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2008-09-03
p.o.p. goes to Whole Foods Market
(the pilgrimage and UPDATE)
UPDATE:  Thanks to all of our customers who have been so supportive about p.o.p. getting into Whole Foods.  Many of you have mentioned personally going to the National and Barrington store -- where we'll be launching into Whole Foods -- to ask for p.o.p. to help prompt things along!  We appreciate your interest, and our recent contact with WF indicates that things are still on track to get p.o.p. in, which is something we appreciated hearing, given today's economic climate.  As soon as we learn of an official begin date, we'll post it to this site and let you all know! 
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We've been thrilled about people's interest in p.o.p. candy since we first launched in January 2008.  We thought nothing could top the call we received from Daily Candy after an editor tried p.o.p. and wanted to run a feature (a total surprise!).  We were wrong.  A few weeks later, we received a similar email from Whole Foods.  A regional manager had picked up some p.o.p. at a one of the Venice/Mar Vista markets carrying our product, and was very interested in Whole Foods carrying our product.  And so our trek began.

Before any tasting, we were presented with a daunting list of Whole Foods ingredient no-no's.  If one item was even sat in close proximity to our candy, we were out.  No problem there; our ingredients are all natural and Whole Foods friendly.  Check!  Next, they asked about p.o.p.'s environmental position related to our candy.  Since we follow a "light carbon imprint" philosophy that includes our product being air-dried and delivered via our p.o.p. mobile that gets 31 mpg ... they were pleased. Great.  Another check!  Further, we shared our thoughts about our "p.o.p. giving" arm -- how we give back to the community -- which has been a very important part of our business from Day One.  We were proud to find that Whole Foods saw p.o.p. as a good match.  Next, a panel tasting (the REAL test).

In short, they were floored, and immediately began to discuss next steps to get us on their shelves.  So that's where we've been for the past two months ... food lab testing, sealed packaging, nutritional labels, UPC codes, etc., etc.  Now at the final stretch of the process, our retail packaging looks great!  While we wait for our September launch date from Whole Foods, we're taking p.o.p. to other fine food markets and locations that our customers have been wanting to see us in.  We've got a short list going.  Let us know where you'd like to see p.o.p.  We welcome your suggestions.

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