678.638.5888

Darrah.horgan@wholefoods.com

ATLANTA, GA (June 8, 2011) –Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM) South region (AL, GA, NC, SC, and TN) announces the newest low-interest loan to Georgia-based AtlantaFresh Creamery through the company’s Local Producer Loan Program. The loan is part of a company-wide initiative to provide up to $10 million in low-interest, long-term loans to small local producers throughout the U.S. 

An extension of Whole Foods Market’s efforts to expand the availability of quality, local, differentiated products for customers, the Local Producer Loan Program supports the communities in which the company does business. This program also strengthens Whole Foods Market’s partnerships with local producers and therefore reinforces the value of environmental sustainability.

The loan program minimizes fees, interest rates and paperwork for independent local producers.  Like all Whole Foods Market vendors, loan recipients must meet the company’s strict standards for quality and taste, which means products must be free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives and hydrogenated fats.

AtlantaFresh, located in Norcross, Georgia, makes a variety of hand-crafted, small batch greek-style yogurts with unique flavors like peach ginger and tropical sweet heat, with mango, pineapple and habanero pepper.  They use milk from local dairy, Johnston Family Farms and make all of the fresh fruit flavors in house. AtlantaFresh is also venturing into cheese production and a few other experimental dairy products.

 “We’re very excited about what this loan means for our business expansion,” said Ron Marks, Big Cheese of AtlantaFresh. “We started in December of 2009 selling to two Whole Foods stores in Atlanta, and now we are on the shelves in all seven Georgia stores. We are making a number of upgrades to our creamery which will allow us to be more efficient without changing the small-batch process, while also allowing us to get a federal license from the Department of Agriculture so we can eventually sell our products nationwide.”

“We are really thrilled to be able to work with AtlantaFresh and to offer them this opportunity to grow their business,” said Stephen Corradini, South Region VP of Purchasing for Whole Foods Market. “The Local Producer Loan Program provides avenues for producers like them to expand their businesses making them more successful and opening doors for continued growth in the future.”

To date, Whole Foods Market has provided more than $4 million in loans to local producers. This is the eighth loan for the South region and the fourth in the state. In Georgia, past loan recipients include Sweetwater Growers, Via Elisa, and White Oak Pastures. For more information, visit: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/local-producer-loan-program.php

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About Whole Foods Market^®

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFM) is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company’s motto “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s nearly 60,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 14 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2010, the company had sales of more than $9 billion and currently has more than 300 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The newest store for the natural and organic foods supermarket will occupy approximately 30,000 square feet of retail space in the former Lowe’s grocery at Oleander Drive near Independence Mall. Construction to the existing space begins this summer.

Whole Foods Market’s presence in North Carolina already includes stores in Asheville, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, North Raleigh, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, with plans for additional stores opening in Charlotte and Greensboro in 2012.

“Wilmington is a terrific location for the South region’s growing map of stores,” said Scott Allshouse, regional president for Whole Foods Market. “The Wilmington community is ready for a new grocery option and a new place to celebrate good food and healthy eating.  We are excited to bring another store to North Carolina, and we’re happy to be coming to the coast.”

“We are looking forward to commencing the redevelopment of Oleander Point, in Wilmington, North Carolina,” stated Tom McGowan, President and Chief Operating Officer, Kite Realty Group.  “We are excited to have Whole Foods as our anchor for this project.  We’ve worked with Whole Foods Market on other Kite properties and are confident they will be a great addition to the community and to the success of Oleander Point.”

Whole Foods Market features a fresh and enticing selection of natural foods in their purest state, free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, and preservatives as well as hydrogenated fats.  Whole Foods Market offers shoppers the highest quality, best-tasting and freshest foods in an inviting setting. Each store is unique and is designed to meet the needs of the neighborhoods where we live and work. Combine the great-tasting food with outstanding customer service and the result is a pleasantly atypical grocery shopping experience.

