BRINGING WHOLE FOODS MARKET TO GRAND RAPIDS, MI (RESEARCH PAPER)

Running head: WHOLE FOODS TO OPEN NEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS 1

Research to help with opening a Whole Foods near college students

Miranda P. Bator

Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI

WHOLE FOODS TO OPEN NEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS 2

Research to help with opening a Whole Foods near college students

Abstract

Summarize research problem, methods, and results. A Whole Foods will be opening up a new

location in the area of Eastown Grand Rapids, Michigan. College students in the area are a huge

audience to be considered, with the goal of having young adults buy organic and healthier foods.

The potential problems will be investigated through secondary and primary research, specifically

by the use of a focus group and a survey. The responses of the focus group members and their

implications are discussed within this paper. The data from the survey is also discussed and

analyzed here.

Keywords and phrases: “College students” OR undergraduates OR “Millennials” OR “young

adults” OR “university students”, “Healthy eating” OR “nutrition value” OR “eating habits” OR

organic, “Budget*” OR “spending money” OR “saving money” NOT calorie*, “Grand Rapids”

AND “markets” OR “grocery shopping*”


The purpose of this study is to research the various components explaining pros and cons

for Whole Foods opening a location near where several college aged young adults live.

Information that is important to consider, for example, is whether college students put value in

purchasing organic, sustainable foods and products. We also need to consider how aware college

students are of Whole Foods, healthy eating benefits, and the importance and benefit of local

markets.

Other important factors to look into are how much money students typically spend on

groceries, their eating habits (including attitudes on budgeting more for high quality foods), and

where they are shopping for their groceries currently. The current demographics (specifically the

make-up of the young-adult population and college enrolled students) in Grand Rapids is another

noteworthy aspect of research to consider. All of this information will help Whole Foods Market

to determine if opening a new store in Eastown Grand Rapids will produce an economic boost

for the company.

The following sections describe secondary research found for this purpose, explain the

results from a focus group directed, and give the results for a survey conducted. Also included is

an overall discussion and set of recommendations to the client. Appendices are also included.

Secondary Research

To conduct secondary research, I investigated various databases found through the Grand

Valley State University (GVSU) library website to find relevant articles and scholarly journals

that pertain to the research questions. I synthesized US government sources, particularly data

from the US Census Bureau, to obtain demographic information and statistics. I also utilized


scholarly research, trade publications, and general news publications by the use of the GVSU

library database.

Whole Foods Market opened its first store in Austin, Texas in 1980 and has since

expanded to 422 stores in North America and the United Kingdom (Whole Foods Market).

Whole Foods Market’s core values are high quality natural and organic foods, customer

satisfaction, team member happiness, profits and growth, support in local communities,

environmental stewardship, partnerships, and healthy eating education.

There are nearly 20 farmer’s markets, local farms, and almost 40 “farm-to-fork

restaurants” in Grand Rapids. Farm to fork eating is “independent…restaurants (that) rely on

local farms for at least some of their food ingredients - produce, dairy, meat and more,” (“Fork to

Farm”). With such a vast selection and obvious importance placed on local eating, this would

impose a competition for a Whole Foods Market in Grand Rapids. Other competitions include

cheaper priced chain-store markets, such as Meijer, SpartanNash, Kroger, Family Fare, and

others located in the greater Grand Rapids area.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 20,000 people living in Grand

Rapids between the ages of 20 and 24 (nearly 11% of the entire Grand Rapids population). Out

of all Grand Rapids citizens enrolled in school, nearly 31% are enrolled in college undergraduate

programs. Out of all citizens living in Grand Rapids, regardless of age, approximately 12% are

enrolled in an undergraduate program (“School Enrollment”). In Grand Rapids, there are over 15

institutions of higher education, including Grand Valley State University, Calvin College,

Aquinas College, and many more accredited institutions (“Grand Rapids Colleges”). Placing

such a high importance on higher education, Grand Rapids is home to several thousands of


undergraduate students. This explains how college-aged students are a major target audience for

the Whole Foods Market scenario.

Low-income populations, namely college-aged people, are more sensitive to price

changes than any other members of the population. Increasing food prices or falling incomes

create pressure to buy foods at lower cost, which makes processed, high-caloric foods more

viable options (Andreyeva, Long, and Brownell, 2010). Unhealthy foods are generally cheaper

and more easily accessible than healthy and organic foods. As college students are short on both

time and money, this presents a problem for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which is one of the

main components to Whole Foods Market and their customers. If a person does not have the

same values as a company, they typically will not shop there.

On the other hand, the millennial generation has been known to be more health and

environmentally conscious and aware of the ethical standards of food production (Crowder,

Shoulders, and Rucker, 2014). Provided with higher education, these students are more

conscious of sustainability and green movements compared to those of other age groups. These

ideals are high values of Whole Foods Market, which would attract the college-aged, millennial

generation to purchase food at this market. If marketed and advertised properly, the main focuses

of Whole Foods Market will attract the young adults in the area and bring them into the store

more.

