But Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel opts to shop 14 times a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI pretty much am in the grocery store at least twice a day, every single day,\u201d Buechel said in a recent interview<\/a> with Fortune<\/em>. The Austin, Texas-based company leader said he visits the 80,000-square-foot<\/a> flagship store around lunchtime and returns after work to buy fresh ingredients for dinner. The self-proclaimed \u201cfoodie\u201d browses the cheeses and checks out the salad bar, often drafting \u201cdetailed\u201d shopping lists on an Excel sheet to plan for a specific recipe.<\/p>\n COURTESY OF WHOLE FOODS<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI happen to work above one of the best places to eat in Austin,\u201d said Buechel, who became CEO in 2022. He took over the role from iconic founder John Mackey<\/a>, who held it for 42 years before Buechel stepped in after a nearly year-long transition period. Amazon<\/a> purchased the organic grocery chain for $13.7 billion<\/a> in 2017.<\/p>\n The 46-year-old gave Fortune<\/em> an exclusive glimpse into his daily routine<\/a>, consisting of a \u201cminimum of 10 meetings per day,\u201d six-mile runs, and twice-daily trips to Whole Foods Market.<\/p>\n Between meetings, Buechel noshes on creations from Whole Foods Market\u2019s salad bar and loves to experiment with new recipes from products he picks up around the store.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t host a party without asking our cheesemongers for their recommendations on putting together an impressive cheese and charcuterie board,\u201d he said. Buechel has a deep affinity for fromage and fresh vegetables. He started gardening at age seven<\/a>, and both his parents grew up on dairy farms. His father was a cheese maker, Buechel told Harvard Business Review<\/em>.<\/p>\n But frequenting Whole Foods Market stores is more than just about sustenance and availing himself of the 20% staff discount<\/a> for Buechel. He credits it as the key to his business success.\u00a0<\/p>\n Regular visits to Whole Foods Market stores around the country allow him to connect with the grocer\u2019s team members, learn from their experiences, and gather real-time feedback from customers. Buechel says his shopping strategy helps him understand the business and \u201cgrow as a leader\u201d\u2014evident in his recent decision to slash prices<\/a> to appease inflation-weary shoppers.<\/p>\n But immersive grocery trips aren\u2019t the only thing that helps Buechel make smart business moves.<\/p>\n Similar to former Starbucks<\/a> CEO Laxman Narasimhan, who spent six months as a barista<\/a> to \u201cimmerse\u201d himself in the business, Buechel spends his time working in the stores to understand what\u2019s working at Whole Foods\u2014especially during the busy holiday season.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhether I\u2019m helping restock produce to bagging groceries, to helping support the pickup of holiday meals, it\u2019s always fun to connect with our customers and our team members, and help and work with them,\u201d Buechel said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The CEO also told Fortune<\/em> he trained under a Whole Foods Market butcher to learn how to cut the perfect aged-ribeye steak and tenderloin, and recently graduated from the grocer\u2019s bakery decorator program to understand the basics of icing cakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so important for all of us as leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/WFM-SALAD.jpg?w=1440&q=75\"\/)