If anyone else has been a shopper at Whole Foods in Madison and enjoyed some savings by Whole Foods' participation in the Bike Benefits program, you may be aware that they have stopped participating, since the opening of their new store at Madison Yards.
I urge everyone to contact the company and tell them you want them to restore their discount to cyclists. It's really difficult to find the right people to contact, after spending a lot of time trying. Their contact phone line seems never to get through to a person. (1-512-477-5565) Two people in their corporate directory who sound like they probably have a role in decisions like this are Bart Beilman (retail operations) and Sonya Oblisk (Marketing Officer). However, I have not been able to conjure up their numbers on the electronic directory where I need to punch in their names on my phone's numeric key pad.... But here are a couple places to send comments, followed by my own message that you can edit to your liking. It will likely take a lot of messages to convince them to reverse their policy. Thanks! Jeff Schimpff ***** Email addresses *** globalmarketingad...@wholefoods.com me...@wholefoods.com ***** Sample Message ****** Hello, I have been a frequent and regular customer at Whole Foods since the opening of the Madison, WI store many years ago. I also shop at other Whole Foods locations during vacation travel. I am also a regular bicyclist. All year-round, most of my shopping trips are by bike. I have greatly appreciated Whole Foods' participation in the "Bike Benefits" program, where shoppers arriving on our bikes are rewarded with a modest discount, associated with a sticker we purchase for our helmets, through a nation-wide bicycle advocacy program. Whole Foods' participation in "Bike Benefits" has been a very visible way for Whole Foods to demonstrate a commitment to its Environmental Stewardship policy, with immediate benefits to the cycling community. It also benefits the entire Madison, Wisconsin community, in that every car trip that is replaced by a cycling trip makes an incremental improvement in air quality and human health. Further, many "Bike Benefits" participants deeply appreciate this discount. With prices for food, housing and transportation straining many household budgets, this benefit does help people afford nutritious food. It also encourages people to shop at Whole Foods versus other options. Whole Foods recently opened a new, expanded location in Madison. When I biked there recently to make a purchase, I was shocked and disappointed to learn that the national headquarters managers made a decision to end participation in the "Bike Benefits" program. No one I have been able to talk to knows any reasons for that decision. (And on that note, the advertised voicemail number, 1-844 1-844-WFM-TALK (1-844-936-8255), does not seem to be adequately staffed.) I am writing to urge Whole Foods to reverse that decision and to reinstate participation in the "Bike Benefits" program. For the reasons I noted above, it would be a wise and much appreciated policy. Sincerely (Your Name and City Here)
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