The problem of price, however, is still a large factor. Since healthier, organic foods are

more expensive than processed, high-caloric foods, the low-income college aged young adults

will have an issue with spending extra money on these food items. The solution to this would be

to lower the prices of organic foods. “Lower prices of healthier food options would facilitate the

general population in choosing them over the less healthier items available,” (Hussain et al,


2015). This means that not only would the low-income groups purchase more healthy foods

provided by Whole Foods, but also the rest of the Grand Rapids population would be more

attracted to the market.

In the study conducted by McKinley, it is explained that with a source of social support,

people have a stronger drive for being thin and healthy, as opposed to those without any social

support. Being in college forces students to be in social settings on a regular basis. This explains

how college aged young adults have a higher drive to be healthy and purchase more organic and

health conscious groceries. Many young adults in college see the value of healthy foods and will

actively go out and purchase foods of higher health value, given the social stigma and pressure to

be fit and healthy.

Opening a Whole Foods Market in Grand Rapids presents a few problems, namely high

cost of organic foods not appealing to the target audience and local competitors already

established, with attitudes and habits already formed from the target audience. However, college

educated peoples are more likely to see the value in organic and healthy foods than those not

college educated. Also, the millennial generation and those in college place a value on eating

healthy, being sustainable, and having a fit body based on higher education on the importance of

these and having the social pressure constantly surrounding them to be healthy and sustainable.

The recommended next steps would be to conduct primary research. This would include

conducting a focus group composed of college aged students to discuss the importance placed on

the purchasing of organic foods, average budget analysis, and marketing strategies successful

with the millennial age group. Other primary research would include surveys conducted,

experiments involving advertising preferences, or possibly even further research.


Focus Group

Method

We conducted a focus group within a classroom at Grand Valley State University in Lake

Superior Hall. The focus group was not recorded but there were four people taking notes

throughout. We had one group moderator who facilitated the six participants involved. The

sampling method used here was convenience sampling, based on the low availability of

volunteers. Out of the six participants, five were females and one was male. All members

involved were either juniors or seniors in college. All members also live in either in Greater

Grand Rapids or Holland, MI, which is near the target location. At the beginning of the focus

group, the moderator described to the participants the purpose and explained the informed

consent. It was explained that the participants could leave whenever they wanted, that all

information would be kept confidential, and informed that the information collected would be

used for research purposes only. The moderator explained the rules of no electronic devices, to

be respectful at all times, and to only have one person speaking at once. The focus group then

began and lasted about 45 minutes.

Results and Discussion

After being asked about grocery store preference, most participants preferred Meijer out

of all the grocers available in the area. When convenience was a primary factor, all the

participants would shop at Meijer. When convenience was taken out as a factor all the

participants said they would still shop at Meijer. Familiarity and large selection played a factor in

these answers. All participants would go to Meijer because the options are larger, there are more


sales and the items are cheaper. Meijer also hosts a student day, full of sales and events, at the

beginning of each school year, which works as a way to draw college students in to become

frequent shoppers of Meijer. This shows that the most important factors in grocery store loyalty

in this area are a large selection, sales/ cheaper options, and familiarity with the store and their

products.

When speaking about Whole Foods, four out of six participants (67% of participants) had

heard of or been to a Whole Foods before. When asked to imagine what type of person shops at

Whole Foods, respondents either said upper-middle class people with children who value health

or younger, hipster-esque adults. A person who follows a fad is called a hipster, and this term

came up frequently. Types of people who follow fads are typically vegans or vegetarians, and

one participants said those are the type of people who shop at Whole Foods. The whole group

agreed upon was the idea that Whole Foods carries products at are considered fads. A female

participant said, “A big thing about having a sustainable world is a fad that Whole Foods

portrays.” Many participants agreed that since the drive to Eastown is a bit of a drive, it would

only be a trip for special items, not for general grocery shopping. This shows that many

participants do not associate with the stereotypical shopper of Whole Foods. This could create a

feeling of separation between the target audience and the actual potential shoppers at Whole

Foods.

The group moderator also asked questions about advertising and what attracts people to

certain grocery stores. Most participants agreed that a fresh, colorful look to produce or fresh

foods sections in grocery stores is most attractive and makes them want to shop there more.

The group concluded unanimously that they do not follow brands on Twitter for information

and that word of mouth is more powerful to the participants than social media advertisement.


The best way for people to receive advertising, based on the responses, is through Snapchat,

outdoor ads, flyers, websites, and others like this.

Limitations and Recommendations

Some potential problems would be the bias of our classroom. The participants of the

focus group were all members of the research group, meaning there could be a bias towards the

results in favor of Whole Foods. A typical focus group also has about twelve participants, which

we only had six. This could cause an error in results. If we had used another sampling methods

instead of convenience, we probably would have yielded better results. Another problem could

have been the allotted time. If the focus group lasted longer, better results could have been

yielded.

