Retail Listings: What Buyers Look For with Jade Hoai, Whole Foods Market UK

In this episode, I'm crossing to the other side of the table and talking to the person who decides who gets those important listings. Jade Hui is Executive Leader of Purchasing at Whole Foods Market UK, so she is the head honcho of buying. She's been with the business since the very first store opened on Kensington High Street. We talk about what actually makes a product right for Whole Foods shelves, the mistake that can cost founders a listing, and how she sees success us as win-win-win. She also shares the exact way to get that all-important first meeting. You are so not going to want to miss this one. I'm Karen Green, and this is the Friday Accelerator. Thank you, Jade, for joining us.

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here with you today.

You know, everybody's heard of Whole Foods, but I think it's really interesting to ask, what's the elevator pitch for Whole Foods in the UK?

At Whole Foods Market, our purpose is to nourish people and the planet. And I love that we're able to do that in our now 12 stores in the UK and over 570 stores globally, but to really live authentically to that motto in that the products that we're able to showcase in our shelves and our stores, they have a real provenance. They have a story, they have someone behind them, and they have some history on why they came to be. And so my why has always been, I'm so proud to be able to work for a company that truly lives its mission, to be able to help build this environment and this economy that celebrates people who come up with great foods, great products, great health and wellness items that we can then spread out to the world.

It's such an amazing showcase. And as you know, I work with a number of challenger brands and Whole Foods is definitely on that second rung. of aspiration. So the first rung is, you know, just getting into some delis and just getting into people's hands. And then it's like, ooh, what should we do next? And within the marketplace of grocery, what gaps are you filling? What's the important gap?

That's a great question. So we occupy this great space where we're able to really help challenger brands or small brands and local brands get that support and that right number of stores to scale up and to build the business. Because I think when we think about, like, especially small brands, a lot of them are still bootstrapping. A lot of them are still trying to figure out funding. And going from, say, 1 or 2 delis to 12 stores or going straight to 12 stores is really manageable because our buyers and our merchants, we really enjoy taking these brands along on the journey, supporting them, giving them advice, advice, talking through challenges and supply chain questions so that ultimately they can grow. And that growth is great for the founder, it's great for our customers, it's great for the economy. And I think it really allows us to celebrate all of the wonderful things that come out of the UK.

I'm working on a project at the moment, and we are trying to think about how to sell it into grocery. And I'm like, oh gosh, It's not established enough to sell it to them because they'd be like, well, we can really put a lot of space for it. Whereas for you, you've, you've got that opportunity to bring in the innovation, to bring in the newness, to, to take risks.

100%. I think Whole Foods Market is an amazing leader in identifying those trends early on. Globally, we've got a trends council and our buyers are out there at all the shows. They are meeting people. They're keeping an eye out on what's coming up and doing a really good job of predicting what's next. And then I think like part of that comes with really knowing at the heart of it, what's delicious, what's innovative, what meets our quality and ingredient standards that really set us apart, and then championing those brands. And I think that's where sometimes those trends are set within Whole Foods Market. They do get that showcase and then it takes off and it's a great success for everyone.

Yeah, no, it's amazing. So, you've been in the UK 11 years, is that right?

I have been in the UK since we opened our store on High Street, Kensington. So, from the first day that the flagship opened.

And what have you seen that's changed over those 11 years?

I think our customers and the British customers' appetite for discovery and taste has grown so much. And you see that within grocery retail, within our stores, and then also in restaurants and in hospitality. The diversity that we have in the UK, that translates onto our shelves. I think the global flavors that we have from, you know, to kind of fine foods and their Indian sauces to Bom Bom and the Korean sauces, the appetite for customers to be adventurous and to try new things has completely grown stratospherically over the years.

You were talking about the trends team. And you're obviously working with smaller challenger brands. It's, I'm interested in which comes first, egg or chicken. Is it, do you look at the trends and go, we need, we need one of them. We haven't got one of them. Or do you respond when challenger brands come in and go, look, we've got these lovely things?

You want to make sure as a buyer that you're not restricting yourself or your customer to just what you think is going to be the next hot thing and that you're giving equal time and opportunity to discovering new and creative things, new flavors, new categories, because that's really exciting. It's exciting for my team, and it is exciting for the customer.

So, what's the hardest part of your job right now?

