Whole Foods Expansion Successful

Whole Foods Market's WFM expansion into smaller cities and other areas outside of its traditional suburban base is successful The New York Times reported. A recent Times article described Whole Foods' success in Boise, Idaho, the home of Albertson's headquarters and the most remote city of its size in the country. Whole Foods' natural products have a strong appeal even in more conservative and rural states such as Idaho, The Times found. The article seems to vindicate Whole Foods' strategy of expanding to 1,000 stores and tapping new markets such as inner city areas and smaller metropolitan areas. Whole Foods' strategy seems to be working, Barclays' Capital Analyst Meredith Adler told the Times. Adler admitted she had doubted the strategy but Whole Foods' success has changed her mind. Grocers Growing Fast Such good news seems to be boosting Whole Foods' share price. On Dec. 17, its shares were up 1.27% or 71¢ to $56.80, although the grocer hasn't returned to its all-time high of $65.24 which it reached on Oct. 25. Whole Foods was the only maor grocer reporting an increase in share prices on Dec. 17. On the same day Safeway Stores SWY shares fell by .47¢ or 1.44% and Kroger KR shares fell by .35¢ or .89%. Like Whole Foods both Kroger and Safeway have reported major increases in revenue in the last year. Kroger's revenue increased from $94 billion in October 2012 to $99.42 billion in October 2013, Safeway's revenue grew from $40.96 billion in September 2012 to $45.66 billion in September 2013 and Whole Foods' revenue went from $11.7 billion in September 2012 to $12.92 billion in September 2013. The grocery business seems to be growing with or without Whole Foods expansion.