Going forward, it would make sense to have another focus group that has more

participants, a longer time allotment, and use a different type of sampling method to produce

more accurate results. By doing this, the results from another focus group will help the client to

get a better idea of what the target audience needs, wants, and hopes for in the event of opening a

Whole Foods. Another step to take would be to create a survey based on the findings of this

focus group and distribute it. Using the key findings from the secondary research and this focus

group, our research team made a survey to generate more accurate, more concise results.

Survey

Method

The survey we created was made by the website Qualtrics and was distributed out

through email to the rest of the classmates. The survey was about 10 minutes long, with 34


questions about various topics regarding grocery stores, budgeting, as well as demographic

information. The sampling method used was convenience, by sending the survey to the class

members. Shown in Appendix B, 73% of participants were female and 27% were male. 82% of

participants are between the ages of 20 and 23 and 18% are 24 or older. Further, all participants

are either juniors or seniors.

Results and Discussion

Out of all respondents, 82% said that they shopped at Meijer for their major grocery

retailer. This is largely based on convenience and pricing options. The chart below, Chart B1,

shows the respondents value placed on various qualities of grocers.

Price

Proximity

Familiarity

Selection

Store Environment

Retailer Specific Rewards

Coupons

Ads

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

7

6

7

5

3

3

1

1

Chart B1 - Reasons for Choosing a Grocer

Importance of Quality

As you can see, the most valuable qualities of grocers are price, familiarity of products,

and proximity. This would explain why respondents choose Meijer, having many locations in the

greater-Grand Rapids area. They also offer many deals, sales, and specials on their products,

which addresses the price aspect of attraction. Having several locations across the state also


gives the respondents the familiarity of the store, which is the other important quality stated by

the survey results.

When it comes to Whole Foods, all participants had heard of Whole Foods but only 63%

of people had actually visited Whole Foods. This is based on the fact that there are no Whole

Foods locations on the west side of Michigan, where all participants currently live. All those who

had visited stated that they did not enjoy Whole Foods because of the expensive products.

Store Atmosphere25%

Never Been to Whole Foods14%

Variety of Foods18%

Premade Foods7%

Healthy Options14%

Gluten Free/ Dairy Free options

4%

Fresh Produce11%

Staff was Friendly and Helpful7%

Chart B2: respondents value in Whole Foods

In the chart above, the respondents were asked what they liked about Whole Foods and

that is their responses. The store environment and variety of food seem to be the largest appeal

for this group of respondents.

For shopping behaviors, 78% of respondents stated that they often or always shop for

produce. However, 67% stated that they believe their eating habits are neither healthy nor


unhealthy. For spending behaviors, seven out of eleven respondents spend over $100 on

groceries every time they shop.

Respondents also stated that their main method to hear about local businesses is through

flyers passed out around campus. They also stated that the most common uses of social media

are through Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest. These would be god uses of advertisement for the

target audience.

Limitations and Recommendations

Some potential problems that could arise with the data is a problem with sampling

method. By using convenience sampling, our results could be not as accurate as they would be if

we used a more diverse, more valid form of sampling. Another problem is the sample size. We

only had about ten responses. Our results would be more generalizable if we had a much larger

sample size. Time is also a problem here. The survey was conducted and results were collected

in a very short amount of time. Had more planning and effort gone into the preparation of the

survey, we could yield better results.

Some possible further steps would be to have another focus group to generate a better set

of survey questions, which would then be information to create another survey. If another survey

is conducted and distributed to a larger sample size, better and more generalizable results would

be created. This way a better conclusion of results could be determined for the client.

Discussion and Conclusion

Based on the results from the focus group and survey, many generalizations can be made

for the target audience of college students in greater Grand Rapids. In order for Whole Foods to

make an educated decision on whether or not to open a location in Eastown Grand rapids, it is


important to analyze the information presented from the focus group and survey. The focus

group showed that students put great value in price, proximity, and variety of products when

choosing a grocery store to shop at. It also showed that students have some awareness of Whole

Foods, but not much based on lack of familiarity. The general consensus was that a typical

shopper at Whole Foods is a person who has money and is concerned with their health habits.

When looking at the survey, it is apparent that location, price, and familiarity with

products are the biggest deciding factors in whether or not college aged students will shop at a

grocery store. The most notable things about Whole Foods were the variety of products, store

environment, and healthy options. None of these things were listed of high importance by the

participants. It is also seen that Facebook, Pinterest, flyers on campus, and Snapchat are the most

highly used form of traffic for advertisement by the target audience.

