Life, food, events, and community in Albuquerque, NM
Whole Foods on Carlisle...Bulk Food has maggots!
Just thought I'd let everyone know. I bought soup mix from the bulk bins two weeks ago, and when I went to cook it today I found maggots in it. I went down to the store and found maggots crawling outside the bins. When they pulled it out of the walls there were even FLIES inside the bins, and it was completely infested.
I am completely grossed out.
I am completely grossed out.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by magoo on -
the health department has already responded, inspecting the entire bulk foods area at Whole Foods (Carlisle), and they found the maggots to be quite healthy (they are actually fluorishing).......................
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Permalink Reply by MeatyUrologist on -
That's very funny.
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Permalink Reply by zoodeb on -
Ever since Whole Foods took over Wild Oats, that store on Carlisle has gone downhill. Each week there is a new disappointment, inadequacy, shelves not restocked, bad coffee, fewer choices, higher prices, fewer sales, etc. I've stopped going, even though it is the place nearest me. The maggot thing is the Last Straw. It just goes to show how once again, getting too big can ruin a good thing. Boo hiss. PS: buy local!
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Permalink Reply by davis on -
I agree. The total ruination of the meat counter has completely mucked up my protein intake. Huh. Maybe I should check out those Huhu grubs...
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Permalink Reply by singingwater on -
Yes. Even though the name has changed to Whole Foods. It's still the old Wild Oats with apathetic employees, a dirty store that smells bad, and food that is bordering on rotting. Cheese is usually spoiled, don't dare buy the meat, and fruit and vegetables rot within a day of buying them. Try Vitamin Cottage, it's worth the drive. Maybe they will open another store somewhere else besides NE. I never go to the Co-op either, underpaid employees and too many customers with attitudes who are posing.
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Permalink Reply by singingwater on
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I just called the store manager, Brad, at the Academy Store, and he said that the Carlisle Store is getting ready for a total renovation. I told him about the discussion going on DCF and he said he is going to forward all of this to Corporate. Thankyou Shannon for making the community aware of this.
I think there should be an ongoing column or discussion regarding various restaurants in town where people have gotten sick. I am down to about 3 that I can eat at: The Frontier, Sweet Tomatoes on San Mateo, and Gardunos on 4th Street. I have called the owner of the Range Cafe about unadvertised alcohol being put in some of the deserts. He was defensive and rude. I think that posting these things here may be a way to get some changes in the food quality and health of Albuquerque. At Flying Star, there has been bone and gristle in the hamburgers at various times. I haven't been in there in more than 3 years.
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Permalink Reply by singingwater on
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I stopped going to the Olympia Cafe several years ago, when they stopped washing their lettuce for salads and started buying "prewashed" lettuce with some kind of preservative on it. I called them after vomiting an entire night. The owner's wife was pleasant enough and said she would give me washed lettuce if I requested it, specially. I wonder how much of this is contributing to the so-called "salmonella" outbreak. That and employees who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom.
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Permalink Reply by davis on
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I never understand this attitude about the co-op. Most of the employees have worked there for years, and are very friendly. And maybe some hipster hippies shop there, but so do plenty of average folks. Remember, smile and the world smiles back at you!
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Permalink Reply by singingwater on
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The problem is that the Co-op really isn't a co-op any more. It is run by people who have capitalistic values and agendas. Employees are deliberately kept at 3/4 time so they cannot get benefits, the food prices are definitely not for "average folks". This is not a comment about the people who work at the store,who I have known many of over the years, but those in management who have indeed "worked there for years" and do very little work- but do a lot of PR for themselves. I have lived in Albq for over 20 years and have observed the various transformations of the Co-op-from when it was called Osha,then a small store on Girard, and then watched how it changed when "the professionals" came in. I have been a member of Co-ops in Boston, Denver, and Montreal. This is not a co-op- don't fool yourself. Being on the Co-op board is a useful activity to build up one's resume. Look at the composition of the board- no representation of working class people or people of color. It's a social club for "the new elite". And this is a pattern that you can see in many cities, and usually coincides with gentrification of an area.
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Permalink Reply by MeatyUrologist on
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Well, on several of these points you are wrong. No one is deliberately kept at 3/4 time here. I'm not sure where you got that idea. There are of course part time employees, just like anywhere else, but there is no push from ANYONE in ANY department to keep people at low hours to deny them benefits. Oh, first I should point out, that I can only really comment on my location on Rio Grande, but if there was any such push from management to do anything like that, we certainly would feel it down here too.
Yes, the prices at the co-op are high when compared to prices at Albertsons or Smiths, but not when compared to Whole Foods, or other comparable stores (and we know because our department managers regularly make field trips to these stores to compare prices). And if you see that our meat is more expensive than at Vitamin Cottage, well, our prices on watermelons are cheaper. And if you think that our artichokes are more expensive than at Whole Foods, well, our bulk rice and flour are cheaper. We wouldn't be able to compete in business if our prices were more expensive that everywhere else. Not for the "average" Albertsons shopper, true, but definitely for the "average" Whole Foods shopper. And we're local.
And I'm sorry there is currently no person of color on our board for the moment, but there certainly have been in the past. And as for thinking that they are some sort of "new elite", and not representative of the working class; Lonn Calenta is on the board, and he works here at the co-op, making the same amount we all do. Tom Hammer who just ended his run as board member is the Bulk manager at my store, and he's no "new elite". Tamara Saimons is a nurse. Marshall Kovitz is a mediator. Stephanie Dobbie is an environmental educator. So what exactly are you talking about?
And just so you know, I have no special attachment or loyalty to the co-op. I have no plan to make working here my career, and I will move on if a better opportunity arises for me. But I've stayed here for several years, because I love the customers, and I love my co-workers. I get good benefits, and I get paid a livable wage. I get paid vacation time, sick leave... our departments even get a gain share bonus when we do well. I can't speak for how the co-op used to be. I'm sure it was very nice, and I can't deny that there is a more "corporate" feel to the place. But really, I think that most of your opinions about the Co-op are a little misguided. Hope you don't mind me trying to correct some of that.
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Permalink Reply by singingwater on
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I'm glad that you enjoy working at the coop and that it works for you. I'm also glad that you addressed so many of the points that I mentioned. I have no interest in debating with you about your points. Much of the information I have is from former employees, and from being a long time resident of Albuquerque. I hope that the problems have been remedied. Obviously you like it- you have been there for a few years and sound very loyal . I can only say that there are others who disagree with you. And that you may not know some of the history and deeper issues behind the scenes. I can understand your desire to defend your workplace that you are presently at. Your characterization of the board members still sounds elitist and exclusionary, to me.
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