Wal-Mart goes all, like, 'granola' on us

"The world's largest retailer and No. 1 purveyor of groceries in the U.S. is making a huge push into Whole Foods' territory of organic food." Walmart already sells 1,600 organic products, but Walmart is offering a new line of products under the Wild Oats brand. The difference is that they'll be offered at the same price as non-organic national brands and 25% cheaper than the organic national brands in its stores. The move reflects a bigger shift in the national consciousness around food. As we detail in the cover story, healthy, natural, and organic products make up a $150 billion segment that's set to grow 50% by 2018, according to one of Walmart's sales divisions. Shoppers in general aren't as brand conscious when it comes to organics because it's a new niche, says Phil Howard, a professor at Michigan State University, who teaches community, food, and agriculture. That's helped the ascent of the 365 brand and will likely also help       Wal-Mart get customers to try Wild Oats products. These new organic products will help customers to shop healthier for a cheaper price.