Looking at all of the data, Whole Foods should reach out to students through on-campus

interactions, social media, and sale promotions to gather students to come to the opening of

Whole Foods. They should also take note of the importance placed on convenience, price, and

familiarity. Once those three things are seen by students, they will likely be more inclined to visit

the new location and shop there frequently.

Appendices

Appendix A: Focus Group Guide Outline

I. Introductory Material (5 Minutes)

A. Say welcome and explain the main purpose of the focus group

i. Moderator introduces themselves to participants.


ii. Explain the purpose for the focus group: We are here today to learn more

about area college students’ perceptions of grocery retailers and what their

own grocery shopping behaviors are.

B. Explain the signing of informed consent form and the purpose for it

i. Tell participates their presence here is important and completely

voluntary.

ii. Participants are allowed to leave at anytime for any reason

iii. All personal information is kept confidential. Names are only used for

researchers to analyze the data.

iv. Verify that people are 18 years or older

v. Explain session will be audio/video recorded to share with client and for

analysis.

vi. Explain that all information will be only used for this research project.

vii. Familiarize participants with location of restrooms, etc.

viii. Please make sure you have shut off and put away all of your electronic

devices as they can be a distraction to other participants in the group. If

you need to excuse yourself to check your device at some point, please

feel free to do so.

C. The focus group will take approximately 45 minutes

D. Explain Guidelines and rules for focus group

i. No cell phones should be used

ii. Address the group and not just the moderator


iii. Speak up whenever you have anything you find interesting to say. There

are no wrong answers

iv. Do not hold back with answers.

v. Be respectful of those around you.

vi. One person should be speaking at a time.

II. Participant introductions to group (4 minutes)

A. Ask everyone to say their name, year in school, and major.

III. Main discussion (30-35 minutes)

A. Awareness , attitudes and behavior on grocery retailers generally

i. Opening question: Awareness of grocery retailers generally:

Tell me about some national or local grocery stores you know

about or have shopped at.

ii. How do you decide where you are going to buy your groceries?

a. Possible probes to look for and explore: price, location,

convenience

iii. Tell me about your grocery shopping process. What

information do you use during your shopping trip?

a. Probes: Do you make a list? Do you use sale flyers? Do

you use rewards programs?

iv. Tell me about your trips to the grocery store. How often do you

go in a month? Why?

a. Probe: Is transportation an issue? Time? Other issues?


v. How do you prioritize your monthly budget? Or, how high of a

priority is grocery shopping relative to your other spending

priorities?

B. Awareness, attitudes, and behavior related to organic or healthy or locally

grown foods

i. Tell me about your eating habits?

a. Probe: Eat out a lot

b. Probe: Cook at home?

c. Probe: Try to make healthy meals?

d. Probe: How do you define healthy?

ii. Tell me about purchasing food.

a. Probe: Do you look for organic or ‘grown locally’

labeling?

b. Probe: Why or why not?

iii. When I say organic food, what is the first word that comes to

mind?

a. Probe: Why?

iv. Imagine that you are in the produce or fresh meat section of

your favorite grocer. Tell me about what you look for as you

make your purchase decisions?

a. Probe: Labeling

b. Food quality

C. Awareness, attitudes and behavior related to Whole Foods specifically


i. Can you tell me the name of any national grocery chains that

focus on the healthy and organic food categories?

ii. Whole Foods is a national grocery retailer that says that they

sell the finest natural and organic foods available, maintaining

the strictest quality standards in the industry, and having an

unshakable commitment to sustainable agriculture.

iii. What do you think about Whole Foods? You can tell me based

on their description or based on your own personal experience

there as a shopper.

a. Probe: Tell me the first word that comes to mind when I

say Whole Foods.

b. Probe: Why?

iv. If you’ve been to Whole Foods, describe some of the people

you have seen shopping there. What do you imagine they are

like? What is their background, etc.

v. How many of you have shopped at Whole Foods?

a. Probe: Why have you or haven’t you shopped at Whole

Foods.

i. Whole Foods is planning to open a location in the Eastown

neighborhood of Grand Rapids. How many of you know where

Eastown is or have been there?

a. Probe: Can you explain to others in the group what

Eastown is like?


b. Probe: Are you likely to visit Whole Foods when it

opens? Probe: Why or why not?

c. Probe: If you have been to Whole Foods, what

specifically have you liked or disliked about the store

itself?

D. Attention

i. Media channel use

i. Social media: How do you use Twitter?

a. Probe: How often?


c. Probe: Do you follow any brands on Twitter?

d. Why or why not?

e. What do you expect from brands you follow on

Twitter?

ii. Social media: How about Facebook? How do you

Facebook?

a. Probe: How often?


c. Probe: Have you liked any brands on Facebook?

d. Probe: Why or why not?

e. Probe: What do you expect from brands on

Facebook?

iii. Other advertising and communication channels:


a. When you make your day-to-day purchase

decisions, what sources of information do you

use?

