NEW YORK—Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods has everyone in the food industry talking about the implications. Neither company has disclosed specific details about the deal, but the companies behind specialty food products that you often find in Whole Foods—think artisanal jams, American-made cheeses, and non-GMO snacks—are optimistic.
“I think that them coming together is just going to make it a better market for specialty foods,” said Ron Tanner, vice president of philanthropy, government, and industry relations at the Specialty Food Association. The Specialty Food Association, which has 3,600 members, represents small-scale food businesses with an artisanal ethos. Many of their products are sold through Whole Foods and Amazon, Tanner said. A merger would provide a bigger platform for them.
