Reasons to Boycott Whole Foods Markets

This is particularly applicable if you are proximate to the Whole Foods Market in Portland, Maine where fresh lobster is not only available, but is an industry. People feed, clothe and shelter their families with jobs in the lobstering industry. But they don't sell any lobsters to Whole Foods Market because Whole Foods Market is worried more about the humane treatment of lobsters than they are supportive of their human neighbors in Maine.

"Although we discovered significant improvements are possible from capture up to in-store tank conditions, we are not yet sufficiently satisfied that the process of selling live lobsters is in line with our commitment to humane treatment and quality of life for animals," said Margaret Wittenberg, vice president of quality standards for Whole Foods Market. "At this time, we believe it is too difficult to maintain consistent conditions throughout the entire supply chain to ensure the health and wellbeing of lobsters outside their natural environment for such a long period of time. Many lobsters are held in storage facilities for several months."

While it might be interesting to debate the perceived differences between "storage facilities" and the ocean floor to a lobster, or for that matter the knife-in-the-brain vs. straight-into-the-pot-of-boiling-water methods of execution, another interesting debate might involve the age-old question, "Why is it OK to sell live mollusks, but not crustaceans?" Do the Oysters not know they are -shudder- being stored on ice?!

Why should we boycott Whole Foods Market?

Reason #1:

Whole Foods Market Stops Selling Live Lobsters

AUSTIN, Texas (June 16, 2006). After evaluating the entire supply chain process, Whole Foods Market® (NASDAQ: WFMI) announced today it will stop selling live lobsters effective immediately.

We love lobster don't we? And lobster is better served very recently dispatched. Oysters are savored when served on the half-shell. Ask any supermarket, the canned oysters are not a big seller. I bet even Whole Foods Market would tell you that the frozen or previously cooked lobster doesn't sell well. We know why not, don't we? It isn't as good. Seafood is like that. We see restaurants and butcher shops touting the wonders of "aged beef," but we do not see "aged seafood" do we? No, we do not. What do we see? We see "Fresh Seafood!" "Today's Catch!"

Whole Foods Market should be able to figure out a way to provide customers with fresh Maine lobster without violating the lobsters civil rights before we dispatch them and eat them with lemon and butter.

Reason #2

There is no reason number two.

There are a number of people, and by that I mean liberals, who think that the Wall Street Journal op-ed by John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market is sufficient reason to boycott.

Please add me to the list of people who enthusiastically endorse this boycott!

People who were offended by John Mackey's op-ed should shop elsewhere. Leave the good grapes for people with rational gripes. Have fun at the Megamart! And don't forget the oysters.