Low Cost Organic Foods Coming to Austin Texas

A new natural foods chain is coming to Texas that promises low cost organic and other natural foods and products. The Boulder, Colorado based Sunflower Farmers Market "touts its rock-bottom prices, convenience and wide selection of produce". For those who feel Whole Foods is too pricey, that you, as the longstanding joke says, have to use your "whole paycheck" to shop there, the new market offers an alternative. The first Texas Sunflower Farmers Market opened in Plano November 12th. In January, a market is planned for Austin located at William Cannon Drive and Manchaca Road. Currently in Austin, the major natural food stores are Whole Foods, HEB's Central Market, Sun Harvest and Wheatsville Coop. What I find interesting to is that Sunflower was started by Mike Gilleland of Boulder who co-founded Wild Oats in 1987. At one time Whole Foods CEO John Mackey sent his Wild Oats rival Gilleland the board game "Risk" and Gilleland reciprocated with "Twister" in a competitive showdown. The two now, no longer talk but both companies became publicly held anyway. There was no longer that sense of ownership. Then in 2007 Whole Foods bought Wild Oats, its largest competitor but "the Federal Trade Commission is still contesting the purchase on antitrust grounds". I am excited to see a new place to buy great healthy food .

The Austin American Statesman's Business section ran a great article on Sunflower Farmers Market Nov. 23, 2008