I would say managing all the different bits behind the scene that you don't see enabling the finished product to go on board. So, You've got to balance the amount of time and effort it takes to build out a plan, write down the numbers, put together the supply chain, put together the merchandising plan. Because at the end of the day, if I think about Disneyland, you put out this amazing experience for customers, the rides and Mickey Mouse. But behind the scenes, there are probably 50 more people working the magic. And that's the way it feels like we are here. And we're still a relatively small team within the UK. Trying to deliver the same Disneyland experience for foodies in all of our stores.

It's an interesting analogy actually with Disney, because I know behind the scenes, you know, as they come out, they're always taught that they're coming out onto stage. And I guess the store is the stage, but for a supply chain to go from 1 to 12 stores, the distribution, that's starting to get complicated. The setup of lines and all the things that That you have to do when you launch products, but it's, it, you, the customer doesn't see

it. It's the non-glamorous stuff, isn't it, that you still have to do? But at the end of the day, you know, you have a month and you launch 15 exciting new brands or 5 exciting new programs, and you're so happy because we genuinely think like, I think the customer is gonna really like this. And that gives us a lot of energy and a lot of motivation to like, let's keep doing more and more.

How do you get feedback?

We get a lot of feedback and I love it. We do, you know, the typical things that a retailer will do, like customer service surveys at the end of your receipt. You've got a link where you can go in and tell us how your experience was. We do in-person surveys a few times a year and ask people, you know, how they found the store and what were their favorite parts. And then we also, we like to talk to our team members, our suppliers, as many interactions that we can have, the better to understand what people want. I think one of the really unique aspects of Whole Foods Market is also the ability for our brands to activate and to talk to customers within stores. So, you can still walk into a Whole Foods Market and meet the founder of a brand, and they can offer you a taste or a sample of what it is that they've created and just engage with you and create that human connection. And that's probably some of the best feedback that we get because it's live and it's completely natural, and it gives us some understanding of What people are looking for.

And your staff, amazing, actually. I've been in a couple of times with founders to say, how do we get in? And they're always helpful, or they'll take you to the fixture and go, well, this is what we've got currently. So you probably would fit. And I was quite blown away by that because that, because I've been thrown out of some retailers, big multiples, for taking photos, for asking, you know, hasn't happened for a while, but I've certainly been asked to stop taking photos.

Taking photos is a marker of pride for us. So the day that people stop taking photos of Whole Foods Market displays, I will feel like, what have I done wrong? Why is it not exciting anymore? So when I see someone coming in and taking photos, then that tells me we're doing a good job and we're doing the right job because you're interested enough to put that on your camera reel.

So in the podcast, we like to go through the, the 4 stages that we think underlie growth. So product, audience, commercials and execution. So what makes a product genuinely right? What makes you go, yeah, that's it, that's the one for us?

First and foremost, if it's a food product, it's gotta taste great. And one of the things that I think everyone should know about Whole Foods Market is we've tried and tasted everything that goes onto our shelves. Nothing makes it on unless we've got a team member here, a panel there, giving it a go. And then if it's a health and wellness product, same thing, we try everything. And knowing that it meets our quality standards and it's great, then we go into that, well, what is the packaging like? Does that align with what we're looking for? Is the consumer going to respond to that on shelf? Because you've got 5, 10 seconds to be able to passively then get someone to pick up that item. And then what is it that it's going to add to the assortment and selection? How does it perform amidst all of its friends? And really create what Whole Foods Market is known for in that store.

What's the biggest mistake that founders make when they come in to present to you and your team?

I think they put so much love and passion into creating that product. And when you finally get that time in front of a buyer or a category merchant, that's your opportunity to sell the product. So, come in with your energy and that inspiration and really nail that pitch. So, before you even get in the room, Bring in your friends, your family members, customers, and kind of practice that pitch beforehand and make sure that you walk away that the audience is excited. Because if the audience is excited from that pitch, by the time you get into that room with the buyer, they're going to be excited. The people who do the best job of driving that energy in that room, they probably have a higher likelihood of getting a listing.

I do remember the very first pitch I did for a challenger brand when I'd left big corporate life and I was a consultant and I went in and it was actually coincidentally Selfridges. I have worked with other retailers, but it happened to be Selfridges. And I'd done a great presentation. You know, I had slides, I had this, I had that. And I went in and I went, right. And he went, put it away. Tell me about the brand. Tell me what you're doing. Tell me. And I was a bit like, but it's so true. And I, I mean, now obviously You know, I've been doing this for 10 years and you fast forward and now people go, right, well, what do we put on our slides? And I said, well, you can build slides. And I do, I always build slides for clients and I, if I'm presenting, but I hardly ever use them because I find what the slide does is it makes your brain organized and then you can come in, but you have to have a conversation. I'm sure you've met a lot of founders as I have. The majority of them are pretty excited about their products.