1) Probe: Outdoor ads, flyers, websites,

WOM, etc.

b. What sources of information do you feel you need

when it comes to deciding which grocery store

you will choose?

c. How do you get that information?

IV. Conclusion (2 minutes)

i. Thank participants for their participation.

ii. Ask if there is any closing remarks or information they would like to say.

iii. Is there anyone that needs clarification on any points?

iv. Thank you so much for your help and have a wonderful day!

Appendix B: Survey Results (Exported from Qualtrics)

Last Modified: 07/30/2015


1. What is the first word that comes to mind when you think of grocery shopping?

Text ResponseAnnoyingExpensiveBudgetingexpensiveAnnoyingMoneyannoyingSadnessCost

Statistic ValueTotal Responses 9

2. About how often do you shop for groceries?


# Answer Response %

1More than twice a week.

0 0%

2 Twice a week. 0 0%3 Once a week. 5 45%4 Biweekly. 2 18%

5Every three weeks.

3 27%

6Once a month or less.

1 9%

Total 11 100%

Statistic ValueMin Value 3Max Value 6Mean 4.00Variance 1.20Standard Deviation 1.10Total Responses 11

3. I use any flyers or sales ads when planning your grocery shopping trip.

# Answer Response %

1Not at all like me

2 22%

2 Not like me 1 11%

3Not much like me

3 33%

4 Neutral 0 0%

5Somewhat like me

2 22%

6 Like me 1 11%7 Just like me 0 0%

Total 9 100%



4. Where do you typically shop for groceries? Check all that apply. # Answer Response %1 Meijer 9 82%2 Family Fare 6 55%3 Aldi 0 0%

4Costco or Sam's Club

3 27%

5Locally owned grocery store

2 18%

6Walmart or Target

2 18%

7 Other 1 9%

Statistic ValueMin Value 1Max Value 7Total Responses 11

5. Why do you choose to shop at the retailers that you selected? Check all that apply.

# Answer Response %1 Price 7 78%2 Proximity 6 67%3 Familiarity 7 78%4 Selection 5 56%

5Store Environment

3 33%

6Retailer Specific Reward Program

3 33%

7 Coupons 1 11%8 Ads 1 11%



6. How important is convenience to you when considering a retailer to do your grocery shopping?

# Answer Response %

1Extremely Important

4 44%

2 Very Important 1 11%

15Somewhat Important

4 44%

16Neither Important nor Unimportant

0 0%

17Somewhat Unimportant

0 0%

18Very Unimportant

0 0%

19Not at all Important

0 0%

Total 9 100%



7. How important is familiarity to you when considering a retailer to do your grocery shopping?

# Answer Response %


1 11%


3Somewhat Important

1 11%


2 22%


1 11%

6Very Unimportant

0 0%


0 0%

Total 9 100%



8. How important are sales to you when considering a retailer to do your grocery shopping at?

# Answer Response %


2 22%


3Somewhat Important

2 22%


2 22%


0 0%

6Very Unimportant

0 0%


0 0%

Total 9 100%



9. How important is retail environment to you when considering a retailer to do your grocery shopping?

# Answer Response %


1 11%


3Somewhat Important

6 67%


1 11%


0 0%

6Very Unimportant

0 0%


0 0%

Total 9 100%



10. How often do you eat these foods?

# Question Never 1 day a week

2 days a week

3-5 days a week

6-7 days a week

Total Response

sMean

1Fresh meat/fish

1 1 1 6 0 9 3.33

2Fresh fruit and vegetables

1 1 1 5 1 9 3.44

3 Dairy 0 0 5 3 1 9 3.56

4

Convenience foods like chips or packaged items

0 0 2 4 3 9 4.11

5Canned meat

7 2 0 0 0 9 1.22

6Canned vegetables and fruits

3 3 3 0 0 9 2.00

7 Baked goods 2 1 5 1 0 9 2.56

8Frozen, ready-made meals

1 5 1 1 1 9 2.56

9Frozen fruits and vegetables

0 3 0 5 1 9 3.44

10

Frozen specialty items, like gluten-free breads or desserts

1 4 4 0 0 9 2.33


StatisticFresh meat/

fish

Fresh fruit and

vegetables

Dairy

Convenience foods like chips

or packaged

items

Canned

meat

Canned vegetables and fruits

Baked

goods

Frozen,

ready-

made

meals

Frozen fruits and

vegetables

Frozen

specialty

items, like

gluten-free breads or

desserts

Min Value

1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 1

Max Value

4 5 5 5 2 3 4 5 5 3

Mean 3.33 3.443.56

4.11 1.22 2.00 2.56 2.56 3.44 2.33

Variance

1.25 1.530.53

0.61 0.19 0.75 1.03 1.53 1.28 0.50

Standard Deviation

1.12 1.240.73

0.78 0.44 0.87 1.01 1.24 1.13 0.71

Total Responses

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

11. Where do you typically buy your meats from?# Answer Response %

1

From frozen section at grocery retailers.

