Unpacked foods vs. 
packed foods
Less transport time = fresher foods 
- To promote local agriculture
- To provide small family farms the opportunity to sell their locally grown goods
- To ensure that all Newyorkers have acess to the freshest, most nutritious locally grown foods
Trust
- Trust is developed from the high transparency of products
- There is no such thing as organic
Analysis 

Whole Foods can learn the following from greenmarkets:
- Selling locally grown foods
- Maintaining a high level of transparency 
- Developing strong and trustworthy relationship with customers 
- Cooperating with small family farms
- Introducing FoodMiles, to ensure short transporting distances



THANK YOU
Problems
Whole Foods: 
- Lack of trust, transparency and process
- Mass import of international products
- Misuse and labelling of 'organic'
Greenmarket
- Lacks convenience
- Generalization
Aim
- design a facility collaborating greenmarket and supermarket
- promote local agriculture
- provide New Yorkers the access to fresh and nutritious local foods
- re-educate people about the nature of farming, and the aesthetics of eating seasonal foods
- help New Yorkers recycle and reduce waste
create the next generation of environmental leaders
What is greenmarket?
open spaced farmers' market
Sell regional agriulture/local products
What is Whole Foods Market?

chained supermarket --> emphasizes "natural" and "organic" food products
Business Model
Primary
Age: 39 years old 
Job: Housewife; part time teaches baking 
Lives in: 23rd street 7th avenue 
Husband: Jonathan Carter (40 years old) Commercial banker
Family: Mother of a boy & girl (8 and 5 years old)
Likes: Inventing new cupcake recipes; cooking; yoga


Secondary
Roberto Simmons
Job: Chef at W Hotel
Income: 60000/year
Relationship: Single
Lives in: Upper East Side
Likes: The smell of garlic; jogging
Jocelyn Gray
Job: Student (Uni year 2)
Age: 17 years old
Family: supported by well off family; one younger brother
Studies: Finance at Columbia
Likes: snacking, listening to music, destressing through food

Alexa Holmes
Job: Business manager
Age: 29 years old 
Likes: biking, efficiency
Dislikes: Traffic Jam, long lines
Tom Allen
Age: 42 years old
Job: Environmentalist
Relationship: Married
Likes: Joining green movements; community and service works; playes golf
Disliked: Smoking; anti-msg
Negative
David Varro
Age: 26 years old
Job: Truck driver
Likes: Meat, big meals, McDonalds, Steak and fries
Cherry Ho
Job: Sells fake goods in Chinatown
Age: 35 years old 
Likes: Chinatown, cheap purchases, bargaining, sales
Dislikes: Dishonest vendors, Expensive stores, brands
Tiffany Barnes
Age: 22 years old 
Likes: Fitness gyms, good bodies, running, healthy food
Dislikes: Calories, malnutrition, fatness
Vertical Farming :
Indoor farming
Efficiency: cheap to construct; safe to operate
Many stories high
Situated in the heart of world’s urban centers
Promise of urban renewal
Sustainable production of safe and varied food supply 
Year-round crop production
Ecosystems

Comparisons and precedents
Year round crop production
No weather related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests
Grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides 
Eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water
Returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services
Reduces incidence of infectious diseases
Reduces fossil fuel use
Converts urban properties into food production centers
New employment opportunities
Useful for integrating into refugee camps

Advantages
Will Allen
Founder and CEO of Growing Powder
Urban farmer who is transforming the cultivation, production and delivery of healthy foods to undeserved, urban populations
The Farm-to-City Market Basket Program consists of weekly deliveries of safe, healthy and affordable produce to neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago.  
The Growing Power and Maple Tree School and Community Garden provide opportunities for young people to learn the basics of organic agriculture, develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills.





What could we learn from the greenmarket that could benefit Whole Foods?
Concepts I
1. 
supermarket structured into the layout of a greenmarket
focus on the SHOPPING EXPERIENCE of customers
(feel and sense the nature of farming though open area)

11.
vertical farming concept
bottom floors -- selling platform
upper floors -- farming areas
Family tours around the farms
Prototyping
"Do you think that this can increase the transparency of the food?" 6 said yes 
"Will you trust what you are buying more?" 5 said yes; 1 said no
- How do I know that the food I am buying is the same as the one grown up in the farm?
"Do you think you will enjoy the shopping experience more?" 3 said yes; 2 said no
- Worried of hygiene
- How is farm going to be maintained in clean environment