Just then how like you impart that excitement and put it in a way that it translates. And don't get me wrong, the slides are important. We'll probably go back to the slides, we'll look at them, but what you're more likely to remember in that moment and in that pitch is what was said, is what was the interaction, and is what was like the key points that you took away from those 15 minutes that you're pitching. And I think that's really the message to take is like, we love the slides, we love the information, we love you as the founder and what you've done.

So thinking about the audience, who's the Whole Foods customer?

So obviously whenever you've got the store, you've got so many missions that people are on. And so I think from that perspective, the Whole Foods customer isn't any one person. I think anyone who is interested in eating well and discovering new foods and maybe just wants lunch or something for dinner later, there are customer. And we are on a mission to introduce them to, you know, these natural or organic brands, these products that we believe are really good for you and good for the world. And so, we're always trying to find and craft something for every mission that you are on when you walk into our stores.

I think the way we define shoppers has changed so much. Do you buy data? Do you buy insights on your customers? You know, like Nielsen, Sukana, others are available.

So our insights are really from talking to our customers. And what we do know is that they are definitely coming into our stores to look for those new and exciting brands, to discover things on product. They're looking for really health and wellness and quality. And so we know that that is what drives them into our stores.

I mean, social media is so huge. TikTok's so huge for driving trends. Do you find people come in as a result of seeing things on socials and asking for things?

Definitely does help, but I wouldn't say that that's the primary driver of what's getting people in stores. Social media has been a really interesting development within, within all of retail and seeing that people can influence a trend or a recipe. definitely translates into what moves in store or like what products can come off shelf and do really well. But at the end of the day, I think it's a part of your mix and a part of what drives customers to stores, but it's not everything and it's not the one thing that drives people in.

Do you have products where people come just for that?

We do. And I think one of the things that we really love is when we find a product and we have a new and exclusive launch, That then becomes the only place where you can find it. And that's fun for our customers because it's a bit of being in the club. It's a bit of trying something first. So we've seen huge success with that. When we opened our new stores earlier this year, we had this discovery bay, new and exclusive to Whole Foods Market. And some of the products on there were just phenomenal. We had True Dates. Have you had the True Dates yet? No.

No.

Oh, these are delicious and they're some of my favorite products. They are like what the name says, dates, but they've got like flavors in them. So, and they are all natural. It's sour apple, there's a watermelon flavor, and there's a cola flavor. And so imagine if you are going to the cinema and you're getting your traditional pick and mix with kind of those sweet fizzy sour candies. These are dates. That just tastes like that, but they're like a fruit and they are amazingly delicious. I can eat probably a whole bag in one sitting, but at the end of the day, I feel a little virtuous because I'm like, it's a date.

Yeah. Ticking the fruit and veg box. Right now you can grab a free copy of my book, Birology, at my website, birology.co.uk/free-resources. We haven't really talked about numbers at all, but what have you learned from the kind of the listing economics? Because one of the things that I experience when I work with founders and we start and, you know, the volumes are tiny and then it goes up and obviously the margins will improve, the costs will come down. What do you— I'm not asking you for margins, by the way, but what do you, what do you look at from a, from a numbers point of view when, when people come in?

So, with everything, we want to see a long-term vision, right? We want to see consistent growth. We want to see thinking stage 2, stage 3, stage 4. So, we find that having good, open, honest conversation in the beginning about margins, about promotional strategy, how frequently you want to have the product on promotion and at what point of discount helps to really demonstrate that there's been that robust thinking that we're going to be able to scale this and grow this forever. Because again, we have such a team of supportive buyers, like we want everyone to flourish and to do well. And so we're conscious that, you know, we don't want to set a promotion where you're not able to manufacture the volume, or we don't want to overextend shelf presence and then find that we're going to end up having out-of-stocks. So I think the important thing from a commercial perspective is really planning that out so that you've got a solid and consistent growth plan.

So that might be stage 1, Discovery Bay, stage 2, on the shelf, stage 3, maybe. Obviously, I don't know whether I, if it was my brand, I would be one of, in wanting to be in your windows on High Street Kensington, because I love them so much. And some of them have become so creative now and you go past and it's, it's a bit like when I was a child and I used to go past like Selfridges and Harrods at Christmas. To me, that's I'm a bit sad like that.

