Whole Foods Market has signed another five leases for its 365 by Whole Foods Market stores, bringing the total to 13 leases now signed. The new stores will be located in Evergreen Park, Illinois; Gainesville, Florida; and Concord, Claremont and Los Alamitos, California.
The Austin, Texas-based grocer says that 365 by Whole Foods Market will offer a grocery shopping experience focused on making healthy, everyday shopping easy and affordable while upholding the same industry-leading quality standards that the company pioneered.
“We have assembled an amazing team of people who have been working tirelessly to create an innovative shopping experience that will appeal to new and existing Whole Foods Market customers,” said Jeff Turnas, president of 365 by Whole Foods Market. “We are all eagerly awaiting the opportunity to introduce 365 by Whole Foods Market with the opening of our first store in Los Angeles in just over 100 days.”
Designed to complement the Whole Foods Market brand, Whole Foods says 365 by Whole Foods Market will feature a thoughtfully curated mix of products that adhere to the company’s industry-leading quality standards, in a modern and streamlined retail environment. Additionally, customers can expect to find unique in-store experiences through a program called “Friends of 365.”
These new leases follow previously announced locations in Bellevue, Washington; Cedar Park, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Houston, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco and Santa Monica, California. The first 365 by Whole Foods Market store will open in May in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Stores in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Bellevue, Washington, are slated to open in July and August, respectively. The company expects to open 10 stores before October 2017.
Kosher for Passover line coming to grocer this spring
In addition to Whole Foods recently adding digital coupons to its mobile app, the grocer also is partnering with Kedem Food Products to launch new and exclusive Kosher for Passover items for the spring. Bayonne, New Jersey-based Kedem is a leading manufacturer and distributor of kosher foods.
Kedem’s new items include the first-ever Kosher for Passover fair trade coffee; salted, chocolate-drizzled coconut macaroons; ancient grain matzo and more, many of which will be exclusively available at Whole Foods Market for Passover 2016. The product mix adds to the grocer’s array of natural, gluten-free and dairy-free choices.
Kedem Food Products and Whole Foods Market began innovating together about 10 years ago when they say they recognized a need for more natural and organic choices in kosher food.
Kedem EVP Harold Weiss looks back on the decade-old relationship that began with a conversation he had with Errol Schweizer, executive global grocery coordinator at Whole Foods Market.
“Whole Foods Market has done something very special,” said Weiss. “They’ve recognized the need to serve consumers who want kosher lifestyle products that also meet the high-quality and responsible sourcing standards, which Whole Foods Market stands for, such as no artificial ingredients, fair trade, organic farming and more. Throughout our 10 years working together, Whole Foods Market has become a resource for a full range of traditional and innovative kosher products that fit a variety of lifestyles and dietary needs. Among the most exciting innovations to spring from this collaboration is the nation’s first biodynamic grape juice under the Kedem brand. More than three years in the making, this project has been ambitious and rewarding. We look forward very much to continuing our partnership into a bright future.”
Added Schweizer, “At Whole Foods Market, we are committed to offering our customers new and unique choices that not only meet dietary needs, but are also produced to a higher standard. Year after year, Kedem has helped us deliver on that promise to our kosher shoppers. From formulating tried-and-true Passover staples without GMOs or artificial ingredients, to creating new twists on traditional favorites, Kedem is constantly innovating, in consultation with us, to offer products customers can’t find anywhere else.”
Kedem’s lineup of Kosher for Passover products will be available at select Whole Foods Market locations nationwide beginning in March:
New and exclusive items
• Harrison’s Sweet Shoppe Raspberry Syrup
• Glick’s Salted Chocolate Macaroons in two varieties
New items for 2016
• Gefen Frozen Mashed Potatoes (also Sweet Potatoes) & Herbs, Spices
• Prigat Juices, imported from Israel
• Yehuda Gluten-Free Unsalted and Ancient Grain Matzo
• Gefen Kartofele Snacks, Couscous and Crackers (all gluten free)
• Gefen Chopped Garlic, Sautéed Onions
• Gefen Organic Beets (peeled and ready to eat)
• Wissotzsky Nana Mint Tea
• Premier & Geula Table Covers and Crock Pot Liners
• Gefen Kartofele (Car-Tuf-A-La) a line of crunchy seasoned gluten-free snacks
• The Chosen Bean Fair Trade Coffee (three varieties)
Returning exclusive favorites
• Avvio Organic Grape Juice; 100% Grape Juice made exclusively from New York’s Finger Lakes region organic grapes.
• Glick’s Chocolate Chip, Chocolate, Coconut and Almond Macaroons (gluten free)
• Harrison’s Original Sweet Shoppe Fair Trade Baking Chips, Natural Jelly Rings and Fruit Slices (gluten free)
• Kedem Tilapia Gefilte Fish (gluten free)
• Yehuda Organic Matzo
• Fox’s U-Bet, All-Natural & Fair Trade Chocolate Syrup
