Hatch chile fans...fear not. Whole Foods stores in New Mexico will continue to carry the famous state product. "Whole Foods Market will proudly continue to carry and support local Hatch chile in all of our New Mexico locations. Pueblo chile will be available in our CO/KS/ID/UT stores," said Benji Fitts, Marketing Team Leader with Whole Foods in Santa Fe.
Here is last week's original story from the Associated Press:
Colorado's Pueblo chiles are taking on the venerable Hatch chiles of New Mexico.
Whole Foods Market announced this week that the store is dropping the Hatch brand in favor of Pueblo green chiles.
The store chain is planning to put 125,000 pounds throughout most of the Rocky Mountain region including Colorado, Kansas, Idaho and Utah.
The Denver Post reports that high elevations of southeastern Colorado create a green chili pepper that's thicker and meatier than others, which makes them ideal for roasting.
Experts say Pueblo chiles range in heat from medium to hot compared with the typical Hatch chile, which ranges from mild to medium.
Whole Foods is making the switch at a time when Colorado's green chile farmers are organizing around a strategy to better promote Pueblo chiles.
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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
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