The health-food store Whole Foods is known for being more expensive than other grocery stores and it’s also known for providing a premium shopping experience. Its stores have additional amenities such as bars that you might not see elsewhere. Additionally, Whole Foods stocks lots of premium health-food brands and carries a wide range of natural and organic groceries. You’ll also see lots of vegan and vegetarian food there. Anyway, here are some other stores that are like Whole Foods.
Lassens
The regional health-food store Lassens also sells vitamins, supplements, pure fruit juices, bulk foods, and other products that health foods carry but other grocery stores may not have in stock. Additionally, because Whole Foods prefers to place its grocery stores near universities, there are several cities in my area that have Lassens stores but don’t have Whole Foods stores.
So even though Lassens is a regional chain, it’s easier to get to than Whole Foods in some Southern California cities. And while Lassens and Whole Foods carry many of the same products, each store also has some specialty items that aren’t available at the other store.
Erewhon
With several grocery stores in Los Angeles, Erewhon has emerged as a new and trendy supermarket. It’s known for its celebrity-branded smoothies that cost about $20 each. Aside from that, Erewhon is a health-food store that pays attention to small details such as storing soup in glass containers instead of plastic containers. Shoppers who are willing to pay a premium for health food will pay attention to these details.
While Whole Foods is an upscale store that’s known for its high prices, this store might have even higher prices than Whole Foods.
Gelson’s
Another popular chain in the Los Angeles area, Gelson’s is positioned as the “super” supermarket. While it does sell health food, it comes across as more of a premium grocery store than a specialized health-food store to me. Like the other upscale grocery stores, it carries high-end food brands and also provides additional amenities to its customers. Gelson’s also has in-store bars but aside from Whole Foods most grocery stores do not provide this amenity.
This might be a good store to go to if you’re more interested in a luxurious shopping experience than you are in health food. Unlike health-food stores, Gelson’s also has in-store pharmacies. Shoppers at health food stores often prefer to use supplements and vitamins instead of pharmaceutical products to treat their health issues.
Sprouts
Another national health-food store chain, Sprouts is often considered Whole Foods’ main rival. In the past, many people saw Sprouts as a discount version of Whole Foods but I’d say that Sprouts has become more of an upscale store now. Like Lassens, Sprouts is also willing to expand into wealthy neighborhoods that are not located near universities so there are cities in my area that have Sprouts and Lassens stores but not Whole Foods stores.
Depending on where you live, it might be easier to drive to a Sprouts store than a Whole Foods store, especially if you don’t live near a university or a college. Other health-food stores are frequently located near universities or cities with countercultural populations as well.
Bristol Farms
Another high-end supermarket with several locations in the Los Angeles area, Bristol Farms is another store where you might run into a celebrity such as a musician or a movie star. It’s also known for selling very high-quality produce from local farms in the Los Angeles area. Like other health-food stores, Bristol Farms also has a reputation for high prices but its food quality is much better than the food quality at a typical supermarket.
Ralphs Fresh Fare
While Ralphs is a traditional grocery store that’s similar to other Kroger-brand grocery stores, Kroger has also created Ralphs Fresh Fare stores to cater to wealthier customers whose alternatives include upscale stores like Whole Foods. There are Fresh Fare stores in upscale Los Angeles suburbs such as Agoura Hills and Porter Ranch. Basically, a Ralphs Fresh Fare store is a premium version of a regular Ralphs store that’s likely to have more health food in stock as well.
The choice between Ralphs Fresh Fare and Whole Foods might depend on whether you’re specifically interested in shopping at a health-food store or if you’re more interested in a premium shopping experience.