1 11%

2From a butcher's

2 22%

3I don't buy meat

3 33%

4

From the display area at grocery stores.

3 33%

Total 9 100%



12. How often do you buy frozen foods when you go grocery shopping?

# Answer Response %1 Never 0 0%2 Rarely 1 11%3 Sometimes 2 22%4 Often 5 56%5 All the Time 1 11%

Total 9 100%



13. We'd like to get your views on some shopping issues.

# Question Strongly Agree Agree

Neither Agree

nor Disagree

Disagree Strongly Disagree

Total Response

sMean

0

I prefer to invite friends over for dinner rather than take them out to eat.

2 1 1 3 2 9 2.22

1

If a product is out of stock in a supermarket, I would substitute rather than go to another store to get it.

2 3 0 3 1 9 1.78

2

I would rather shop in a large supermarket than a small supermarket.

2 1 3 3 0 9 1.78

3

I enjoy preparing meals at home.

2 4 1 1 1 9 1.44

4I plan meals ahead of my shopping trip.

3 2 1 2 1 9 1.56

5

A supermarket is a good place to buy CDs.

0 0 1 3 5 9 3.44

6I like supermarket shopping.

1 0 5 1 2 9 2.33

7 If they are available, I

1 3 0 4 1 9 2.11


buy hot, ready-to-eat foods (e.g., pizza, chicken) in a supermarket.


8Supermarkets make too much money.

0 3 6 0 0 9 1.67

9

I use as many coupons as I can to keep my grocery bill down.

0 3 1 5 0 9 2.22

10

A supermarket is a good place to buy automotive products.

0 0 3 1 5 9 3.22

11

I like to try new grocery products when they first come out.

2 3 3 0 1 9 1.44

12

Supermarkets do a good job in meeting the needs of single shoppers.

0 4 5 0 0 9 1.56

13

Too many products are out of stock when I shop.

0 2 0 5 1 8 2.63

14

The way supermarkets are laid out makes it easy to find the products I need.

1 4 1 2 0 8 1.50

15

Supermarkets would overcharge if they thought they could.

1 4 3 0 0 8 1.25

16 I try to save time by buying all

3 3 0 2 0 8 1.13


groceries at one store.

17

I have been buying less convenience foods to cut back on my grocery spending.

0 4 0 4 0 8 2.00

18

Computerized checkout scanners benefit shoppers.

2 5 0 1 0 8 1.00

19

I normally buy some products on my grocery shopping trip that I hadn't planned to.

6 2 0 0 0 8 0.25


Statistic

I prefer to invite friends over for dinner rather than take t

If a product is out

of stock in a super

market, I would substitute rather than go to another store to get

it.

I would rather shop in a

large super

market

than a small super

market.

I enjoy preparing meals at home.

I plan meals ahead of

my shopping trip.

A super

market is a

good place to buy C

Ds.

I like super

market

shopping.

If they are available, I

buy

hot, ready-to-

eat

foods

(e.g., pizza, chicken)

in a

super

market.

Supermarkets make too much money.

I use as many coupons as I can to keep my grocery bill down.

A super

market is a

good place to buy

automo

tive products.

I like to try new grocery products when they first come out.

Supermarkets do a

good job in meeting the

needs of single shoppers.

Too many products are out of stock when I shop.

The way supermarkets are laid

out

makes it easy to find the products I

need.

Supermarkets would overcharge if they thought

they could.

I try to save time by buying all groceries at one store.

I have been buying less convenience foods

to cut

back on my grocery

spending.

Computerized checkout scanners benefit shoppers.

I normally buy some products on my grocery shopping trip that I ha


hem out to eat.

dn't planned t

o.


Min Value

0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0

Max Value

4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 2 3 4 4 2 4 3 2 3 3 3 1

Mean

2.22

1.78

1.78

1.44

1.56

3.44

2.33

2.11

1.67

2.22

3.22

1.44

1.56

2.63

1.50

1.25

1.13

2.00

1.00

0.25

Variance

2.44

2.19

1.44

1.78

2.28

0.53

1.50

1.86

0.25

0.94

0.94

1.53

0.28

1.13

1.14

0.50

1.55

1.14

0.86

0.21

Standard Deviation

1.56

1.48

1.20

1.33

1.51

0.73

1.22

1.36

0.50

0.97

0.97

1.24

0.53

1.06

1.07

0.71

1.25

1.07

0.93

0.46

Total Response

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8


s

14. How often do you purchase pre-made, specialty baked goods at the grocery store?

# Answer Response %1 Never 1 11%2 Rarely 3 33%3 Sometimes 4 44%4 Often 1 11%5 All the Time 0 0%

Total 9 100%


15. How often do you buy produce when you shop for groceries?# Answer Response %1 Never 0 0%2 Rarely 1 11%3 Sometimes 1 11%4 Often 5 56%5 All of the Time 2 22%

Total 9 100%



16. Who do you buy groceries for?# Answer Response %1 Myself. 4 36%

2Myself and my roommates.

