-
ralphs in los angeles discontinuing vegan products
44sad news, folks! ralphs grocery stores in los angeles are currently in the process of clearing their shelves of many of our favorite vegan products…for good!
bye bye
i first became aware of this when a reader wrote me the following email…
I stopped by Ralph’s tonight to pick up some Purely Decadent ice cream and noticed as I was walking to the ice cream aisle that Tofurky pizzas were at half-off close-out prices. Then when I got to the ice cream aisle a bunch of the vegan/dairy-free ice cream was at close-out/sale prices as well and they weren’t selling Purely Decadent anymore. Looks like this Ralph’s is purging itself of lots of vegan options. Not sure if all Ralph’s are doing the same, but I was pretty disappointed to see this. Just a heads up since I’ve seen you post on Ralph’s before. Back to Whole Foods for all my groceries!!
what?! sad! since then, i’ve gotten reports that the sunset location and la brea/fountain location have been putting vegan freezer items on clearance…so this looks like a city-wide deal.
i called the ralphs on beverly in west hollywood and spoke to a manager. she didn’t have a ton of answers, but she assured me that the store would no longer be carrying amy’s products, and many other vegan frozen items. she said they may get more in the future, but they will all be “new brands”…whatever that means.
boo hoo!
Tags: ralph's
43 responses to “ralphs in los angeles discontinuing vegan products” 
-
so sad. thanks for the heads up. we’ll have to stock up on the mac n cheeze and the amy’s tofu pot pie. while they are normally my winter ‘comfort foods’ it makes me sad to think that Ralph’s forgoing these staples to make room for other brands. they are probably more expensive too like those 6-8$ brands at WH that we avoid. sigh.
-
Gosh, I hope it doesn’t happen here in the desert. We have few enough places to shop for vegan food (no Whole Foods here!). I was so happy when Ralphs started carrying Daiya (even at $5.99!!!). I hope it doesn’t all go away.
-
Ralph’s is my go-to place for Gardein. This makes me very sad – looks like I need to stock up.
-
Gauri Radha गौरी राधा July 12th, 2011 at 14:24
Ohh that’s too bad 🙁
Thank goodness for WF and TJ [for those of us who live in LA]
-
Well, this will have quite an impact on my never-ever-shop-at-Ralph’s schedule.
Oddly, though: I went to WF last weekend to get Boca Burgers for our barbecue, and they didn’t have any of the vegan ones! Luckily my friend was able to get them… from Pavilion’s. WTF, WF?
-
kristin July 12th, 2011 at 15:11
i purposely go to places like ralph’s and fred meyer’s to buy whatever vegan stuff they have so this doesn’t happen. i no longer live in an area with a whole foods, but i wouldn’t go there even if there was one. support your local farmer’s market, co-op and those chain stores that don’t cater to vegans to make sure there’s vegan choices out there for everyone.
-
Horace July 12th, 2011 at 15:18
Wrong! Ralphs is still carrying vegan products, it’s called produce, grains, nuts, legumes. Who cares if they are discontinuing high-sodium, sugary, fatty processed crap. As a health conscious vegan I applaud the move. Hope they do away with the non-vegan processed crap to, but I’m under no illusions.
I know the number of vegans has increased over the past 5 years, not decreased. If Ralphs can’t make money selling vegan junk food, maybe it’s because vegans as a group are getting more educated. If it’s just about animals, then sure you can substitute one shit product for a vegan shit product. But if it’s about people’s health and the planet, cut the crap. Sorry, vegans whining about missing their high fat fix, doesn’t both me a whit.
-
My Ralph’s in the Valley just added both WhiteWave seitans, and I bought Gardein at their regular price last week.
-
Maybe they are expanding brands at Ralphs? Does not make sense. That would give the rest of us even more excuse to go to Trader Joes and Whole PayCheck…I means Whole Foods (I love WholeFoods but for buying all the weeks grocerys PRICEY).
-
Hmm I kind of agree with Horace. I think vegans are wising up and not buying the vegan junk foods as much anymore. If this is true, it’s good that the movement is making improvements and expanding what it is to be vegan.
-
Kate ogden July 12th, 2011 at 17:32
The only thing i I noticed is that vons stopped carrying my tofutti for my bagels. But I found it at trader joes for 3 dollars less! I dont’t shop at Ralphs…….
-
yummy July 12th, 2011 at 17:45
the Ralphs Santa Monica had Tofurkey froz pizza on sale for $5 each a few weeks back so i purchased 6 of them. think they are gone now.
