. . . "1"^^ . "After much resistance, I hopped into this supposed mecca of overpriced organic and specialty food supermarket. I've been to the US and enjoyed shopping at Trader Joe's which specializes in organic and wholesome food products. To compare the two, I would say that Whole Foods is the Las Vegas version of Trader Joes. Packaging is flashier, they cost considerably more, and when you actually try the food, is it worth the 200% mark up over other places? ... no!\n\nI will admit this store is well laid out and has lots of high end specialty brands that are hard to get. I also do appreciate how they've brought in local specialized Ontario brands that are not easy to get out in the burbs. 23 degrees or Balzac coffee is found here but at a premium. It's an easy 20% mark up over the downtown stores. \n\nThe fresh vegetables and fruits in this store are in great condition. Crispy, healthy, and fresh. The problem is that it's such in limited amounts and this is probably because everything needs to be imported in since we're in the throes of Canadian winter. The pricing also shows that it's imported... Superstore has some organic items too but at almost 30% lower for prices. The organic blueberries here are nearly $6 but at Superstore, they were there for $4. \n\nAs for the meat and seafood, I do admire them using sustainable resources and suppliers who use ethical practices. You do pay more for these brands and I will agree they do taste better (albeit sometimes not that much better). I sometimes cringe on the higher prices but I've seen Jamie Oliver's adventure to show why it's better for ethical practices and how much more they cost. That being said, I think the Canadian prices for the exact type of products versus the US cost is a crying shame. We shouldn't be paying that much more.\n\nThe bakery, sushi, and fresh salad area takes up nearly 30% of the floor space and it's clean and filled with great selection. The scent of fresh made to order soup and grilled cheese is in the area and begs for your attention. Similar to other areas of the store, it's fresh and tasty but pricey. The salads here range from true vegan items to chicken and seafood pastas. You will never be bored as they do rotate different types here. I would be very careful on what you choose though because the salad weight quickly adds up and it's not unusual to ring in at $15 +! The lady in front of me had this happen to her and she had sticker shock. Her salads were laden with avocado, potato, and cheese... heavy items with heavy prices.\n\nOverall, it's not a bad store but I feel the products can be found in other stores where it's more affordable. It won't be on my normal grocery rotation."^^ . "2"^^ . "2013-02-12T00:00:00"^^ . "5"^^ . "3"^^ .