3 27%

3My roommates buy the groceries.

2 18%

4Myself and my parents.

0 0%

5My parents buy the groceries.

0 0%

6Myself and my significant other.

1 9%

7Myself and my children.

0 0%

8

Myself, my significant other, and my children.

1 9%

Total 11 100%



17. Approximately how much money do you typically spend on groceries every time you shop? Please, enter below.

Text Response$150.00$150$60$150$20-$40$150100.00$100.0075$50-60$120


18. How do you visit local farmer's markets?# Answer Response %1 Never 4 44%

2Less than Once a Month

2 22%

3Once a Month

1 11%

42-3 Times a Month

1 11%

5 Once a Week 1 11%

62-3 Times a Week

0 0%

7 Daily 0 0%Total 9 100%



19. How well do each of the following statements describe you?

# QuestionNot at all like

me

Not much

like me

Somewhat like me

Quite a lot like

me

Just like me

Total Response

sMean

1

In general, I am willing to pay a premium for healthier foods.

0 3 5 1 2 11 3.18

2

I am very concerned with the cost of my groceries.

0 1 2 4 4 11 4.00

3

I am very concerned with sustainable companies and fair-trade grocery products.

1 3 6 1 0 11 2.64

4

I often think about the effects on the environment when deciding on what foods I'm going to eat or where I'm going to shop.

3 5 3 0 0 11 2.00

5

I am very likely to visit new, natural grocery stores that open up in the area.

2 0 2 4 3 11 3.55


Statistic

In general, I am willing to

pay a premium for

healthier foods.

I am very concerned

with the cost of my

groceries.

I am very concerned

with sustainable companies

and fair-trade grocery

products.

I often think about the

effects on the environment

when deciding on what foods

I'm going to eat or where I'm going to

shop.

I am very likely to visit new, natural

grocery stores that open up in the area.

Min Value 2 2 1 1 1Max Value 5 5 4 3 5Mean 3.18 4.00 2.64 2.00 3.55Variance 1.16 1.00 0.65 0.60 2.07Standard Deviation

1.08 1.00 0.81 0.77 1.44

Total Responses

11 11 11 11 11

20. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being "not very healthy" and 5 being "very healthy," how healthy is your diet?

# Answer Response %1 1 0 0%2 2 1 11%3 3 6 67%4 4 1 11%5 5 1 11%

Total 9 100%



21. How often do you buy organic boxed food products when you shop for groceries?

# Answer Response %1 Never 2 22%2 Rarely 2 22%3 Sometimes 5 56%4 Oten 0 0%5 All the Time 0 0%

Total 9 100%


22. Have you ever heard of or been to Whole Food's?# Answer Response %

1I've never heard of Whole Food's.

0 0%

2

I have heard about Whole Food's, but have never been.

4 36%

3I have been to Whole Food's a few times.

3 27%

4

I have at or have shopped at Whole Food's regularly in the past.

4 36%

Total 11 100%



23. What did you like about your Whole Food's visit? Check all that apply.

# Answer Response %

1I have never been to Whole Food's.

4 36%

2 Food Variety 5 45%3 Premade Foods 2 18%4 Healthy Options 4 36%

5Gluten Free/Dairy Free Options

1 9%

6Fresh Produce Options

3 27%

7Store Atmostphere

7 64%

8The staff was friendly and helpful.

2 18%



24. What did you dislike about your Whole Food's visit. Check all that apply.

# Answer Response %

1I have never been to Whole Food's.

4 44%

2They didn't carry the items I wanted.

0 0%

3It was expensive.

5 56%

4I did not like the store environment.

0 0%

5I took issue with a staff member.

0 0%


25. In general, how often do you connect with the following social media platforms?

# Question Never Rarely Sometimes OftenAll of the

Time

Total Responses Mean

1Facebook

0 1 1 1 6 9 4.33

2 Twitter 3 1 1 2 2 9 2.893 Pinterest 4 0 0 4 0 8 2.504 Myspace 9 0 0 0 0 9 1.005 Tumbler 5 4 0 0 0 9 1.446 Snapchat 3 0 1 1 4 9 3.33


Statistic Facebook Twitter Pinterest Myspace Tumbler SnapchatMin Value 2 1 1 1 1 1Max Value 5 5 4 1 2 5Mean 4.33 2.89 2.50 1.00 1.44 3.33Variance 1.25 2.86 2.57 0.00 0.28 3.50Standard Deviation

1.12 1.69 1.60 0.00 0.53 1.87

Total Responses

9 9 8 9 9 9

26. What ways have you noticed local businesses advertising to GVSU students? Please, be as specific as possible.

Text ResponseThey have flyers hanging around on campusBilboards and promotional programs like student night at MeijerThey have fliers or advertisements around campus sometimes.I notice flyers around campus for events, but have not seen other advertising around campus. I have heard of advertising in the Kirkoff Center, though.I have not notced much local business advertising. I am not on campus much. Sometimes I see thing n the Lanthorn, if I have time to read it.Flyers on campus, Facebook, e-mail, and mail.campus events, flyers, posters, kirkhof tables, football games, basketball gamesI've noticed bus advertisements and flyers posted around campus.


