No matter how vertically integrated your company is, you will always have suppliers of one kind or another, and those relationships can positively or negatively impact the quality of your final product or service. One of Whole Foods’ (Nasdaq:WFM) seven core values is its commitment to its suppliers. By creating a true partnership with the companies it buys from, it is able to provide its customers with a fabulous shopping experience.
It’s not enough, however, to have great customer service – the food has to match. Whole Foods tends to score high on this front as well, and by doing so is able to maintain price points that are higher than in most regular grocery stores, delivering greater profits.