WD Partners : Grocery of the FUTURE

Viewpoint: Two Close Friends
Occasion + Trip Type: Social lunch with friends, get inspired

The sound of the Children’s Orchestra greeted us in the parking lot. It was melodic and soulful, and instantly filled me with the holiday spirit. “Here we are,” Cherrie announced. “You’re going to love this place!”

Before we even ventured inside, I could tell My Market was unique. There was a grassy section with tables, chairs, and heaters that kept people warm and provided space to chat. Vendors offered homemade holiday wares of all sorts— wreathes, candied nuts, fig pudding— a winter’s farmers’ market. Wonderful smells of cinnamon wafted through the air. A young boy in a brown apron held out a cup. “Could I interest you in something hot? It’s a secret South American recipe.” I took a small sip, and then a large gulp. It was incredible. Chocolaty and smooth, with a little kick. “What is in this? It’s unbelievable.” He leaned into us and whispered, “shh…cayenne pepper.”

As we neared the front door, I felt energized by the activity inside. People mulled, tasted and gathered near amazing displays awash in natural light. Oversized, bold and colorful, almost see-thru images caught my attention. A large photo of a snowboarder signaled a ‘winter sports’ display. All natural pain relief coupled with Red Bull and Cliff Bars was stacked below. Another large photo of a couple sitting by the fire with the words ‘snowed-in’ featured candied popcorn and eggnog from the local confectionary. “This area changes each time,” Cherie said.

“I always leave with new ideas.”

To my right there was a concierge-like counter in front of a glassed off grocery warehouse. Several people tapped away at touch screen computers. They packaged everything here for pick up or local delivery. I also noticed that customers downloaded meal suggestions and shopping lists. My friend explained that the entire store is also available online. She has a weekly order of everyday items like toilet paper, dish soap and cereal delivered to her house automatically. She commented that she could not imagine going back to the ‘old way.’

Our grumbling stomachs reminded us of the reason we came, and we started toward the café.
We made our way past several inspiring seasonal meal displays. When I paused to look closer,
I noticed a little screen. “I’m Obando Aguilar. I run a sweet potato farm in Siguatepeque, Honduras.” A friendly looking guy in a blue tee shirt and jeans stood in front of his fields. “The most wonderful thing about being a farmer is…” and he went on to talk about how he worked and what fair trade policies he appreciated were embedded in the culture of this store brand.

We approached the café and I noticed a row of sleek white tables. They actually had screens built in. “Are those computers?” I asked Cherrie. “Yes,” she said. “You order your meal from them, and you can also surf the web while you wait. I always come here on my lunch hour and check on Myspace while I eat.” We sat down and tapped away at the screens. The interface was simple and easy to use. I selected a teriyaki salmon dish with rosewater tea. A little box popped up beside each selection, explaining its benefits. Rosewater Tea. Origin: China. Benefits: Good for dry skin and aided digestion. Ancient weight loss remedy. I loved how the menu was informative. After I hit submit, a countdown timer popped up, “your order will arrive in approximately 8 minutes.”

The food looked as good as it tasted. Vibrantly displayed and artfully arranged, it reminded me more of a casual gourmet meal than cafeteria food. While we ate, we chatted about our families and commented about the buzz in the rest of the store. Beyond the inspiring displays and informational screens, a chef at a counter created individually sliced fruit cups and juices. Others engaged crowds with their flamboyant and funny cooking demonstrations. “There is so much to look at, so many cool products to touch and taste,” I said. “I know,” Cherrie agreed, “I come here for the entertainment, ideas, and the food.” After lunch we wandered the store and splurged on peppermint ice cream at the gelato counter. It was refreshing and rich, organic and heavenly, churned at a local dairy.

Simulated visually and intellectually throughout the entire space, I asked Cherrie if we could meet here next Wednesday for lunch. My Market made eating and thinking about food fun again. I loved the store, and also vowed to start my own regular delivery of products that I ordered online.

Friends | Mother and Baby

Viewpoint: Mother and Baby
Occasion + Trip Type: Shop online, pick up dry groceries, get inspired /learn about…dinner ideas

While my daughter Sarie finished breakfast, I sat at the kitchen table to do my weekly grocery shopping and drummed away at my laptop. She gurgled in her highchair, finished off her cut-up strawberries with short, chubby fingers and a two-toothed grin. I liked to order the majority of items online to save time traversing aisle after aisle at the store with a baby. Occasionally, I stopped by the store for health information and dinner ideas. A fragrant early spring breeze blew in through the window and filled the kitchen with the smell of lavender. I closed my eyes and took a long, deep breath. Lavender baby wipes, that’s what I forgot! I turned back to the screen filled with images of products and suggestions. The red search box was easy to find. I hadn’t gotten more than L-A-V typed in when a picture of the wipes I purchased last week popped up. I love technology. After completing the order, I packed up, fastened Sarie into our Prius and took-off for the store. My phone buzzed with a message. It was my husband. Don’t forget coffee beans. XOX Thx. I easily forwarded the request from my phone to My Market to be added to the rest of my order.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed large green tropical plants and flowers welcoming us inside. I remembered the website said the store was featuring Jamaican cuisine. I buttoned Sarie into the sling carrier and started towards the door. Just inside, a sweet smell of fresh cut pineapple permeated the air. A smiley guy in bright blue scrubs held out a glass plate overflowing with succulent slices. “I’m Justin, one of the local nutritionists here at My Market. We’re featuring fresh pineapple today. It has several benefits, including relief from diaper rash for your little girl. Would you like a taste?”

“Sweet!” I exclaimed. I took one for Sarie and myself and moved on.

We passed several colorful displays featuring fruits and vegetables coupled with all the rices, spices and meats to put together your own Jamaican meal. Sarie was occupied by all of the sights, sounds and samples so I quickly tossed 4 or 5 goodies into my smart cart. I maneuvered my way up to one of the kiosks and used the touch screen to look up a few baby-friendly snacks and natural asthma solutions for myself. I downloaded the information directly to my ipod.

As we stepped back onto the floor, a colorful and abundant array of shiny bulk bins caught our attention. We filled our reusable jar with enough cinnamon to flavor the mango salsa for dinner that night. I also loaded up on granola, some fresh basmati rice and almond butter. I liked that I could get only what I needed. Everything perfectly sized for my small family in my own containers. On a whim, I grabbed a few bars of some locally made dark chocolate. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to support upkeep of the local bike pathways and green spaces. Good for the neighborhood and good for my chocolate fix!

I pushed the cart up to a warmly lit counter with several vivid displays. A Jamaican woman demonstrated the preparation techniques of Sweet Cassava Pudding. Even though her accent was vibrant and engaging, I didn’t think Sarie would sit still for the whole demo so I downloaded the pod cast and saved it to look at later.

To wrap up our short trip, we returned to the pick-up counter over by the order kiosks. A cheerful girl in a brown apron called up the order from the warehouse and in a second, the order I had placed online was loaded into my cart in reusable bags. “Thank you so much for shopping with us, April,” the attendant smiled. “Have a great day!” I grinned. I loved how friendly everyone was, how welcome I felt here, and how easy the combination of online and in-store shopping made my life. This really was my market. We passed through the white checkout doorframes and exited the store just as Sarie started to get a little fussy. I’m glad that was quick, it’s naptime.