Product. Another common fear about Amazon's acquisition was it might sell out by loosening Whole Foods' strict standards for assortment. Fortunately for the fortunate, this has not come to pass, and the chain remains committed to its very high standards around unacceptable ingredients, sustainability, traceability, etc. While high standards have remained intact, Whole Foods' reputation as a leader in discovering and bringing new items to market has taken a hit. "Whole Foods should be in the vanguard of innovation," said Saunders. "Sadly, it isn't. In fact, it's something of a laggard. Regional chains like Wegmans and Publix do a better job. Even Target has stepped up its innovation game."