Brooklyn's Progress
April/May 2007

BY ROSALIE RANCE

The world's leading natural and organic foods grocer, Whole Foods Market, hosted a two-day conference to help local food manufacturers become vendors for their stores. With the new Brooklyn-based Whole Foods Market set to open this April, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce facilitated a meeting between Brooklyn food manufacturers and Whole Food Market’s Northeast regional buyers.

Over the course of the conference manufacturers learned specifics about requirements for becoming a Whole Foods Market vendor including: acceptable and unacceptable ingredients, the process for applying for product placement, and ways to become all-natural. In addition, Brooklyn food manufacturers had the opportunity to schedule one-on-one appointments with buyers from the departments where their products would be placed.

New Chamber Member E.din Naturals was able to secure placement for the upcoming Brooklyn Whole Foods Market, and their vegan Munchies Cookies are going to be on sale in the Chelsea, Columbus Circle and Union Square stores this summer. “I got my Chamber membership value and more in this one trip!” exclaimed George Goss of E.din Naturals. “We’d been trying to meet with the right person for over a year. This conference helped us learn how to approach stores the right way, talk to people who have successfully gotten their products on shelves, share information, and plan for future growth.”

Member Hariclia Makoulis of Ambrosial Granola said she was putting off promoting her granola to stores because she wasn’t sure which product to choose from or if she could provide the right quantity. But she soon discovered how to sort the process out.

“I learned that Whole Foods can accept a delivery as small as 12 items in order to support local food producers. I also have a meeting set up later this spring for them to help me select which flavors are best for the Whole Foods shopper,” said Ms. Makoulis.

Jeff Turnas, vice president, purchasing and distribution for Whole Foods Market - Northeast Region, said that through their unique store-based buying program, Whole Foods Market can seek out all of the culinary treasures and flavors of the neighborhood community. “This allows us to partner with local food artisans and to offer as many local foods as possible. So when we open our doors in April, not only will you find great treasures from around the globe, but also from around the corner.”

Loans to Go "All Natural"
In addition to hosting the conference, Whole Foods Market (a Chamber Member) has committed to lending $10 million to established food manufacturers who want to go “all-natural.” The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is working with Whole Foods Market to facilitate the application process and to help identify food manufacturers that meet the criteria in the borough.

“Brooklyn is very important to us,” said Mr. Turnas. “We are committed to hiring 50% of our employees from the area and stocking the shelves with local food products.”

David Greenhouse of Greenhouse Essentials is in the product development stage but said, “It was beneficial to meet with the buyers from the Whole Foods area to confirm that the ingredients I am using are OK and to learn about the best packaging for my soaps and skin care products before I invest in the design.”

Whole Foods Market is planning another conference as the opening date approaches. For more information about the Chamber’s marketing programs contact Rosalie Rance, vice president, marketing & membership at rrance@brookynchamber.com. For more information about the Whole Foods Market loan program, contact Daniel Fisher, the Chamber’s director of financial services at dfisher@brooklynchamber.com or at 718-875-1000 ext. 111.