Neil Fusco knows tomatoes. A trained chef and restaurateur, he is a native of the legendary San Marzano region of Italy. Growing up around some of the best tomatoes in the world, it is fitting that Neil would eventually come up with pasta sauces of his own.
“Since the 1800’s in southern Italy, my family has farmed the world’s best tomatoes, the San Marzano variety. These are the tomatoes that I use to make my Cucina Antica brand of cooking sauces as well as my new Monte Bene pasta sauces.” The tomatoes are grown at the foot of Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy, giving the San Marzano tomatoes a truly light, fresh and sweet flavor. Neil’s original brand, Cucina Antica, is sold at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide and is made from 100% DOP San Marzano tomatoes. It is one of our best selling all natural, artisanal pasta sauces.
Neil has now taken his passion for pasta sauce to another level, with a new brand that blends San Marzano tomatoes with locally grown tomatoes from farms in New Jersey. Dubbed “Monte Bene” or “Mountain of Good,” Neil’s new sauce is not only more affordable but it also reflects his desire to promote ethically and sustainably sourced products.
You may be thinking: “New Jersey tomatoes? You gotta be kidding me!” New Jersey is actually the birthplace of the U.S. tomato industry. For a century, millions of cans of brand name soups were made with tomatoes grown, processed and canned in New Jersey. The desire for lower cost raw materials and higher profits moved much of the tomato industry to the sunny valleys of California, leaving behind both farmers and boarded-up factories. Read the rest of this entry »
We are excited to let you know that the just released “Here We Grow” documentary directed by Craig King is now exclusively available in our stores. In this 65-minute film, Craig, a natural foods chef and entrepreneur, explores the current state of our food supply and seeks to educate people about living healthier, more wholesome lives through socially responsible food choices. The film intends to raise national awareness through inspiring interviews and stories that capture the passion and personal investment of a diverse group of individuals. The documentary also educates everyone on the pandemic expansion of dangerous chemicals that were introduced into food seeds and crop soils at an alarming rate over the last 40 years.
Revenues from the film go toward community projects that demonstrate the actions necessary to restore America’s health. 20% of the sales go directly to our partner, Ann Cooper, and her School Lunch Revolution project.
Here’s a trailer from the film. Check it out and look for the DVD in your local Whole Foods Market.
You probably have already heard of Foster’s Lager – it is the most popular Australian beer in the world. But you may not know that this beer has deep roots. Back in 1887 when Foster’s was first brewed, most beer was served at room temperature. Brothers William and Ralph Foster figured their fellow Australians would enjoy a cold beer in that warm climate. And they were right! The Fosters even served it with ice so it could be enjoyed at its best.
Foster’s Brewery, 1870
A classic golden Lager, Foster’s is characterized by a full-bodied malty character and is produced with exclusive yeast and with Pride of Ringwood hops, only grown in Bushy Park, Tasmania and Ovens River, Victoria. The original Foster’s arrived in the US in 1972 packaged in metal cans that looked like motor oil cans. And so it was that Americans nicknamed them “Foster’s Oil Cans.” Look for it featured in our stores in September.
Wondering what you can do NOW to create REAL CHANGE for your school lunch program?
Here’s your chance to get Chef Ann Cooper, a.k.a. the “Renegade Lunch Lady,” to your home town! Ann has been making school lunch programs healthier across the U.S. for the past decade. This is your chance to bring her to your school or district for your very own action plan to improve your lunch program. Find out more about Chef Ann and what she does at www.chefann.com.
How you present your case matters! We will be selecting the winner based on originality and your ability to showcase the need and community excitement around improving your school lunch program.
Example Video
View the video below to see an example entry that might help you with ideas on how to shape yours.
I’m not one of those people who love breakfast, but I do truly appreciate the power of the humble egg. With the exception perhaps of bananas, eggs are presented in the most perfect package nature provides. They cook quickly. They are versatile. They have just enough flavor to stand on their own, yet combine with other flavors wonderfully. Best of all, the egg is one of the most affordable sources of high-quality protein. Here are some of my favorite ways to take advantage of the nutritional and financial benefits of eggs. Most are probably obvious, but maybe you’ll pick up a new idea or be inspired to save some money by making a meal around eggs more often. Read the rest of this entry »
EFAs (essential fatty acids) are crucial for healthy growing brains and mental function. Here is straight and simple info to help you understand EFAs and how to find the ones that support children’s focus and brain function.
Douglas MacKay is a licensed naturopathic doctor who serves as Nordic Naturals Research Advisor. He is Founder of Makai Naturopathic Center in Dover, NH.
