Small food makers wonder about Amazon-Whole Foods impact

Whole Foods has struggled in recent years with declining sales at established stores and increasing competition from big grocery chains across the country that have recognized the demand from consumers and are offering more natural and organic foods.

Jeanne David, whose bread and pizza crust made primarily with cauliflower are sold in Whole Foods stores in the West, believes that Amazon's ownership will strengthen the chain and benefit suppliers.

Whatever changes Amazon makes, they're likely to be aimed at holding on to Whole Foods' current customers, says Mike Maher, CEO of Presenture, a company that helps food manufacturers sell their products to retailers.

[...] because of the growing number of retailers courting the natural and organic food shopper, some food companies are bypassing Whole Foods.

Muuna, a company that makes single-serving containers of cottage cheese, is content selling in big chains in the Northeast, CEO Gerard Meyer says.

[...] Meyer is interested in seeing whether Amazon, through its ownership of Whole Foods, can find a way to use its distribution system to deliver perishables like cottage cheese.