Philosophy of a Leading Organic Food Retailer

Jim Someck of Jimbo's Naturally, With 5 Stores

 in the San Diego Area

 

 

In San Diego's daily newspaper, U-T San Diego, Jim Someck got an illustrated feature article in the Business Section today (October 15, 2013).

 

Why?

 

 

Because, as the  headline fairly shouts:  Jimbo's growing naturally.  Back in 1984, Someck began Jimbo's Naturally, what has now developed into a local chain committed to organic and non-genetically modified food.

 

How Does Jimbo's Differ?

  

As Someck explains it, comparing his stores to much larger competitors Whole Foods and Sprouts:

 

• While our produce that we sell is 95 percent organic or more, theirs may be 40 to 50 percent.
• Customers who want to have that quality will shop with us
• Even though our prices may be better than Whole Foods--virtually all our products are 5-10 percent below suggested retail--we never highlight that
• For us the message is not about the cost of food
• We have positioned ourselves to be more about the quality of the food.

 

 

A Customer Scares Someck, But Then Validates His Philosophy!

 

 

Early on, a man told him it cost about $300 more to shop at Jimbo's in that year versus shopping at the supermarket:

 

• Someck's fear--I thought oh, no, here we go, because that's always the issue with organic food, is that it often costs more than conventional food.

 

• His fears allayed--When the man added, "I can tell you I've saved more than that on doctor's bills and have never felt better in my life.

 

• Motivation--"That kind of spurred me on," Someck says, "to continue doing what I was doing."

Philosophy Related to Politics





 

According to Someck:

 

Even with all the talk about Obamacare and our health, people are dealing with the outcome rather than dealing with it at the beginning. 

 

In my mind, a great part of it has to do with what you eat.  Rather than putting chemicals and pesticides in your body, eating as healthy as possible can eliminate a lot of the illnesses and diseases that people have.

 

Philosophy Related to Business

 

 

A lot of people measure success by how many customers you have, what your bottom line looks like and things you can measure that are finite.

 

 

My definition of success has changed to something that's almost impossible to measure:

 

How many people's lives have I been able to impact in a positive way?

 

That became more important to me than any monetary success I could have!

 

 

 

May all organic food retailers

 

 have a comparable philosophy!

 

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