1. Opportunities
   1. Increasing Demand for Organic Products
      1. Sales of organic food grew by 5% in 2010, whereas the overall food industry only grew by 2%
   2. Increasing popularity of private labels will improve margins
      1. In 2010, 20% of the food sales was private label. WFM private label sales (brand "365") was 11% of revenue
   3. Trends support increased demand for food products
      1. 92 % of grocery shoppers consider home-cooked meals healthier. With the economic downturn 86% of budget-minded families cooked meals at home.
2. Threats
   1. Intense competition may have an adverse effect on profitability
      1. More traditional supermarkets are adding organic and healthy foods to their product portfolio, depressing margins.
   2. Stringent regulations impose additional liability
      1. Several federal agencies regulate food safety. WFM additionally has to contend with USDA labelling guidelines on "organic" foods.