About Whole Foods Market^® Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFMI), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company’s motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s nearly 60,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 14 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2010, the company had sales of more than $9 billion and currently has more than 300 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

North Raleigh Whole Foods Market Store Team Leader, George Jones, said, “We are so excited and so proud to open the doors of our first new store in the Tarheel state in ten years. This is the greenest store we’ve built in the South and our team members are ready to tell our customers all about it.”

The 40,000 square-foot store features loads of environmentally-friendly design and materials and many local products unique to the state. Whole Foods Market designed and constructed the store interior to meet the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v2.0 Commercial Interiors, and partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Commercial Building Partnerships, an effort to dramatically reduce energy use in both new construction and existing commercial buildings using cost-effective strategies. 

The greenest store in the South region for Whole Foods Market features a giant cistern that will harvest more than 10,000 gallons of rainwater for use in the store’s toilets and energy efficient coolers throughout the store. Décor includes skylights, providing plenty of natural light, low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints and finishes, reclaimed barn wood from a farm near Fayetteville, and many recycled materials. Bicycle racks and two Electronic Vehicle charging stations provide transportation options for customers and team members.

The new store will employ just over 200 team members many of them coming from the existing stores in the Triangle. Guided preview tours of the store are on Sunday, March 13^th and Monday March 14^th. For a suggested $5 donation to the Finley YMCA “We Build People Campaign” or the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, tour attendees get a sneak peek at the store, samples and a goodie bag. Pre-registration required: http://northraleigh.wholefoodsrsvp.com/

Features/highlights of the new North Raleigh Whole Foods Market include:

• Fresh, all-natural salsa and guacamole bar – we’ll make it as hot or as mild as you’d like!
• Local Kombucha on tap from Buchi’s in Asheville. Fill up a 64-ounce growler and go!
• Certified organic produce on salad bar in prepared foods.
• “Cooking North Raleigh” – a cooking and learning station in the bulk department. A healthy eating go-to resource for all of your cooking questions.
• Focus on local and regional beers, with all back-stock kept ice cold. Huge wine selection with over 600 wines in stock.
• Bulk detergent, dish soap, honey and pet food options to reduce packaging.
• Freshly-ground nut butters and huge bulk grains section.

Grand Opening Week Calendar of events:

• Wednesday, March 16^th: Free breakfast in the parking lot from 7:30 am – 8:30 am, Bread-breaking ceremony at 8:30 am. Store opens at 9:00 a.m.!
• Thursday, March 17^th: St Patrick’s Day Stout beer tasting, 4:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 19^th: ONE WHOLE DAY event, a benefit for the Whole Planet Foundation, 10 am-6 pm. Gift basket raffle and Whole Planet-inspired recipes sampled all day!
• All week long: Product samples and demos throughout the store.

The newest store for the natural and organic foods supermarket will occupy approximately 42,000 square feet of retail space in the first phase of the mixed-use Ashley Park development, which is located at the intersection of Fairview and Sharon Roads in the SouthPark area of Charlotte.

Whole Foods Market’s presence in North Carolina already includes stores in Asheville, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, with plans for additional stores opening in North Raleigh in 2011 and Greensboro in 2012. The Charlotte store will break ground in spring 2011 on the Ashley Park site, which is zoned and ready for development, with a targeted opening date of spring 2012.

“Charlotte is a great fit for Whole Foods Market, and adding Charlotte to our growing map of Southeastern store locations is a goal we have worked hard to achieve,” said Scott Allshouse, regional president for Whole Foods Market. “The SouthPark area is an exciting opportunity for us to make our entry into the Charlotte market. We’re confident Whole Foods Market will become the destination of choice for Charlotte’s food community and a favorite gathering place for the city’s many great professional and home chefs.”

“Whole Foods Market is the ideal lead tenant for Ashley Park, and will set the perfect tone for the entire development,” said Peter Pappas, president of Pappas Properties. “Our co-developer, Allen Tate, and I considered several options for the first phase of this project and we’re pleased Whole Foods Market has selected Ashley Park as the site for its first store in Charlotte.”

