Whole Foods Market opened its newest Louisiana location on May 18 at its 40,000-s.f. store at 3450 Highway 190 in Mandeville.
As a part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to the community, and in celebration of the store’s opening, the Mandeville store is hosting five community giving days in five weeks and will donate 1 percent of its net sales to Northshore and Greater New Orleans nonprofits. The Northshore Community Foundation was the first recipient on May 18, to be followed by:
May 25 – Food Bank of Covington
Food Bank of Covington’s mission is to feed the hungry and serve those in need on the Northshore with dignity and compassion. The food bank aims to end hunger on the Northshore!
June 1 – Hope House
The Children’s Advocacy Center – Hope House is an independent organization dedicated to ending the cycle of child abuse in the community. The organization provides a path to recovery and a bridge to justice for victims of abuse.
June 8 – Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation’s mission is to restore and preserve the Pontchartrain Basin for the benefit of this and future generations.
June 15 – WWNO
WWNO 89.9FM, New Orleans Public Radio, is the listener-supported NPR radio station serving New Orleans and 12 other parishes in Southeast Louisiana. From New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods to small bayou communities, people tune in to WWNO for information and entertainment.
“We have thoroughly enjoyed participating in community events and meeting people from throughout the area,” said Damen Williams, the Mandeville store’s team leader. “We are thrilled to host five community giving days for local nonprofits. We encourage the Northshore community to join us each Wednesday through June 15 and hear firsthand how each nonprofit serves the area.”
All surrounding New Orleans stores will host matching 1 percent community giving days for these Mandeville nonprofit partners each week. In addition, a local school will receive a Whole Kids Foundation garden grant.
The Mandeville store will offer a full range of high-quality natural and organic foods, including a vast assortment of locally sourced offerings from some of Louisiana’s most highly regarded community producers, and hundreds of products exclusive to Whole Foods Market. In keeping with Whole Foods Market tradition, the Mandeville store is customized for the surrounding community and features local cultural flair, repurposed materials, and these special attributes:
- Ready-to-eat selections, including, sushi, wood-fired pizza, a hot food bar, a salad bar with organic options, and sandwiches.
- Over 70 percent of the recycled clay bar backsplash tile is made from recycled products, including post-consumer recycled porcelain, glass, and granite dust.
- Electric vehicle charging stations will be available for use.
- Bike racks with a bike fix-it station to support the cyclist community.
- Over 50 percent of the sales floor will be day lit by skylights to work with calibrating lighting fixtures that automatically dim based on the amount of natural light in the space.
- Many local products from more than 100 suppliers, including Acalli Chocolate, Bayou Soap Co., Bayou Teche Brewing, Big Easy Bucha, Cake Face Soaping, Carmichael’s Honey; Esses Foods, Inglewood Farm; Nur’s Kitchen, Old Soul Pickles, Parish Brewing Co., Pontchartrain Blue, Three Brothers Farm, and Leidenheimer Baking Company.
