September is already shaping up to be a big month for Whole Foods Market. John Mackey, the organic supermarket chain's controversial original co-founder and chief executive officer, retired last week. His replacement, former Whole Foods chief operations officer Jason Buechel, has announced plans to "reconnect" to the company's heritage.
That may be difficult, critics have pointed out, as this year also marks the fifth anniversary of Amazon acquiring Whole Foods, a partnership that in 2017 seemed antithetical to the wholesome and (slightly) countercultural image the market had cultivated since its inception in 1980.