The site has been designed with convenient parking for the exclusive use of Whole Foods Market customers, which befits the premium shopping experience of the franchise. The store will feature 146 below-ground and 57 surface parking spaces and will be accessible through the new traffic signal on Sharon Road as well as directly from Fairview Road.

Pappas added, “Bill Moseley of Moseley Real Estate Advisors was very instrumental in bringing the two parties together and we want to thank him for his diligence and efforts through the process.”

Whole Foods Market features a fresh and enticing selection of natural foods in their purest state, free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, and preservatives as well as hydrogenated fats.  Whole Foods Market offers shoppers the highest quality, best-tasting and freshest foods in an inviting setting. Each store is unique and is designed to meet the needs of the neighborhoods where we live and work. Combine the great-tasting food with outstanding customer service and the result is a pleasantly atypical grocery shopping experience.

The organic and natural grocer will occupy approximately 34,000 square feet of retail space currently part of the existing Sears building adjacent to the Friendly Shopping Center at West Friendly Avenue and Wendover Avenue in Greensboro, N.C. The remaining space at the Sears store will continue to offer its full assortment of products and services, with an improved layout to accommodate Whole Foods Market as its new neighbor in spring 2012.

Whole Foods Market’s presence in North Carolina already includes stores in Asheville, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, with plans for additional stores opening in North Raleigh in 2011 and Charlotte in 2012. The Greensboro store has a targeted opening date of spring 2012.

“We have great stores in the Triangle, Asheville and Winston-Salem, and people have been asking about a store in Greensboro for years,” said regional president, Scott Allshouse. “The Sears building is a prime spot for us in this popular regional shopping destination area. We are especially thrilled to be among nearby complementary retailers like REI, Apple and Williams-Sonoma, so we’re happy to be moving into the neighborhood, and are pleased to work with Sears on this project.”

“Sears Holdings is excited to welcome Whole Foods Market,” said Alan Shaw, vice president, leasing and development for Sears Holdings. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement on a lease with a tenant who has such strong brand recognition and loyal shoppers.”

Whole Foods Market features a fresh and enticing selection of natural foods in their purest state, free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, and preservatives as well as hydrogenated fats.  Whole Foods Market offers shoppers the highest quality, best-tasting and freshest foods in an inviting setting. Each store is unique and is designed to meet the needs of the neighborhoods where we live and work. Combine the great-tasting food with outstanding customer service and the result is a pleasantly atypical grocery shopping experience.

Greenlife Grocery operates two grocery stores in the Southeast, at 301 Manufacturer’s Road in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and at 70 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville, North Carolina.  The original Greenlife Grocery was opened by founder Chuck Pruett on July 10, 1999, on Hixson Pike in Chattanooga, and relocated to the Two North Shore complex off Manufacturer’s Road in November 2007.  The Asheville location was opened by Chuck Pruett and Asheville business partner John Swann on July 17, 2004.

“Greenlife is an outstanding grocery retailer and a vibrant and valued part of the communities it serves.  We are proud to welcome Greenlife into the Whole Foods Market family.  The customers and Team Members who define the Greenlife culture have created a truly special natural, organic and local food community in Chattanooga and Asheville.  We believe Whole Foods Market’s presence in the Southeast and our culture as a company will be enriched by this deal with Greenlife,” said Scott Allshouse, president, Whole Foods Market South Region.

According to Greenlife CEO and founder Chuck Pruett, “A deal with Whole Foods Market makes sense for us at this time in our company’s life cycle.  Over the last eleven years, we have built a solid foundation for natural, organic and locally grown food in Tennessee and North Carolina.  We are particularly proud of Greenlife’s commitment and history of supporting the local food economy.  Joining with Whole Foods Market, which shares a similar vision for supporting local and regional food networks, will open up even more opportunities for our customers to shop for the best and widest variety of the foods they value, and expand opportunities for local producers to sell their products.  Our Team Members, too, will gain more opportunities to expand their food horizons and careers, thanks to Whole Foods Market’s network of global natural and organic food resources and store locations in North America and Great Britain.’

