Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

New iModerate Study Reveals Differing Perceptions of Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods
  • USA - English


News provided by

Oct 28, 2015, 07:45 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Grocery Brand Wars: Trader Joe's vs. Whole Foods
Grocery Brand Wars: Trader Joe's vs. Whole Foods

Denver, CO (PRWEB) October 28, 2015 -- A new qualitative research study by iModerate, a leading consumer insights firm, found that people have vastly different views of the type of shopper who frequents Trader Joe’s vs. Whole Foods, as well as of the grocery brands themselves. Consumers tend to view Trader Joe’s as a hip, quirky store that attracts a down-to-earth crowd, while Whole Foods is seen as a pricier counterpart for those into organic and clean eating.

365 is Whole Foods chance to pivot from its elitist image and reach a new segment of shoppers that’s paying closer attention to their waistlines, but can’t afford premium prices

Post this

iModerate’s study asked over 1,000 consumers to characterize people who shop at the two chains, and what sets each brand apart. It also questioned the potential of 365 By Whole Foods Market, a new lower-cost grocery concept that has the potential to help Whole Foods improve its public perception and broaden its customer base, yet could backfire if it fails to deliver on its price and product promises.

Trader Joe’s For Quirky Tree-Huggers, Whole Foods’ For Elite and Health-Minded
Although Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods’ shoppers were described in similar ways on a surface level, with terms such as hipsters, organic, health-conscious, granola and educated, the underlying meanings reveal very different personas.

The types of people who shop at Trader Joe’s, primarily perceived as health-conscious bargain hunters, are described as wannabe flower-children who prefer to eat organic, have a California-esque granola vibe, are open minded and tend to be white in the mid-to-upper class. They were called out as, “Granola eating, earth loving, with extra money to spend.”

By comparison, the Whole Foods crowd, also driven by health-consciousness, is described as being comprised of wealthy hipsters who prefer GMO-free and local foods, are well educated and border on annoying with their liberal, granola-eating ways. They’re described as, “Rich and sometimes a hippy, but still rich.”

“Even though patrons of both stores were categorized broadly using many of the same terms, our research revealed drastic nuances,” said iModerate’s CMO Adam Rossow. “Whereas Trader Joe’s shoppers are lovingly viewed as savvy foodies who balance their preferences for healthy eating with their budgets, Whole Foods’ shoppers are painted in a much more negative light. Their willingness to shell out top dollar makes them seem elitist. The question is whether the brand image is being reflected onto them or vice versa.”

Whole Foods Wins on Freshness, Loses on Value
Trader Joe’s sets itself apart as an oasis for exotic products that can’t be found elsewhere, including wholesome snacks, international foods and gluten-free items. And while the top unique benefit identified (28%) was the healthy and organic food, many go on to profess their love for its prepackaged goods, frozen food, and cheap-yet-palatable wine – items that might not be considered the most nutritious.

“It was surprising to see consumers align benefits such as ‘healthy’ and ‘organic’ with Trader Joe’s, since its branding is explicitly focused on high value, while Whole Foods’ highlights natural and organic products in its brand position,” said Rossow.

iModerate’s research shows Whole Foods is considered above par for freshness and quality, and shoppers are drawn there for health and environmental reasons. Consumers see Whole Foods as a better option for ethically sourced food that is non-GMO and free of pesticides and additives, including grass-fed meats and local produce. It also offers obscure ingredients that expand culinary options for those with allergies or intolerances.

It’s no surprise that price emerged as a main differentiator between the two brands. Trader Joe’s was lauded for its family-friendly price point, while Whole Foods was consistently criticized for being unaffordable as a primary grocery store.    

Can 365 Reinvigorate the Whole Foods Brand?
Whole Foods is taking aim at Trader Joe’s, as well as big-box stores such as Walmart and Costco, with its 365 concept that hopes to appeal to budget-minded millennials, but will it be well received when it launches in early 2016? iModerate found that consumers are excited at the prospect, but with a caveat – they expect Whole Foods to deliver its renowned quality at traditional grocery store prices. The top unique benefit identified (36%) was the ability for more consumers to take advantage of healthy foods thanks to the lower price-point.

“365 is Whole Foods chance to pivot from its elitist image and reach a new segment of shoppers that’s paying closer attention to their waistlines, but can’t afford premium prices,” said Rossow. “Giving this population access to healthier food could create immense brand loyalty for 365 and carry over to the larger Whole Foods brand. That said, if 365 turns out to be an equally expensive or lesser-quality version of Whole Foods, the concept will backfire entirely.”

More information on the study findings can be accessed here: http://info.imoderate.com/brand-wars-grocery

Methodology
The qualitative study was conducted in September 2015. iModerate crafted open-ended questions about each brand and posed them to more than 1,000 consumers who ranged in age from 18 to 65. Questions were formulated using ThoughtPath, iModerate’s proprietary framework that’s rooted in elements of cognitive psychology. iModerate’s analysts eliminated unintelligible answers and loaded the feedback into Luminoso, a text analytics tool that formed broad themes based on the connections within the data set. Analysts then used those as a basis to construct more nuanced themes, based on clarity and intensity of language. Percentages reported are based on the share that each theme represents within the data set for each question, and are calculated after the irrelevant data was omitted.

About iModerate
iModerate is a consumer insights firm that helps clients become fluent in their audiences through a deeper understanding of their motivations, needs and language. Founded in 2004 and based in Denver, Colo., iModerate is known for pioneering and championing the online one-on-one. Guided by a proprietary cognitive framework, ThoughtPath, the firm’s conversations, analytics and longitudinal research gives clients a clear vision, actionable insights, and direct return on investment. Follow iModerate experts to hear insights on the blog, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Rebecca Scanlan, +1 (303) 733-0328, [email protected]

Modal title

Grocery Brand Wars: Trader Joe's vs. Whole Foods
Grocery Brand Wars: Trader Joe's vs. Whole Foods
iModerate
iModerate
Grocery Brand Wars: Trader Joe's vs. Whole Foods iModerate

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.