Whole Foods Faces Food Shortages

The sudden closure of its supplier of private label beans, grains, lentils and rice, along with weather-related issues affecting the availability of lettuce from California, has led to empty shelves in some Whole Foods Market stores, according to a published report.

Dissatisfied shoppers took to social media, posting images of understocked displays, with few or even no items, Business Insider reported.

Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods told the publication that it was seeking a new supplier, although the grocer admitted that the process of finding a replacement could take months. 

Meanwhile, the company said it was stocking its shelves with brand-name alternatives that customers would be able to purchase in the next few weeks. 

“We work hard in partnership with all of our suppliers to ensure that customers find the products they are looking for when shopping our stores,” a Whole Foods representative told Business Insider. “Unfortunately, weather and other supply factors outside of our control occasionally impact product availability. When this happens, we work as quickly as possible to find solutions and provide alternative options that meet our unparalleled quality standards.”

Customers of the chain from around the country countered that out-of-stocks have been a persistent problem for months, according to the publication.

Under its Whole Foods Market banner, Seattle-based Amazon is No. 10 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.