‘I sincerely appreciate all the customer support we have enjoyed over the years in Chattanooga and Asheville, and I believe that our customers will continue to get the same great shopping experience after the deal closes.  Based on their history and core value of Team Member happiness and excellence, I believe Whole Foods Market will care for our Team Members just as much as I have since the first day we opened our doors.’ ”

The transaction is expected to close within a couple of weeks.

About Whole Foods Market^®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFMI), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company’s motto “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s more than 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 13 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2009, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 280 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

About Greenlife Grocery LLC

Founded in 1999 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Greenlife Grocery has  made a name for itself as a full-service natural grocery foods store and café in both Chattanooga and then at its second location in Asheville, North Carolina, where it opened in 1994. The company focuses on offering high quality organic foods and environmentally responsible products. Greenlife is also proud to carry a strong selection of local and regional products, helping to support the local farms and businesses of its communities.

ATLANTA (October 21, 2009) – Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI) has partnered with SweetWater Brewery to create a beer bread baked at Whole Foods Market’s Bakehouse in Alpharetta, Georgia. SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale bread is made from spent grains (barley) from the SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale brewing process.  This new bread will be offered in all stores throughout the Southeast  beginning October 23rd and sells for $3.49 per loaf.

SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale is SweetWater’s most popular local brew and is a tasty West Coast style pale ale with a stimulating hop character and a crisp finish. After brewing this award-winning beer at the Midtown Atlanta brewery, the grains are delivered to the Whole Foods Market Bakehouse and used exclusively for the SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale bread. Pumpkin seeds and a rustic, nutty texture and crust round out the flavor profile.

Steve Schulte, South Region Bakery Coordinator for Whole Foods Market, said, “This is a great new bread for us and our bakers had a lot of fun developing a new recipe using SweetWater’s grains. Partnering with a local brewery is something we’ve talked about doing for some time now, and the result is a hearty, delicious, local bread that’s perfect for fall dinners and tailgating parties.”

Steve Farace, Minister of Propaganda for SweetWater Brewing, said, “It seemed like a natural partnership – we make fantastic beer but we have leftover grains, so why not work with Whole Foods Market and see what we can come up with to make sure that tasty stuff finds a good home! The result is delicious, and it’s all produced right here in Georgia!”

The SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale bowl is ideal for tailgating, and pairs nicely with beer and cheese fondue, which also incorporates SweetWater 420 Pale Ale. (Recipe follows)

Beer and Cheese Fondue featuring SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale Bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups, shredded sharp Cheddar
• 1/4 pound Gruyere shredded
• 1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup SweetWater 420 Pale Ale
• 1 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• A few drops Worcestershire sauce
• A few drops hot sauce or horseradish (optional)
• 1 SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale bread loaf

Directions

• Combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Add beer to a small pot and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon. When the cheese has been incorporated fully, stir in the mustard, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
• Hollow out the bread to form a bread bowl. Pour the fondue into the bowl.
• Make cubes from the leftover bread that was hollowed, dip cubes into the fondue and enjoy.

For more recipe ideas or Whole Foods Market locations near you, visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com), a leader in the natural and organic foods industry and America’s first national certified organic grocer,  was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” in 2008 by Health magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to its more than 50,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 12 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2008, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 275 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild^TM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP.  Wild Oats® and Capers Community Market^TM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc.

About SweetWater Brewery:

SweetWater Brewing Company, makers of 420 Extra Pale Ale and a host of tasty brews, began its dream of free beer till their dying day in an isolated office park near Sweetwater Creek State Park on the west side of Atlanta in 1996. Today, six years into a shiny new brewery in midtown Atlanta as the second largest craft brewer in the Southeast, SweetWater produces four year-round beers; 420 Extra Pale Ale, Blue, IPA, and Georgia Brown, as well as a slew of Catch and Release seasonals, and the Dank Tank series of experimental beers. SweetWater Brewery is also the winner of the “Small Brewery of the Year” award at the Great American Beer Festival – the only brewery east of the Mississippi to have ever won the award in the 28 year history of this Grand Daddy of beer festivals held in Denver, CO every fall. Tours of the brewery on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 5:30 – 7:30pm and Saturday from 2:30 – 4:30. For more info give them a call at 404-691-ALES or visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com

The Local Producer Loan Program at Whole Foods Market makes $10 million available annually for low-interest loans to small, local producers. An extension of Whole Food Market’s efforts to expand the availability of quality, local, differentiated products for customers, the loan program supports the communities in which the company does business. This program also strengthens Whole Foods Market’s partnership with local producers and therefore reinforces the value of environmental sustainability.

