Whole Foods Memo

Whole Foods is currently in a tough position given the state of the economy and the premium “nature” of their products. Despite recent capital infusion from a private equity firm, the future depends on their ability to grow correctly and weather this storm. Points of interest.

1. With current spend on marketing representing only 0.5% of total sales, they must identify ways to engage customers again without additional spending. They currently utilize Facebook, Twitter, Podcasts, and Blogs. What improvements can be made in these areas?

2. They have already made significant investments in green technologies to lower energy use and lower expenses. What next steps through IT should they take to facilitate these efforts?

3. The overall company focus on measurable objectives creates a culture of continuous and shared improvement. How can IT improve the measurement and availability to staff members? How can we provide metrics that seek efficiency and cost reduction across the entire organization?

These are a few of the areas that I would like to focus on within the memo. Thanks in advance for suggestions or comments.