Oh, I completely get you. And I've heard so many people tell me like, oh my God, it was such a big moment for me when I had a Kensington window. Yeah. So I think like stage 1 is always, it's on shelf. If you've got a listing, you have an on-shelf presence. And then stage 2 is probably that off shelf. So at that moment, like getting off shelf is when you really start to see the units fly. And so when you get that off shelf space, you want to protect it and maximize how much exposure you can And I think that's where that whole conversation comes along of like, how do I activate the product? Because getting a product onto a shelf, I mean, that's like you say, stage 1, that's the basics. Now you want to see it get off the shelf and into somebody's basket. And that activation piece, whether it is in-store demonstrations, whether it is in-foyer activation, whether it is getting out and letting people have samples. At the tills or in their Deliveroo baskets. All of that creates hype and excitement and engagement with the customer. And that engagement is so powerful. And then you can move into, I have more units that I'm going through. I'm going to double my production run. And you start to see those economies of scale.

You mentioned Deliveroo. Is Deliveroo your main distribution partner out of store?

We really are focused on our 12 stores, physical stores and footprints. And then Deliveroo is our partner for reaching that consumer at home who wants to get their groceries from Whole Foods Market and, yeah, order via the app.

When I think about Whole Foods, I think very much about, like you say, the stores. That's to me what, you know, supplying the stores, getting on the shelf, execution in store. How important is that other element in terms of home delivery? And is it becoming more so actually?

I think all customers are so important and just being able to reach them is my ultimate objective. Getting these nutritious and healthy products into pantries and dinner plates, whatever way we will do it. And I think that is something that As retailers, like we're always minded to do, at the end of the day, we want you to have a great meal and enjoy the Whole Foods Market brand, whether it's in-store or out of store.

That's fair, which kind of leads us nicely onto the E of PACE, which is the execution. What's the one thing that producers can do to make your job easier?

One thing that producers can really do to make our job easier is to maintain fulfillment. I think that's probably one of the things that I've seen change over the years. Probably post-COVID, it's really exposed the complexity of our supply chains, where we get ingredients from, how long they travel, where they travel to. And what you want to do is have a really stable and continuous supply chain so that every time a customer wants to buy a product, it's there, it's consistent, and they repeat their purchase. So that would be my ask. And To be fair, like our brands and our producers are pretty good at keeping that fulfillment there, but there's always, you know, that, that buyer in me that wants that additional percentage point, making sure that it's available when my customer is in store.

And it's a big challenge. And I'm thinking of 2 examples recently. I think the Nourish brand's just gone, has gone through a horrendous situation with their manufacturer going into administration. Then I think they had a fire, so they lost a lot of packaging. And I'm reading this going, oh my gosh. That's, that is one of your worst nightmares. How do you deal with that? Because the bigger retailers, they fine you quite a lot, actually. Do you fine your producers?

Not really how we do our ways of working.

That doesn't really seem like how you would work.

My advice for when those things happen is to reach out and let us know and talk to us so that we can help support you through it. Because my gosh, like a life of a founder, from the people that I know, from my friends, I mean, you are constantly Problem solving, moving from one thing to another, and you can't predict what's going to happen. But when something that dramatic happens to you or to your brand, I'm like, just let us know and then we can work on things and solution things together. Now, potentially that will be, all right, I know that that SKU is not going to be available for 3 months because that packaging has to be rerun and that manufacturer has to be reset up, but you've got these other SKUs and maybe we can help you by listing those or subbing those in and out. The more we know and have an alternative for our customers on the shelf, the better. And then that's the thing is like Whole Foods Market is about creating win-win-win partnerships. That's one of our core values. And we, we like to walk the talk. And that is a great example of like, it's great. Let's work on this together. Let's find a solution that helps everybody. And at the end of the day, we feel like we have done a good job.

Absolutely. Because it is, You know, when, when you're down, the last thing you really need is, is to be fined because actually, you know, we're all trying to do the same thing, which is, is to sell more product on both sides and to fulfill what the customer needs. So I like the win-win-win. I've never heard win-win-win before.

Yes. Mostly you hear win-win-win, but we think there is value that can be created throughout the entire chain. Win-win-win.

So, of those 3, like product, audience, commercials, execution, which one do you think maybe founders that work with you maybe don't put as much focus on?

I think founders do such a great job of like juggling all the balls, um, and putting it all together. And like you've put in that PACE, when you get to that E and that execution, that's kind of like the last stage of the journey. My advice is to celebrate that and do the most in that stage. As you can because you've now got all of the pieces together to be able to show off your brand. And so, how that shows up in stores, whether that's a window on Kensington High Street, or that is demos across every single store, or that is activating on social media, have fun with that execution and go big because that's your chance to really spread the word.

