Walmart accidentally helped Whole Foods find its core customer, cofounder John Mackey says

Whole Foods cofounder John Mackey credits Walmart's shake-up of the grocery industry with helping the chain find its target shopper.

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• Whole Foods was primarily focused on health-conscious customers when it was founded in 1980.
• Then, Walmart accidentally helped the chain find its core customer, cofounder John Mackey said.
• The assist helped Whole Foods grow, Mackey said.

Early in its history, Whole Foods got some indirect help from an unlikely source: Walmart.