Kroger, as represented by both Fred Meyer and QFC brands, is the big, easy place to schlep for everything a household needs to function. They carry some excellent brands like Organic Valley, their organic fruits and vegetables selection is expanding quickly, and the general quality of their produce is as high as I've ever found in a giant chain. But their bread-n-butter is factory-farmed stuff, and their top officials created a special PAC that, during the 2006 election cycle, donated $39,900 to Republican candidates and $2,100 to Democratic candidates--the big money was spent in CA and OH (all of this is from opensecrets.org). Most of their employees are union. Most of their money is made by paid product placement, but there is a small movement towards local products--I've found Dry Soda and Snoqualmie Gourmet ice cream there recently. If you've got the time to shop carefully, you can do a reasonable job supporting deserving farming practices while still being able to grab the Ultra-Soft toilet paper and triple-ply Kleenex that don't seem to make you feel guilty.
Grocery Outlet I only know of two--one up around 145th and one hidden deep in the Central District. Produce is abysmal, and most of what's on the shelves is odd brands that may or may not be hiding bad industrial practices. Without an absolutely encyclopediac memory, you'll find yourself steering clear of much that's available, either because you don't know how to use it or because it might originate in vats of chlorine. Poke around and you can rescue some real finds--I scored excellent ricotta-filled ravioli on one visit, and have found frozen tropical fruit purees I couldn't find anyplace else in Seattle. It's a very odd adventure, but if you're simply trying to live cheaply, grab a few staples (rice, beans, pasta, canned tomatoes) here and head to Uwajimaya or Mekong Market for produce, tofu and animal proteins.
On the topic of Uwajimaya, it manages to puzzle and delight my non-Asian-language-speaking-or-reading self on every visit. The produce is generally dazzling, with plenty of locally-grown items targeting Southeast Asian and Latino shoppers. Some sections--notably cheese and all dairy products--are slim pickings, which may leave you with chemically treated milk from a national distribution center. Head back to the fish section, swing through the noodles and pre-packaged noodle soups and you'll be dazzled by the selection. Here's where to go for lemongrass, rooster sauce, rice noodles, short-grain rice or really fresh fish. I have yet to see any sort of labeling program in place for the source of their fish; if you eat a lot of it, I recommend developing a relationship with a specific fellow at the counter, who can steer you towards the Marine Stewardship Council "best" fish once he understands that's your first priority.
Whole Foods I have a lot of respect for the first certified organic grocery chain in the country. A large percentage of their products come from small producers (so they work with a lot of them) and you'll find plenty of locally grown goodies on their shelves--Theo Chocolates and Golden Glen Creamery dairy products are two favorites. They've started some kind of no (or low) interest loan program to small producers expanding their operations, which are available on a local store-by-store basis. They also make it easy to find odd baking ingredients like malt syrup. What they don't always offer is much choice in the basics for people who actually cook instead of go the shop-n-heat gourmet route. Their one packet labeled Dark Brown Sugar was distinctly lighter than what I'd expect from the Light Brown sort. Unions have had a tough time with this company--the Libertarian vegan CEO dude is a mixed bag when it comes to his workers. He used to make a lot of press about the cap on his salary, but it turned out that cap didn't include stock options. He's since lowered his annual salary to a token buck, keeps the annual stock bonus package, and continues rewarding high-performance employees with bonuses and all employees with access to an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Every other year, all employees vote for the benefits they want--it's too bad that it's not possible for all employees to simply choose which one they want, rather than majority rules--but the end result gets the job of a union done without union dues. For some it's sketchy; for others, it's a great place to work. Because the local producers I've spoken with who sell through Whole Foods are quite happy with their deals, I come out generally in favor of this big business.
Trader Joe's Of all the chains, I have the biggest problems with this one--some of them are justified, some aren't. First, I've read too many stories of TJ's signing fat contracts with a producer of a single item like maple syrup or honey. Because TJ's will take all the producer can supply for a season, this can be a huge financial windfall. But I've read too many stories of the producer trying to raise the price the following year, to match that year's going rate, and TJ's dropping them instantly. If this was Kroger, I would say "business as usual, that sucks, suppliers should pay attention and not sign those contracts". But TJ's spends a lot of money marketing specifically to me, an educated urban girl who lives in the right zip code. I resent this combination tremendously. Additionally, as part of the rock-bottom prices, they offer a number of organic products produced to meet the barest standards--eggs and butter, while labeled "organic" can still qualify as distasteful factory farms I refuse to support. Lastly, TJ's stocks a lot of food for people who don't really cook--they thaw, grill or stir-fry and chuck the vacuum package into the bin. Finding plain, unseasoned meat is nearly impossible--ditto with plain canned items, ditto with baking products. Their actual sourcing is routinely hidden under their house brand and regardless of how cutie pie their catalog is (Trader Jose's Tortillas!), it's no different than Kroger's house branded items. In general, I suggest avoiding them until they offer more non-marketing-spin transparency with their sources. They made a big ruckus in 01 by removing genetically engineered items from their list. That is not the end of the real-food fight.
Metropolitan Market This is where well-off white people shop. I have never seen a person of any other color--or even a mix of colors--shopping at any of the three branches I have been in. Only rarely have I seen a non-white employee touching anything but the trash bins or mops. So, a little creepy, but it's locally owned, with tons of locally produced high-quality produce, cheese, dairy, and meats. The staff is remarkably helpful and every employee I've talked to really knows their stock with no snottiness--they offer educational tidbits with pride, not condescension. It's also pricey as all hell and three hand-baskets. I once purchased a $15 organic pineapple, for Pete's sake. And it still wasn't as good as the ones for a buck at the Kauai Wednesday Market. (One more reason to still with locally grown produce.)
Safeway The Safeways in this area are over-sized and dirty. I think their produce is generally terrible, and they sell weird Safeway-Only fruits that I can only assume are genetically engineered in some way to make them unique. Few, if any, organics, with steep price hikes. Tons of frozen foods. I find Safeways to be very depressing. I do not want anyone to shop in one.
Albertson's I'm not sure how many Albertson's are around any more, but the one down in White Center is worth a trip if you're looking for Latino cooking staples. Tons of corn flour in different grinds, tons of different brands and types of rice, more chiles than you could use in a lifetime, and some unusual cuts of meat in the cooler. Trouble is, sourcing any of the fresh items seems impossible--no labeling, and I'm not sure that even if my Spanish was twice as good, I would still be able to get a clear answer from an employee--I suspect they simply don't know, because Albert's son doesn't make it a priority. Too bad.
