First I'd suggest anyone interested (and with a couple spare hours) check out Whole Foods CEO John Mackey's blog on their site: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jm/

His commentary and responses to posts make it abundantly clear that a LOT of thought has been put into the company and how it operates. He also has some wild quotes from a book by Peter Singer and Jim Mason, "The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter," such as:

"To put the energy involved in sea transport in perspective with other energy uses, taking the average car just five extra miles to visit a local farm or market will put as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as shipping 17 pounds of onions halfway around the world, from New Zealand to London."

Personally I feel WF has performed an amazing tightrope act, considering one side feels they are too snobby and expensive, and the other that they are still not pure enough, corporations are evil, etc. Can they improve? Of course. But how many companies have had the success they've had and retained this level of quality and commitment to their ideals?