> They're at the intersection of rising inequality and rising concern over what we eat. But that limits them too; trying for "mass-market luxury" is a precariou

> They're at the intersection of rising inequality and rising concern over what we eat. But that limits them too; trying for "mass-market luxury" is a precarious position. Thanks, that's basically the best expression of some of the things I've always felt about them without managing to put words on it. They basically have a classic strategy of Luxury, without selling high-end stuff like Harrods/Hediard, the tier they happen to be dominant on is something I would awkwardly label good and healthy. I've always found profoundly immoral the idea that access to this kind of food should be reserved to wealthy people, that it implies a certain cultural baggage, and that it can be used to signal social status. In my neighborhood, I've realized that whole foods on Saturday morning as become a sort of meeting point for the local socialites, which are often perfect caricatures. It's fascinating to witness two acquaintances bump into each other, and almost directly perform a review of the content of their cart, it's almost like if their heilroom tomatoes had replaced their rolexes. Actually, it's funny because I realize I often do something not just remotely similar, when the guy in front of me has a huge cart entirely filled with stuff I know will be expensive: I cant help but to think "wow, he must be packed", then the unavoidable voyeurism related to damage assessment. If it ends up being a 4 digit number and the guy apple pays quickly with zero emotion on his face, it can be intense. Your analysis of how the competition will exploit the weakness of their strange position is spot on.