-
vegan_ted July 12th, 2011 at 19:28
Damn shame, but these grocery chains operate on such small margins (~2%) that if something doesn’t sell they have to move it on out. No room for long-term loss-leaders.
The world needs more vegans. It really does.
-
The Ralphs near where I live never carried the vegan Amy’s mac and cheese or Tofurky pizza. I almost never go to Ralphs except for once every few months. Are they still carrying Gardein frozen stuff like the tips and tenders? Those were good but kind of expensive.
-
Oh I’m sorry, you’ve never wanted to pop something in the microwave after a long day at work? Or maybe indulge a sweet tooth a wee bit? Get off your high horse, jerks.
Being a vegan and saying other vegans are “whining” about this is like one feminist calling another one a slut. Stupid and backward.
-
Are margins really that small? Is that including the shelf rental fees charged to the manufacturer?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slotting_fee
Trader Joes doesn’t have exactly the same things but their prices for vegan things are a lot better. -
Jackie July 12th, 2011 at 20:22
Zoe, I totally agree with you. I WANT those pre-packaged vegan products and “fake meats” like Gardein, VegeUSAA, Tofurky, etc. I am a busy vegan, I have a life and don’t have idle time like the a-holes wasting their day and time being pissy about the packaged vegan products. These are the misguided, unbalanced vegans that turn the world off and DON’T attract but rather REPEL the S.A.D. diet eaters and rest of society from trying to eat healthy. They are misguided about what their cause is so they spew hate. And every one of ’em I ever saw like that LOOKS emaciated, pasty white lifeless, weak & unhealthy: basically look sickly. It’s a turn off. I eat so healthy I can eat that convenient vegan stuff that tastes GREAT TO ME and it is not full of fat and sodium in any quantity that’s going to have any effect on me. I don’t always have time to make stuff from scratch. Get a life haters, or else crawl back into your hole in the ground, eat your bland & nasty tree-bark-tasting boring “vegan” food all day and shut the f*ck up.
-
Becky July 12th, 2011 at 21:00
I noticed many veg items going on clearance at my local Ralphs in San Diego too. 🙁
I like raw fruits and veggies and I shop at wf and local health stores too but am very bummed whenever my choices decline. Its never a good thing to have fewer choices. Not sure why Ralphs is making this move but I think its bigger than just LA. -
Gauri Radha गौरी राधा July 12th, 2011 at 21:07
I wish an all-vegan grocery store would open up here, right in the middle of Hollywood or downtown LA. Seems like there are enough of us Los Angeles vegans now that we’d be able to keep it afloat. I’d love to be able to locally support a venture like that.
-
Jackie July 12th, 2011 at 21:09
also, i think the big corporate food companies are behind this elimination of vegan products.
The less stores that carry the non-gmo/organic and well-made vegan brands it means the more expensive the products will be and then the less people can afford them and won’t buy them because the price is too high and then the vegan brands can’t survive and the food companies win. Just look at the dinky vegan sections in the mainstream stores and see one little thing of tofurky is around $6.99 or more (while at Trader Joes it is $2.99)
…and NOTICE THE BIG CHAIN STORES LIKE RALPH’S, Target, etc DO KEEP CARRYING boca and morningstar! While getting rid of the quality vegan products. Notice, yes notice! You know why???? it’s FACTORY FOOD owned by the big corporate greed food companies and genetically modified, not organic, etc. If you eat those you are being duped and the unsuspecting people trying vegan for the first time on those products get sucked right in and get duped. So they either sell them the factory farm animal meat or the boca or morningstar. They got ’em either way and they don’t even know the difference. And we lose the good quality vegan products from he shelves and have less options from which to make an informed decision and/or choice about what we want to consume – and all that’s left is the truly processed boca and morningstar garbage, which is true those two are garbage. Boooooo!
-
Jewell July 12th, 2011 at 21:17
not the slut part…I meant…eat your veggies! I’m not into judging meat eaters and sure not judging vegans! Food is sacred and your choice.
-
good job Ralphs toss that fatty crap. All the vegan food you need at Ralphs is in the produce aisle.
-
Gregalor July 12th, 2011 at 23:47
Yeah man, the Amy’s organic tamale with spanish rice that I picked up for lunch is such crap, it’s probably gonna kill me. And don’t get me started on those whole wheat veggie pockets! /rolleyes
-
Gregalor July 12th, 2011 at 23:50
If there can be an all-vegan grocery store in Seattle, there can be one here. It relies on volunteer work, though, which people up there are more open to, I think.
