Whole Foods Markets (NASDAQ:WFMI) is an international supermarket chain known for its organic products, located in the US, Canada and the United Kingdom. The chain first opened its doors in 1980 when SaferWay merged with Clarksville Natural Grocery. Its first store was in Texas, then expanded to other parts of the United States, and eventually internationally.  The first Canadian store opened in 2002.  The UK followed soon after.  Currently, there are eight stores in Canada (mostly in Vancouver – there are six in the Greater Vancouver area, but only two in the Toronto area) and five in London, UK.

Whole Foods is known for its healthy lifestyle. Foods sold at the chain are also “natural.” Its stores generally have a body care section, selling products including soaps, shampoos and lotions which contain gentler ingredients than those found in other more marketed products.     Whole Foods apparently maintains a list of products they can and cannot sell – and the list is long.  For example, you won’t find body care products with AHA in them.  AHA is too harsh for Whole Foods customers.

Whole Foods also sells prepared foods.  The menus generally include pastas, vegetables, meats and a variety of ethnic foods (generally South or East Asian).  They also serve breakfast foods earlier during the day.  One of my favourites has to be scrambled tofu – tofu made to look like scrambled eggs.  The only complaint I have is that the prepared foods section in the Toronto (Yorkville) store is much too small (the Whole Foods at the  Time-Warner Center in Manhattan, for example, has more than double the selection of prepared hot foods, plus a dessert table), and for a long time, did not have a big selection of vegetables. This has improved slightly and the store now actually serves both white and brown rice. The salad section remains the same – selection was and still is excellent.

On Tuesday, January 6, Whole Foods opened at 10.37 and closed at 10.54.  Its 52 week high and low were 42.48 and 7.04.