The Whole Story
Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism
By John Mackey,
Founder and former CEO, Whole Foods Market
Matt Holt Books, May 2024
Whole Foods Market’s cofounder and CEO for 44 years, John Mackey, offers an intimate and provocative account of the rise of this iconic company and the personal and spiritual journey that inspired its remarkable impact.
The growth of Whole Foods isn’t just a business success story—it’s the story of a retail, cultural, and dietary revolution that has forever changed the industry and the way we eat. After more than four decades at the helm, John Mackey is ready to share never-before-told tales of the people and passions behind the beloved brand.
Ellen Daly and Carter Phipps were my writing collaborators every step along the way in telling The Whole Story. Besides being personal friends whom I dearly love, they are both amazing and supremely talented professional writers. I am very grateful that they worked with me on this book and they halped make my personal journey, as well as Whole Foods Market’s journey, come alive.
“Not your usual business book . . . as many twists and turns as you’d optimistically hope for from a narrator with Mackey’s life story.”
– The Financial Times
“Readers may come for the business lessons but they’ll stay for the stories, characters, and genuine insights into what makes for a meaningful life.”
— Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award–Winning Actor and #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Greenlights
“A phenomenal read . . . John Mackey gives us a front-row seat as he cobbles together a small natural foods store from salvaged equipment and grows it into the $14 billion behemoth Amazon acquired. Along the way we learn the mindset necessary to build—and consciously lead—a great company.”
— Dan Buettner, Founder, Blue Zones; New York Times Bestselling Author; and Host, Netflix’s How to Live to 100
“John Mackey is responsible for creating a massive shift in food consciousness and The Whole Story reveals how—and why—he was able to do so. This inspiring book offers rare insight into what it takes to build a long, healthy, purposeful life, in all its many dimensions.”
—Michael Greger, MD, New York Times Bestselling Author, How Not to Die
