Dear ADL,

Thank you for working with us to get out the facts on this issue. We really appreciate your support.

The rumor that Whole Foods Market has boycotted products from Israel is absolutely not true. We have never boycotted products from Israel or any other country for that matter. Whole Foods Market is discerning when it comes to quality and taste, not country of origin. We are proud to carry great-tasting products that meet our high quality standards from countries around the world, including Israel.  It’s interesting that at the exact time this rumor began to circulate, some of our buyers were actually on a sourcing trip to Israel.

As a decentralized company, we have 12 different operating regions. Those regions and even individual stores have the leeway to source their own products in addition to what’s carried nationally. This is why product availability varies greatly among our stores, including products from Israel. Some are mainstays and some are offered seasonally for Jewish holidays, depending on customer demand for each individual community.

Some national brands you’ll find in our stores include Aviv, Yehuda, and Avvio. We also carry thousands of kosher items as well as hundreds of kosher for Passover products.

We will certainly continue to source products from Israel, so we thank you for helping us clear up this false rumor.

Sincerely,

Jim Speirs
Global Vice President of Procurement
Whole Foods Market