Whole Lotta Sugar

Ain't that sweet: Whole Foods accused of lying about sugar in its Greek yogurt

When Consumer Reports decided to do a taste test of plain Greek yogurt last month, researchers didn't expect to uncover a potential conspiracy.

Among the yogurt being tested was the Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt, which lists only 2 grams of sugar per serving — a departure from the rest of the yogurts tested which list between 5 and 10 grams of sugar on their products. Surprised by the discrepancy, Consumer Reports decided to do a little digging.

"Too good to be true? To find out, we analyzed six samples of the yogurt from six different lots for sugar content. The results showed an average of 11.4 grams per serving — more than five times what's listed on the label," says the article.

Some customers took to social media to express their concern. After one person pointed out the Consumer Reports results on Facebook, Whole Foods Market NYC responded saying, "We strive to only provide the highest quality products with accurate product labeling under our 365 Everyday Value line. This product was tested by a reputable third party lab using FDA-approved testing methodology to determine the labeling. We recognize that Consumer Reports is a trusted publication and are looking into why [its] test results differ from ours."

That answer didn't sit well with a few New Yorkers who filed a class action lawsuit against the Austin-based grocery chain on August 29. About 100 plaintiffs allege that Whole Foods knowingly mislabeled the sugar content in its Greek yogurt. "[Whole Foods Market]’s act in vastly understating the sugar content ... is not harmless trivia," the suit says. "For many members of the class, sugar content is an important component of their diet."

According to the New York Post, Whole Foods has removed the yogurt in question from shelves.

Despite all of the ruckus, Consumer Reports points out that Greek yogurt — even when high in sugar — can be a healthful source of nutrition. "In the meantime, know that Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt is a nutritious food to be sure. It's rich in protein and calcium and it received an 'Excellent' score for nutrition in our tests, even when we analyzed it with 11.4 grams of sugar," says the publication.

unspecified

Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.