So, if you've got a product that's struggling, how do you deal with that? What's your process when it doesn't work as well as you'd hoped?

There could be a whole host of reasons on why something isn't working. I think the important thing is to talk to the brand, talk to the founder, and understand. So, when I say reasons it isn't working, sometimes it could be, as you say, availability. Sometimes it could be something that you just can't predict on. Sometimes it could be promotional opportunity. Have we been enticing customers to buy it, to lean into a product? So, I think when a brand is struggling, it's important to reach out and to think about like, well, what can we do? What have we not tried? And give them the opportunity to have that additional effort put in.

Well, that's great actually. So, there is that kind of, like you say, win-win-win. So, you'll You know, thinking about how can you win for the customer, win for the founder, and get that product doing what it should be. Because I think that's sometimes the case that products, you think, well, this should be selling more.

And it's that engagement, engagement with the brand, but also the engagement with the customer. And so, we do ask ourselves, like, is it something, if it's something that the customer wants to buy, do they know about it? Have we told them about it? Have they tried it? And when people make the effort to really do more, like, we welcome that.

And is that more in-store or outside store or a bit of both?

That would be in-store, I would say. So like, that's really the opportunity to put that item in the basket, to get the customer to try it and taste it and see what we see in it.

Walking the shopper experience, I think, is, is really important. So let's have a little, little quickfire session. What word would describe you at the end of a Friday? So you've done all your work, you've Set open some more stores, you've listed some more products, you've done all the back stuff. Friday afternoon, what goes on?

By the end of the week, looking back and seeing everything that we've done, that we've accomplished, it just continues to inspire me and motivates me to continue to do like the why. Also on the weekends, I get to go out into the shops and I get to be the customer. So that is really exciting for me.

So you, like me, also a bit obsessed with retail.

To the point where my husband and my kids are like, mom, really? We're on holiday.

Yeah. You're obviously in the, in the perfect job. What's your favorite? Do you have a productivity hack, a tool, a ritual, a mantra, something that you do that would inspire others?

I think one of the tools that I've learned over the years is to really protect my time and my planning time. And so, On a set day of the week, for me, it's, it's usually Fridays. I will block out just me time to be in my headspace and to think about what my intentions are for the next week and to focus on what is it that I want to be able to achieve in the next week and set goals for myself. I think that helps me be productive and to prioritize the things that really matter.

It's a really good way of doing it. When we first started Friday Accelerator and thinking about the name, I did read quite a lot around, you know, are you better doing the planning for next week on a Friday or a Monday? And Friday is a much better day because it actually clears your brain for the weekend. So you can just go, right, these are the things I've reviewed for the week. This is what we're going to do next week. And then you can kind of put it, it never goes away. I don't think if we love our job, it never goes away, but you could at least go, right, okay. I can put it to one side and then focus on the weekend. Do you work in store at all? Sorry, just a random question, but I was just thinking weekend, you know, retail 7 days a week now. So do you, do you go out on the shop floor?

And so you'll often find me and Whole Foods Market leadership in general with name badges on the shop floor. And it's great. Like when customers ask me a question and I know the answer, I am so excited and I love talking to them because You know, we spend a lot of time talking to brands and we spend time talking to our team members, but being in store, being able to connect with our team members and our customers, that's such a gift. And so when it happens, I really reflect on it and think like, how lucky am I that I get to do that? And that was my roots, right? So I started in stores and I started as a part-time cashier because I loved the brand so much. And so it's nice to be able to go back to my roots.

Yeah, I know. I can imagine. It's, it is, it's, it's such an education being, being on the shop floor. What about distractions? If you could get rid of one thing that distracts you, what would it be?

I get a lot of emails.

I bet you do.

So I just have to be very focused in how I go through my inbox and sort out like, here's what I need to do. Oh, here I can forward that onto someone else, but that requires a lot of focus and can be distracting, especially if you see something, oh, that's really cool. I'm like, you know what? Someone else can do that.

Which prompts me to ask another question actually about emails, because one of the topics that I've spoken about recently on a couple of talks actually is ghosting. And one of our biggest bugbears when I work with founders is not getting replies. What's your policy on replying to unsolicited approaches, should we say?