27. How old are you?# Answer Response %1 17 0 0%2 18 0 0%3 19 0 0%4 20 4 36%5 21 3 27%6 22 0 0%7 23 2 18%8 24 or older 2 18%

Total 11 100%



28. What is the highest level of education you have completed?# Answer Response %1 High School 3 27%

2Associates Degree

3 27%

3Technical College or Trade School

3 27%

42-year College Degree

0 0%

54-year College Degree

2 18%

Total 11 100%


29. What year are you at GVSU?# Answer Response %1 Freshman 0 0%2 Sophomore 0 0%3 Junior 3 33%4 Senior 6 67%5 Other 0 0%

Total 9 100%



30. Where do you live while you attend GVSU?# Answer Response %

1On campus in Allendale

1 11%

2On campus in Grand Rapids

0 0%

3Off campus in Allendale

2 22%

4

Off campus in or near downtown Grand Rapids

2 22%

5

Off campus in the Greater Grand Rapids Area

1 11%

6

Off campus outside of the Greater Grand Rapids area

3 33%

Total 9 100%



31. How do you primarily get around here at GVSU?# Answer Response %

1I have my own car

9 100%

2I ride with my friends who have cars

0 0%

3I use the Rapid

0 0%

4 I bike 0 0%5 I walk 0 0%6 Other 0 0%

Total 9 100%


32. What is your race?# Answer Response %1 White/Caucasian 10 91%2 African American 1 9%3 Hispanic 0 0%4 Asian 0 0%5 Native American 0 0%6 Pacific Islander 0 0%7 Other 0 0%

Total 11 100%



33. What is your gender?# Answer Response %1 Male 3 27%2 Female 8 73%

3Prefer not to answer

0 0%

Total 11 100%


34. What is your combined annual household income? (Include your parents if you still rely on them for the majority of your financial needs; do not if you and/or your spouse/significant other primarily provide for your own financial needs).

# Answer Response %

1Less than 30,000

6 55%

230,000 – 39,999

1 9%

340,000 – 49,999

0 0%

450,000 – 59,999

2 18%

560,000 – 69,999

0 0%

670,000 – 79,999

0 0%

780,000 – 89,999

1 9%

890,000 – 99,999

0 0%

9100,000 or more

1 9%

Total 11 100%




Resources

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consumption: A systematic review of research on the price elasticity of demand

for food. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 216-22.

Crowder, C. M., Shoulders, C. W., & Rucker, K. J. (2014). College Students' Perceptions

regarding Sensory Aspects of Conventionally Produced and Unconventionally Produced

Foods: Implications for Marketing to the Millennial Generation. Journal Of Applied

Communications, 98(4), 56-71.

“Fork to Farm”. Experience Grand Rapids. Retrieved on July 14, 2015 from

http://www.experiencegr.com/restaurants/farm-to-fork/

“Grand Rapids, Michigan”. City-Data. Retrieved July 9, 2015, from http://www.city-

data.com/city/Grand-Rapids-Michigan.html

“Grand Rapids Colleges”. Experience Grand Rapids. Retrieved on July 14, 2015 from

http://www.experiencegr.com/about-grand-rapids/colleges-universities/

Hussain, M. A., Noorani, S., Khan, A., Asad, H., Rehan, A., Kazi, A., & ... Kadir, M. M. (2015).

The Role of Neighborhood Environment in Promoting Risk Factors of Cardiovascular

Disease among Young Adults: Data from Middle to High Income Population in an Asian

Megacity. Plos ONE, 10(5), 1-14. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0124827

McKinley, C. J. (2009). Investigating the Influence of Threat Appraisals and Social Support on

Healthy Eating Behavior and Drive for Thinness. Health Communication, 24(8), 735-

745. Doi: 10.1080/10410230903264303


Nielsen Pop-Facts Demographics 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015, from

http://www.claritas.com/MyBestSegments/Default.jsp?ID=20&menuOption=ziplookup&

pageName=ZIP+Code+Lookup&filterstate=age_ranges~

“School enrollment: 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates”. American

Fact Finder. U.S. Census Bureau.

Whole Foods Market. Retrieved on July 14, 2015, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

Investor Relations

BRINGING WHOLE FOODS MARKET TO GRAND RAPIDS, MI (RESEARCH PAPER)