PalenQ

I recently went to London's new Whole Foods Market store on Kensington High Street.

WFM opening in London was last fall or so the subject of some lengthy and interesting discussion on Fodors with the prevailing opinion that the jury was out on its ultimate success.

Well to me the jury is in. WFM will be a presence IMO in London for a longtime and much more a presence than now. I read in the papers that none the less than the Royal Properties or whatever they call the Queen's vast real estate holdings worth an estimated 7 billion pounds and which owns nearly all of London's Regent Street is trying to remake the stately street into one of Europe's premier and unique shopping venues was hoping to land an upscale food retailer and especially said 'like Whole Foods Market' - pointing out the many offices in the area around Oxford Circus.

And a visit to the Kensington store late on a Sunday afternoon in February showed a hubbub of patrons. the place has a gazillion cashiers - at least forty or so it seemed and all were constantly busy serving the one line that feeds into them. About 25 people were waiting in the line to be served and most had handbaskets overflowing with pricey goods.

Though initially folks saw there were no delivery service or convenient parking signs in the store said that any order of 50 pounds or more would be delivered - free it seems though not sure - by 'eco scooter' - emphasizing the eco that the store hopes to help burnish its green tint.
There were about 15 carts, fully laden sitting near the exit with the address on it to where they were to be eco delivered.

It seemed that WFM's upper story restaurant could be its gold mine. Though an hour before closing things were winding down there i could still see most tables occupied - there are several different cafeteria style feeding troughs with mouth-watering and no doubt 'whole' foods. A few hundred folks could be seated. And i can see in Oxford Circus area folks from offices inundating this appealing style eatery - the presentation was good and there was a casualness to the environs.

So it seems if this seemingly average day or perhaps below average because workers weren't around is typical i'd say WFM will become a London feature with more to follow. Indeed though there were quite a few Yanks there i also noticed many wealthier ethnic types and tourist types as well.

Anyone else been to WFM and what were your experiences with whether the market was busy or not?

And clients who spent 100 quid would get two free hours of parking in a nearby parking garage.

flanneruk

If you think 40 checkouts in an 80,000 sq ft store is "gazillions", you've got a terrific future running a tiny food chain in Texas.

And if you think royal patronage - and I speak as a former director of a food store with a Royal Warrant - is any indication a shop can do £1.5million in sales a week, I hear Ford wants a strategy analyst for this funky new Edsel car they're just invented.

LJ

Haven't had a chance to see the one in London, but I am blown away by the notion of delivery (free or otherwise, eco-or otherwise). Our WFM here in TO, does not, to the best of my knowledge offer any such service.

Is that typical of London grocery retailers or is it just because of the lack of parking?

PalenQ

If you think 40 checkouts in an 80,000 sq ft store is "gazillions", you've got a terrific future running a tiny food chain in Texas

depends on the products being bought and the profit margins

yeh in a Tesco Extra there are many more customers and in the highly competitive supermarket business profit margins are amazingly thin

But i think we're talking about a different creature in WFM - folks paying a premium with expectations of it being whole, like in wholesome

so i'm not sure the comparison to a small chain in Texas and Tescos, etc is valid

I do realize you're probably calling Whole Foods Market the small chain in Texas?

Anyway WFM Kensington was humming much more than i expected and as i said above i'd bet the instore catering eatery upstairs could be the real money maker.

skriss

I am so glad that someone mentioned this. My family and I will be staying in London for an extended time and we are vegetarians and try to eat primarily organic foods...I know Tesco (sp?) has organic foods, but I am glad to know that there is a whole foods!

PalenQ

<And if you think royal patronage>

it's not patronage at all

the Crown Estates, i believe that's the proper title of the Queen's or monarch's vast land holdings in the U.K. and supposedly operating as a public entity whose 'excess profits are paid to the Exchequer' according to one article i read

anyway they are not giving out any royal patronage BS to stores to relocated to Regents Street but are seeking to attract the most spiffy, upscale stores including the likes of H&M, Apple, fashion stores, etc

That in the newspaper article i read that they were hoping to attract 'an upscale food store like Whole Foods Market' simply means to me that WFM has established itself as something they want

BTW the Tesco supermarket about opposite Kensington WFM had a handful of cashiers open with folks buying less i would say in total value than at WFM across the way. I guess Tesco's, which had two floors and seemed about the same size as WFM, will be going out of business in that high-rent location soon?

I don't really cotton to WFM and the upscale food concept where you pay twice as much for something sold on a hope and a promise as well as superior presentation - indeed it was the only supermarket i was in in England that had wide enough aisles to leisurely shop.

But as with Starbucks don't underestimate the willingness of folks flush with money to pay twice as much for something as they used to.

That said i was impressed with prices in WFM for things like organic juices and WFM own 365 or whatever brand they call it.

travelgourmet

&quot;<i>WFM own 365 or whatever brand they call it.</i>&quot;

Be very wary of this brand. There a plenty of duds in the lineup. Some good stuff, too, but more duds than you would expect.

I think Whole Foods will do well. I say this because I had, for too long, dismissed it in the US, saying &quot;it's too expensive&quot;, but it keeps churning along. They aren't going to replace Tesco everywhere, but they do a very robust business in affluent, urban areas and London has plenty of those.

And the shop on Kensington High Street is a very nice shop, nicer even than your average US Whole Foods.