The Whole Foods Market is a Texas-based food chain supplier and operates in 270 locations in United Kingdom, United States and Canada. This retail shop is known for organic and natural food ingredients. The company is also known for a number of conventional national brands. Today is also counted among the Top 25 Green Power Partners. In 1978 Rene Lawson along with boyfriend John Mackey started this business by borrowing money from friends and family. It was known as SaferWay and was based in Austin. The initial days were tough as the couple was thrown out of their apartment and started living in the store itself.
Later Mark Skiles and Craig Weller joined Whole Foods Market as partners and in 1980 SaferWay became what it is today. They had 12,500 square feet at their disposition and the help of 19 staffs. In 1981 the company incurred a lot of loss because of the flood. However with the help of the neighbors, creditors and investors Whole Foods Market regained its foothold in the market. It gradually expanded from Austin to Houston and Dallas and then later on New Orleans. As the food stores opened in numerous places the chain acquired other food chains like Bread & Circus of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Bread of Life, Florida Bread of Life and Fresh Field Markets.
The Whole Foods Market has moved to Manhattan and in 2002 the first store was opened outside United States in Toronto. An 80,000 square foot flagship outlet was opened in Austin. The company has 365 Everyday Value products along with a seafood processing plant and in 2003 it was known as the first “certified organic grocer”. Whole Food Market is also found in United Kingdom.
The expansion process of World Foods Market has been steady as it has recently acquired Wild Oats Market. The food chain sells products that can be termed as natural. There are less hydrogenated fats and their food items contain no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners. Whole Trade Guarantee was introduced in 2007 to ensure that food imported from the developing countries are good in quality and the farmers are given good prices for the crops and they should be trained properly to produce organic natural food items. They have also joined TransFair USA and Rainforest Alliance for the betterment of the programs. So next time you are buying food from Whole Food Market rest assured that you will have only the best. Eat healthy and live healthy with Whole Foods Market.
Whole Foods Market