Harris Family Heritage Beef at White Oak Pastures (http://www.whiteoakpastures.com/), Georgia’s leading grassfed beef producer, was able to complete a long-awaited on-farm facility designed to process beef according to rigorous humane animal treatment standards and to minimize environmental impact with its loan.

“Having this plant on our farm means we will never again have to load cattle that were born and raised here onto an 18-wheeler,” said Will Harris, founder and owner of White Oak Pastures. “It is more humane for the animals and without a doubt better for the environment to have a closed production loop on the farm.”

Prior to completion of the 5,329 square-foot facility, White Oak Pastures transported its cattle to a processing plant 100 miles away from the farm in Bluffton, a journey that stresses the animals and contributes to global warming by expending fossil fuels in transport. The on-farm facility will allow White Oak Pastures to significantly expand production and distribution of its beef. Whole Foods Market started carrying the company’s fresh steaks, roasts, and ground beef at its butcher counters in 2007.

Another local farm and family-run business dedicated to bringing fresh culinary herbs and specialty greens of the highest quality to the South United States, Sweetwater Growers, Inc. (http://www.sweetwatergrowers.com/), just received a loan, which enabled the addition of two new greenhouses in order to grow more fresh micro greens, basil and other herbs.

“We currently produce 100 cases of the living products right now and will be able to produce 400 cases once construction on the new greenhouses has been completed,” says James Dault of Sweetwater Growers Inc. “Whole Foods Market has increased their orders with us by 50% since last year, and I hope they continue to grow with me.”

Via Elisa Fresh Pasta (http://www.viaelisa.com/), a genuine fresh pasta shop in Atlanta, received a loan that will pay for a pasta cutter that enables increased efficiency and productivity. Previously, the company cut all of its pasta manually but will now be able to provide additional product with the use of this new machine. Via Elisa uses 100% organic flours, 100% organic semolina, eggs from free-range hens and luxurious cheeses imported directly from Italy and can now provide customers and outlets such as Whole Foods with a larger supply of authentic, homemade Italian pasta.

“Via Elisa has been a Whole Foods Market local vendor for four years and during that time, more and more stores are carrying our products,” says Elisa Gambino, owner of Via Elisa Fresh Pasta. “This demand was too much for our tabletop cutting machine, and the loan from Whole Foods made it possible to purchase a new and much faster cutting machine. The increased speed without an increase in labor costs helped us offset the recent increase in egg and flour prices without changing our exceptional ingredients. Thanks to Whole Foods, we are now faster and more efficient!”

“The Whole Foods Market Local Producer Loan Program was set up specifically to assist farmers like Will and James, and specialty producers like Elisa” said Joey Herndon, vice president of purchasing, Whole Foods Market South Region. “By offering support to their expansions, we are able to strengthen our relationships with local producers and support the development of specific products.”

The loan program minimizes fees, interest rates and paperwork for independent local producers, however, loan recipients must meet the following requirements:

• Meet Whole Foods Market’s Quality Standards
• Use funds for expansion (e.g., buy more animals or new equipment, expand crops) and not operating expenses
• Meet Whole Foods Market’s Animal Compassion Standards (for meat and dairy producers)
• Have a viable business plan and adequate cash flow to service debt

Here in Georgia, three recent recipients of the local loan program include White Oak Pastures, Sweetwater Growers and Via Elisa Fresh Pasta.

