Three Tips for Making Homemade Soup
There’s nothing like a warm, delicious bowl of soup on a chilly day...or on any day for that matter! For someone on a plant-based journey, soup is an amazing, healthy meal that is simple to prepare. Soup has an endless variety of flavors, textures, and nutritional...
The Day of Our IPO
31 years ago today marks a very important moment for both me and Whole Foods - it was the day of our Initial Public Offering! Back in 1992, we had 12 stores and desperately wanted to grow, but cash constraints continued to be a problem. We needed a solution. The...
Five Vegan Pantry Must-Haves
When starting a vegan diet, knowing what to buy from the grocery store can be challenging. I follow a whole-food, plant-based vegan diet and have eliminated both refined sugars and oils, so I stick to simple, whole foods that allow me to make healthy, simple, and...
DIY Non-Dairy Milk
As a long-time vegan, I do not eat any dairy products. If you also choose to remove animal products from your diet, you’ll want a non-dairy alternative to use in instances when you would typically consume cow’s milk. Luckily, there are so many delicious, non-dairy...
The Value of Mentorship
January marks National Mentorship Month which is a great opportunity for me to talk about my dad, Bill Mackey. He was an original investor in Whole Foods Market, a long-time board member, and my greatest mentor. There is no doubt in my mind that Whole Foods would have...
Why I Always Root for the Underdog
I am a great believer in the underdog. I think this stems from when I was a little kid. I was always a bit young for my grade and was physically smaller than the majority of my classmates. Being a little different isn’t always the easiest - I was the “smart kid”...
What’s Your Superpower?
Each one of us has at least one superpower, and many of us have more than one. It can vary tremendously from person to person and is a unique reflection of an individual’s strengths and abilities. One of my superpowers is being able to discover and communicate a...
Three Easy and Delicious Vegan Meals
A whole-food, plant-based diet prioritizes eating whole unprocessed foods with 90-100 percent of your daily calories coming from plant foods. I have been vegan and 100 percent plant-based since 2003 for both ethical and health and vitality reasons and have experienced...
The Importance of Practicing Gratitude
Gratitude is one of the single most important keys to happiness in life. Oftentimes, it is assumed that gratitude needs an object; for example, expressing gratitude for a meal or a specific person. However, an object is not necessary to express gratitude - we can feel...
Thank You, Whole Foods Market
I made my retirement announcement internally a year before I left Whole Foods Market. In addition to transitioning responsibilities to the next CEO, Jason Buechel, I wanted time to focus my energy on doing things that would be most meaningful to Whole Foods. I spent...
How To Elevate Your Meal: Dressings, Sauces, and Marinades
A good dressing, sauce, or marinade can make anything delicious! This holds especially true when eating a whole-food, plant-based diet. Adding a tasty dressing or sauce elevates flavor and can turn your dish from average to amazing. Unfortunately, conventional...
John’s Book Review: The Three Languages of Politics
I recently finished reading The Three Languages of Politics: Talking Across the Political Divides by Arnold Kling. This is a short book at only 155 pages, but very much worth reading. Kling’s analysis shows that the three primary political philosophies in...
Evolving Your Higher Purpose
Finding your personal higher purpose is often a journey of discovery. It takes time and patience and is seldom linear. Both individuals and businesses can have a higher purpose. For me, my individual higher purpose was discovered when I began living in a vegetarian...
John’s Must-Reads: Health & Wellness Edition
I am a passionate reader and am often reading several books at one time. I love reading many different genres because I enjoy learning new things about a wide range of topics. One topic I am especially interested in and passionate about is health and wellness. These...
Alpe Adria Trail Notes
Long-distance hiking is a passion of mine. I love being able to disconnect and enjoy nature. I decided to do a 10-day hiking trip in Slovenia in September 2021. Put Slovenia in your future travel plans, because this is an incredibly beautiful country with wonderfully...
John’s Must-Reads: Alpe Adria Trail 2022 Edition
Those who know me well know that I am an avid reader. I typically read three to six books at a time from a variety of genres and this held true during my recent 41-day hike on the Alpe Adria Trail. My favorites were: The Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords, and The Path...
My Goodbye to Whole Foods
Some people can go their entire life without ever discovering their higher purpose, but I was lucky enough to discover mine when I co-founded Safer Way Natural Foods in 1978 and Whole Foods Market in 1980. Words cannot express how deeply grateful I am for this...