Tesco and Whole Foods Market tough it out

Right on cue there are now reports of less-than-expected trading at the Whole Foods store in London's Kensington and at the first batch of Tesco Fresh & Easy stores on the West Coast of the US.

Reports from the US suggest that Tesco's stores are achieving sales volumes of between ,000 and ,000 each compared with a goal of 0,000. And here on home soil the massive Whole Foods store has anecdotally been as dead as a dodo at times, according to various commentators, who've made the pilgrimage to what I think is not a particularly accessible part of London for many people.

What these critical reports don't take into account is that both these concepts are very different to what else is currently available in their new markets and as such will undoubtedly take time to bed down.

We can probably all recall numerous forays by UK companies across the Atlantic that have failed and vice versa but both these organisations have researched their markets thoroughly and are committed to making them work. With both companies finding trading tough in their home markets and having made positive noises to shareholders about these exciting new ventures overseas they have got to make them work.