I think we try. So I have confidence that— so I definitely try to respond and my team does. I think the reality of it though is that buyers can get hundreds if not thousands of emails a year, and it's not necessarily the method of getting a product listed. So if you're a grocer or retailer with multiple sites, you're more than likely going to be using a range review or category review schedule, and that's when space becomes available or when change can happen. And I think sometimes there's this misconception that if I email a buyer, if I get something in front of them, that they're going to be able to move it in and get it on shelf quickly. And so that's kind of the challenge of that with the emails is for every one product email that you get, there's probably 100 in the same category that's doing the same thing. And when you're such a lean team, like we are a very small team within the UK, To divide your time and attention with the brands that you have listed and who are on shelf and versus like the 4 times or 5 times that are reaching out to you. You wanna make sure that the people that you've invested in get that support to be successful. And it's not that you intend to ghost anyone, but inevitably you have to prioritize where your time goes. So I would say like, As a founder, my advice is know what the listing processes are of the retailers that you want to go into and make sure you don't miss those windows and you don't miss those applications or those opportunities. The other thing to be aware of, certainly for us, is we do these one-off pitch days. And so if you're a challenger brand or you're new and you want to be exclusive with Whole Foods Market, keep an eye out for those and apply for those days because those are opportunities where you could be on our radar to get a listing in store.

I've looked at your process and it is quite explicit. You know, you do publish the range review dates and, and quite some detail actually, because I've been looking at them recently in relation to a brand and going, oh gosh, now where's that going to fit in? So yeah, I think that's, I think that's great. Last quick question. What books, podcasts, what inspires you? What do you listen to, read?

Ladies Who Launch. Have you listened to that podcast?

Oh yes, I have. Yeah, no, that's great.

So when I have the time, I will sit and listen to those stories and listen to the learnings and trials and tribulations that people have gone through. I love the Friday Accelerator, the fact that you give this platform to people to talk about what they're doing in retail and with brands. And then I think being a curious person, I read all the gamuts. So I've now gone back into fiction. It is still related to food. The book Butter, which was recommended to me by a cheesemonger friend of mine. It was a really great read. And I got some recipes out of that too. I love magazines, especially food magazines and discovering new recipes and things to cook on the weekends. So I think anything that is out there, I will devour if it's related to food.

Yeah. You're, you're obviously, it's cut you, it's like Brighton Rock. You're gonna find Food, retail through and through. It's just amazing. Okay, we're gonna do A and B and then we'll finish. So, for you, perfect or done?

Done. And I had to learn that the hard way because I used to work for hours and hours and hours on something, and you would get to a point where you're like, oh, am I gonna miss a deadline? And I had a very good leader who said to me, you know what, Jade, done is better than perfect because you've already got it to a really good place and you could spend forever on perfect.

Work early or work late?

Ooh. So I will say work early because I think the evenings are that time for learning and discovery. And so it's great to be able to go out, connect with people, go to a wine tasting or go to a cooking class. So let's say early.

Okay. Email or phone?

I prefer In person, if that can be an answer.

We do actually. That's true. I think our first, our first sort of encounter once we got past the email was, was definitely in person. Not even, not even online actually. It was in person. So.

Face to face. Yeah, absolutely.

Which is unusual these days with, with buyers, certainly. And then finally, uh, we used to do Mary Berry or Cruelty, and now we have to say Mary Berry. That

is tough because all 3 are amazing women. I am going to say Mary Berry because I think she is such an institution and an inspiration for people, and also her kindness and her authenticity come through in everything that she presents.

Yeah, no, I think, I think you're right. So Jade, we've We've learned so much today about Whole Foods, what you look for, how founders can work with you. What's the best way to take that first step to get in touch?

Ways that you can approach getting a listing at Whole Foods Market. One is our traditional range review calendar. If you go to grocerycentral.amazon.com, you can sign up to get access to our portal, which has the calendars and the listing documents that you can download and submit on. And if you don't see your category listed, you can still send it in at any time. And as and when space becomes available, we'll have a look at that. The second option is we run quarterly pitch days, and these are really designed for new startups, small brands to be able to come in and get a listing within Whole Foods Market. So watch out for those every quarter. There's going to be a day available, and you can submit those via wholefoodsmarket.co.uk or keep an eye on our LinkedIn and social platforms.

Amazing, that's so exciting. I'm sure you're gonna have some really interesting people come along with, with new things. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks again to Jade for sharing so much. If you take one thing away about buyers, let it be this: understand their world. You can find the links to the range review calendar and quarterly pitch day in the show notes. If you want to know your buyer, sell more, and sell better, grab a copy of my book, Buyerology, now. Go to the free resources section of buyerology.co.uk, or you can order a hard copy from Amazon.