We are so excited to announce that we have just finalized the largest purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs) ever made by a U.S. retailer. Woo hoo! Whole Foods Market purchased 776 million-kilowatt-hours of RECs from wind farms, which equals 100% of our company’s electricity use in all of our North American locations. And that’s not all! Nearly 90% of this year’s purchase is specifically helping fund E.ON Climate & Renewables’ (EC&R) Texas-based Panther Creek wind farm. Our investment is going to help bring new power to the grid.
I’m not sure when exactly but a few years ago I noticed I was eating fewer salads with salad greens as the base ingredient – opting instead for cucumbers or tomatoes. At first I thought my tastes had changed but on closer examination, I realized it was not me but the salad green itself that had undergone a transformation. As I spoke with other folks in the industry, I was surprised to find they had similar experiences. Sales continued to grow as new blends and packaging styles emerged but something was missing for me. This led me on a search for the perfect salad.
Okay, let’s be clear right off the bat: I like a good cup of coffee. But unfortunately, it doesn’t like me back. I’m super caffeine sensitive, darn it! I like tea and chocolate too, but even these I have to moderate. Caffeine comes in other forms too – sodas, energy drinks, supplements and medications. This stimulant is all around us.
So what exactly is caffeine? It’s a flavorless chemical alkaloid that is naturally present in coffee beans, tea, kola nut and cocoa beans. It can be made synthetically and is often added to medicines, appetite suppressants and energy boosting drinks. Because it acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system, when you ingest it, you feel alert, awake and peppy. Caffeine has been shown to affect mood, stamina, the cerebral vascular system, and gastric and colonic activity. Read the rest of this entry »
We got it! That’s right, just in time for the Jewish High Holy Days, we now offer a new line of certified kosher chicken and turkey, available in most of our U.S. stores. (We say “most” because our meat buyer says that some of our smaller stores don’t have room to carry much and others may sell out, so we want to be cautious and not over-promise. You can always call your local store to check availability.)
These new products are provided by Kosher Valley™, a new certified kosher brand from Hain Celestial Group (Hain Pure Protein), and are certified by Rabbi Yechiel Babad and the Orthodox Union. Kosher Valley’s antibiotic-free kosher line is one of the first of its kind in the United States.
According to Kosher Valley, many steps in kosher poultry processing are still performed by hand. Specially trained rabbinical inspectors check each bird ensuring that it is of the highest quality and processed in accordance with the kosher standards of cleanliness, purity and wholesomeness. All Kosher Valley poultry is hand-salted, inside and out, to remove blood since meat with blood in it is considered non-kosher. After salting, each bird is soaked three times in icy water to thoroughly cleanse the bird and remove the salt.
Like all poultry sold at our stores, the new Kosher Valley products must also meet our strict standards requiring that the birds are raised on a vegetarian diet with no antibiotics. Looks for kosher poultry in our stores now, including fresh and frozen whole young turkeys, ground turkey, fresh and frozen chicken, and tray packs of both turkey and chicken.
Welcome to Whole Story, the official blog of Whole Foods Market.
Don’t know us? In a nutshell, we are the world's leading natural and organic grocer and we’re passionate about healthy food and a healthy planet. Learn more about us.
We’re lucky to have a whole bunch of smart, passionate people doing incredible things in areas like organics, supporting local growers, green practices, fair trade, micro-lending and all kinds of food related stuff. We’ll use this blog to share some of the cool things going on around here.
Of course, what makes this blog really exciting is YOU — so join the conversation!
Subscribe via RSS
We are excited to let you know that the just released “Here We Grow” documentary directed by Craig King is now exclusively available in our stores. In this 65-minute film, Craig, a natural foods chef and entrepreneur, explores the current state of our food supply and seeks to educate people about living healthier, more wholesome lives through socially responsible food choices. The film intends to raise national awareness through inspiring interviews and stories that capture the passion and personal investment of a diverse group of individuals. The documentary also educates everyone on the pandemic expansion of dangerous chemicals that were introduced into food seeds and crop soils at an alarming rate over the last 40 years.
I’m not sure when exactly but a few years ago I noticed I was eating fewer salads with salad greens as the base ingredient – opting instead for cucumbers or tomatoes. At first I thought my tastes had changed but on closer examination, I realized it was not me but the salad green itself that had undergone a transformation. As I spoke with other folks in the industry, I was surprised to find they had similar experiences. Sales continued to grow as new blends and packaging styles emerged but something was missing for me. This led me on a search for the perfect salad.
Okay, let’s be clear right off the bat: I like a good cup of coffee. But unfortunately, it doesn’t like me back. I’m super caffeine sensitive, darn it! I like tea and chocolate too, but even these I have to moderate. Caffeine comes in other forms too – sodas, energy drinks, supplements and medications. This stimulant is all around us.