-
Gregalor July 12th, 2011 at 23:52
Btw, Trader Joe’s now carries Amy’s frozen vegan pizza (repackaged of course) for HALF what the grocery stores sell it for. Seriously, it’s like $4. No fake cheese, I think it uses gooey carmelized onions.
-
I checked Silver Lake last night and the frozen vegan food wasn’t on sale…
-
Greg C. July 13th, 2011 at 08:18
I snagged the last 4 Tofurky Pizzas from Wilshire Ralph’s last nite… $4.39!!! 🙂
-
lol wooo Somebody didn’t take their meds today. I don’t know if you were trying to lump me in there with the “jerks”. I happen to think we are what we eat. My dad died of heart disease in his early 50s. I’d be a moron knowing what I know about the connection between diet and heart disease to not think about eating whole foods. It’s so ignorant to say we can’t think about the rights of animals and the health of humans at the same time. Who’s the one that is misguided here? It’s not that I never eat vegan junk food, it’s just a sometimes food. Takes me about 10 mins to throw some black beans in the microwave. The reason you think whole foods are tasteless is cause you don’t eat them very often. Your brain is use to those processed crap foods so you don’t know what real food is suppose to taste like. Read The Pleasure Trap.
-
I work in the natural food industry and I can tell you that brand names are losing ground against private label. Which means Ralph’s has probably signed a contract with a company who will make identical vegan products under Ralph’s brand name.
-
Chris July 13th, 2011 at 10:27
Technically, that pizza has honey so it’s not vegan…
(I buy it myself so I’m not being judgemental, just clarifying.)
-
Screwdriver July 13th, 2011 at 14:31
I didn’t see any posts on this, but some Targets carry Amy’s…..That’s where we have been buying my favorite burrito….The Amy’s vegan bean burrito. Always $2.29 each.
-
Terri July 13th, 2011 at 18:18
Yeah, I noticed the recent lack of vegan ice cream at Ralphs in the valley, and I’ve never liked Amy’s products. BUT they have a new cookie in their bakery display tables that are pumpkin chocolate chip cookies which are *accidentally vegan* and they’re sooo good! Omni-approved by my friends, too.
-
helen July 13th, 2011 at 18:27
I’ve been to two different Ralphs grocery stores in Orange County in the past week and they still have their usual vegan frozen items at regular price. I’ll check again though.
-
Gregalor July 13th, 2011 at 18:48
They’re even getting rid of Gardenburger and Gardein Wings, so that’s one conspiracy theory down the tubes.
-
Well…MAYBE if they didn’t OVERPRICE all the Vegan selections people coud afford them and would buy more thus becoming more attractive items to carry toward the Ralph’s suits.
-
Microwave? Do you know they destroy the nutrients in your food? If you’re going to claim to be on the “whole food” train, you should do your homework. Heating things up in a pot it pretty fast.
-
Gauri Radha गौरी राधा July 15th, 2011 at 23:27
Pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies that are accidentally vegan? Why do I never know about the cool stuff?! Thanks for mentioning these, I will be looking for them next time I grocery shop:D
-
Meredith July 19th, 2011 at 11:52
Oddly enough, the only place that’s convenient to me where I can get Gardein products is Ralphs. The crappy WeHo Whole Foods doesn’t carry the awesome chick’n “breasts.”
-
A little belated, but thanks for listening. There are LOTS of great stores selling those vegan products and more, not just Whole Foods. Such as SM Coop, Erewhon, Follow Your Heart, Full O’ Life, Mother’s, JImbo’s … on and on.. Why not support the local independents? They have the products you want and more!
Risa Freeman, Vegan Traders
1 Trackbacks / Pingbacks
-
Listage : Ralphs Ditches Select Vegan Edibles; Radioactive Meat in Japan | My Los Angeles, CA Online! July 13th, 2011 at 08:32
[…] admin Menu cover at Roy’s, Downtown San Diego. [Photo: Muy Yum/Eater LA Flickr Pool] ·Ralphs in Los Angeles Discontinuing Vegan Products [Quarry Girl] ·Lead Singer of Smash Mouth Says He Will Eat 24 Eggs [-EN-] ·Radioactive Meat […]
annette July 12th, 2011 at 13:46