Also guiding customers in making the connection to where their food comes from is Whole Foods Market’s Farm to Market Blog (http://www.wholefoods/farmtomarket.com), which features stories and photos of the people and places behind local and regional foods found in the company’s stores. Visitors to the site can view interviews with farmers and producers whose passion is to produce the highest-quality, best-tasting product available.

About Whole Foods Market®

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) is the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer. In fiscal year 2007, the company had sales of $6.6 billion and currently has more than 270 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild^TM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats® and Capers Community Market^TM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market employs more than 53,000 Team Members and has been ranked for 11 consecutive years as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine.

By earning the ENERGY STAR, Whole Foods Market South Region stores are using about 35 percent less energy than average supermarkets, while still providing quality service and comfort to its customers. The South Region of Whole Foods Market is comprised of stores in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“We’re proud to be the first region within Whole Foods Market to earn the EPA’s ENERGY STAR in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Scott Allshouse, South Region president. “By promising to reduce our energy consumption, benchmarking our stores and facilities, and educating our team members about energy consumption, we are ensuring sustained energy usage reductions.”

To earn the ENERGY STAR, Whole Foods Market updated existing buildings using an integrated process with architects and engineering partners and specific state of the art energy efficiency products, equipment and systems. An educational program is also in development, teaching team members to be conscious of and to know how to manage energy usage more efficiently.

The South Region is the first region within Whole Foods Market to participate in this program with other regions working toward this goal. All South Region stores that met criteria to submit (12, total) were granted the certification. The region will be applying for other stores as they become eligible to participate.

Kathy Loftus, Global Leader, Sustainable Engineering, Maintenance & Energy Management at Whole Foods Market, said, “Whole Foods Market truly appreciates the resources and value gained by working with the EPA’s partnerships. Together with the EPA, we are also a Green Power, Green Chill and Climate Leaders Partner. As a sector leader for the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, we’ve motivated other retailers to step up their energy efficiency efforts and we’ve committed to continuous improvement with our efforts.

Organizations earn the ENERGY STAR by using the EPA’s national energy performance rating system to generate energy-efficiency ratings for their buildings, on a scale of 1 to 100 relative to similar buildings across the country. The rating system is available for office buildings, schools, dormitories, hotels, hospitals, and grocery stores, among other commercial buildings.

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program that helps businesses and consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. In 2006 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $14 billion and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from 25 million vehicles.

For more information about ENERGY STAR visit http://www.energystar.gov/.

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About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) is the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer. In fiscal year 2007, the company had sales of $6.6 billion and currently has more than 270 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild^TM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats® and Capers Community Market^TM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market employs more than 53,000 Team Members and has been ranked for 11 consecutive years as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine.

NASHVILLE (November 28, 2007) – The first Whole Foods Market® (NASDAQ: WFMI) in the state of Tennessee celebrates the opening of its new Salud! Cooking School Thursday December 6^th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees will get a peek at the cooking school and help raise money for Second Harvest Community Food Bank.

A suggested $10 donation to Second Harvest Community Food Bank promises attendees a fun, elegant evening of food, wine, chef demonstrations, artisan cheeses and much more. Registration is available online at http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/calendars/GHLsalud.html or by phone, 615.440.5117.

Salud! Director, Merijoy Rucker, says, “We’re looking forward to showing off our beautiful new Salud! Cooking School and introducing Green Hills to some exciting and fun classes. We will offer a wide range of classes from basic knife skills and culinary techniques to kid’s classes and “girls’ night out.” It’s a fun way to just hang out, learn to cook and enjoy some delicious food.”

Salud! will open with a limited schedule for the month of December, with a focus on children’s and holiday classes, and a full quarterly class schedule beginning in January. December’s Class schedule will be available online by December 1st at http://system2.ipressroom.com/editor/scripts/www.wholefoods.com and a hard copy will also be available in the store by mid-December. #

About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) is the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer. In fiscal year 2006, the company had sales of $5.6 billion and currently has more than 270 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild^TM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats® and Capers Community Market^TM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market employs more than 50,000 Team Members and has been ranked for ten consecutive years as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine.