Whole Foods Market Lexington is delighted to bring you the best natural and organic products available, sourced from the top taste makers from our local communities and all around the world. We want to be your neighborhood store, your go-to for answers to all your culinary questions, and a place to share our passion and joy about what we find so exciting-great food.

Our store provides a truly unique grocery store experience. We care about product knowledge, we care about quality standards, and we care about the Lexington community. We are proud to be part of the local flavor — and we’re passionate about great tasting food and the pleasure of sharing it with others. Our Lexington store features farm-fresh local produce, grass-fed beef, sustainable seafood, a fresh salad bar, premium bodycare… and so much more!

Getting to Know us is Easy:

For starters, you can rest assured when you walk through our doors that you will not meet something artificial. We insist that everything meets our strict quality standards before it’s allowed near our shelves. We love our products and want you to explore our wide array of organic and natural foods. We 100% guarantee that you will love it, or we will give you a full refund — no questions asked. So shop with confidence!

As you can see, we’re passionate about great tasting food that’s good for you. That’s why:

• We carefully evaluate each and every product we sell.
• We feature foods that are free of artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats.
• We are passionate about great tasting food and the pleasure of sharing it with others.
• We are committed to foods that are fresh, wholesome and safe to eat.
• We seek out and promote organically grown foods.
• We provide food and nutritional products that support health and well-being.

Our quality standards come from a deep tradition that started when we opened our doors in 1980 in Austin, Texas. Our mission has always driven us. Early on, we adopted a set of core values to guide our purpose. Our core values are the soul of the company.

• Selling the highest quality natural and organic products available
• Satisfying and delighting our customers
• Supporting team member happiness and excellence
• Creating wealth through profits and growth
• Caring about our communities and our environment
• Creating ongoing win-win partnerships with our suppliers.
• Promoting the health of our stakeholders through healthy eating education

Our values still guide us today. Now that you know a little about us, we want to get to know you. We look forward to meeting you in the aisles of our new market, where we are working to make your shopping experience a true joy. It’s not something we do, it’s everything we do. It’s more than our pleasure, it’s our mission.

Whole Foods Market’s meat standards require its beef to come from cattle that are raised without antibiotics or added hormones and on a diet free of animal by products. Plus, Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating system tells customers how the animals were raised for the meat they are buying.

Original Press Release Follows - 

Whole Foods Market in the Mall at Lexington Green to donate 5% of proceeds on Wednesday, March 14, for rebuilding efforts in West Liberty

Once every quarter, Whole Foods Markets throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region donate 5% of store net sales to a local nonprofit. This Wednesday, March 14^th, Whole Foods Market in The Mall at Lexington Green will contribute 5% of its sales to the Eastern Kentucky Tornado Rebuilding Fund at Blue Grass Community Foundation.

The Fund was established to support long-term rebuilding efforts in Eastern Kentucky counties declared federal disaster areas after recent devastating tornadoes.  Donors may give generally to the rebuilding effort or they may specify which county among those declared federal disaster areas they would like their gift to benefit. Whole Foods Market has earmarked its contribution to go to rebuilding efforts in West Liberty, Morgan County.

Whole Foods Market 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. Whole Foods Market also has a long tradition of giving back to the communities it serves. Most recent recipients of 5% Day proceeds were God’s Pantry and Bluegrass Pride.

Blue Grass Community Foundation is Kentucky’s oldest community foundation.  The Community Foundation encourage a culture of giving by connecting donors to the critical local causes they care about and by providing guidance and leadership on important community matters.  For more information about the Community Foundation, contact Allison Lankford, vice president, 859.225.3343 or alankford@bgcf.org.

To make a tax-deductible contribution to help with the rebuilding efforts in Eastern Kentucky, go to www.bgcf.org and click on the Eastern Kentucky Tornado Rebuilding Fund button. Or send a check to the Eastern Kentucky Tornado Rebuilding Fund, 250 W. Main, Ste. 1220, Lexington KY 40507.

In the Fall of 2011, Whole Foods Market discontinued carrying seafood not rated by Blue Ocean Institute, one of its partners in
seafood sustainability.  Essentially, this means all seafood must be inspected and scrutinized in all areas related to sustainability including (but not limited to): fishing methods, overfishing, and habitat destruction.  These quality standards will be enforced and must be met before the product is sold in stores.

The latter half of the plan includes discontinuing seafood which receives a red rating from the Blue Ocean Institute.  A red rating means the fish is not being fished within the parameters ensuring long lasting health of species.  Instead of carrying red-rated fish, Whole Foods Market sources from fishermen who practice fishing methods limiting (and in some cases, completely removing) any chance of endangering the species. One example includes “troll-caught” Coho Salmon the store recently carried for its Friday One Day Deal.  Each fish was caught with a hook and line, meaning one fish at a time.  This ensured no other species was mistakenly caught in the nets.  The tentative date for this latter half plan is set for Earth Day of 2012.

The above guidelines continue to set industry standards.  If you have questions, please email Jimmy, the Seafood Assistant Team Leader, at james.rohr@wholefoods.com.

The application process to be considered for FORTUNE’s 100 Best list is comprehensive: It includes an extensive review of our policies and culture, and most importantly, the voice of Team Members as represented through an anonymous survey.  Team Member opinion counts for 2/3 of the total evaluation.

Also of note, WFM ranked number 8 of the 38 large companies on the list, was the 16th most diverse company, the fifth best company in terms of job growth and one of only four grocery stores on the list. It’s clear that the success of Whole Foods Market would not be possible if we did not have the dedication of our Team Members who make WFM a great place to work and support the mission of our community!

Thank you to all of the 109* Team Members at Whole Foods Market Lexington who continue to make our location a joyous place to work.

*as of 1/23/2012

Carolina Classics Catfish Farm, located in the coastal plains of eastern North Carolina, has been growing catfish especially for Whole Foods Market for years.  Not only do they take great pride in their high-quality product, they also go the extra mile, working with Whole Foods Market to tailor their farming practices to meet our strict Quality Standards for Aquaculture.

Integration and Traceability One of the things making Carolina Classics a special operation is the “totally integrated” operation,  meaning they own the hatchery, farm, feed mill, and processing facility.  This full integration gives Carolina Classics complete control over all stages of production and allows them to meet our stringent standards for traceability, which require fish be traced back to the plant, farm, and hatchery where they were first raised.  In contrast, other processors in the industry buy fish from lots of farms with little or no control over farming practices.

Feeding the Fish By owning their own feed mill, Carolina Classics Catfish can produce feed with no land animal by-product or antibiotics.  Additionally, they go one step further by producing catfish feed primarily grain-based and very low in fishmeal. This is important to Whole Foods Market because it meets the WFM goal of reducing pressure on populations of wild fish and decreasing reliance on the reduction fisheries that catch feed for farmed fish.

Protecting the Environment Catfish at Carolina Classics Catfish Farm are grown in inland ponds with zero “water exchange.”  This method protects water quality by preventing wastewater from entering local water bodies.  Speaking of ponds, theirs are extra deep.  This means less evaporation and a decreased need to refill—both of which are big wins for water conservation.  Rob Mayo, President of Carolina Classics Catfish, actively engages in policy efforts to develop organic standards for aquaculture in the U.S. With this work, he uses his experience in environmental stewardship to help make aquaculture more environmentally responsible.

Great Tasting Catfish Carolina Classics Catfish never uses the synthetic algicides that conventional catfish farms often rely on to kill the blue-green algae that may cause an “off” flavor in the fish. Instead, they taste test every batch of fish harvested on the farm to ensure great taste.  If it doesn’t meet this standard, they wait to harvest the pond at another time.

Myth #1: Catfish tastes “muddy.”

The truth: If it does, it’s not good catfish.
Because of the way we raise and harvest our fish, you’ll never get that muddy flavor, which is caused by algae blooms in the water.

Myth #2: Catfish is a bottom feeder.

The truth: Farm-raised catfish eat off the top of the water.
In the wild, catfish are opportunistic feeders and they will eat anywhere in the water column. To maximize the feed costs of farm-raised catfish, we make floating feed so we ensure all of it is consumed and does not go to waste.

Our catfish are fed mostly grain with no antibiotics or added hormones. Additionally, synthetic herbicides are never used in the ponds. Our partner in North Carolina has been working with us for years to hone their process as the finest catfish farm in the U.S. to maintain high standards—theirs and ours—they own it all, the hatchery, the farm and the processing plant.

View an Exclusive Video from Carolina Classics Catfish Farm

Did you know?

Whole Foods Market Sea Scallops are dry-packed. Because we prohibit preservatives including phosphates, our sea scallops are “dry”— i.e. never soaked in chemicals.  In turn, you receive high quality scallops and do not pay extra for scallops treated to maintain moisture.

Whole Foods Market Sea Scallops are hand-packed. Hand stacking Sea Scallops is a great example of how we go the extra step.  By using this additional culling method, we ensure you receive a premium product.

Our 365 Everyday Value organic steel cut oats are whole grain and have been minimally cut leaving the grain mostly intact. It takes a little longer to cook, but its rich and nutty flavor reminds us of what oatmeal should taste like – wholesome.  Steel cut oats support healthy cholesterol levels as well as aid in a healthy digestive track, due to naturally soluble fibers.

So take the extra time for yourself, and your breakfast, because the best things in life are worth the wait.

Looking for a new way to eat your oatmeal?  Try one of these tasty recipes:

Creamy Almond Rye Flake Oatmeal (Total cook time less than 30 minutes) Cooking rye flakes with steel-cut oats lends creaminess to this typically chewy oatmeal.

APerfect Pot of Oatmeal (Suggested soak time of 8 hours or overnight) Top this hearty breakfast favorite with any dried or fresh fruit and sweeten with honey, agave nectar or turbinado sugar, if you like. For added flavor and texture, sprinkle ground flaxseed or wheat germ over the top just before serving.

Apple Cinnamon Oat Squares (Cook time of approximately 1 hour) You can enjoy these tasty squares warm, at room temperature or even cold for breakfast or a snack. They’re simple to make ahead of time.  Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator so you can grab n’ go throughout the week.

Whole Foods Market’s trained butchers can offer expert advice to shoppers looking to try something new with these lesser-known cuts. Check out the “Ask the Butcher” series on our Meat Department facebook page for first-hand advice on how to prepare a delicious roast. Hungry for more? Visit our Whole Story blog for shopping and cooking tips, and check out these simple and scrumptious recipes:

How to cook pot roast

Honey glazed black pepper roast beef

Cranberry-orange braised beef on ciabatta

Roast beef and brie croissant sandwiches

When you buy your beef from Whole Foods Market, you know it comes from an animal raised on a vegetarian diet, without being administered antibiotics or added growth hormones. In addition, all of the ranches from which we source our beef are certified to meet the Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating program so you also know how the animal was raised for the meat you are buying.

A sampling of the evening includes:

• Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2008 & Camembert: Paired with the creamy full-flavored Camembert, this Alsatian wine is rich & luscious with a dry and spicy finish. The nose is perfumed with lychee fruits and spices.

• Rasteau Les Peyrieres & Black Pepper BellaVitano: Paired with the creamy Cheddar-style black peppercorn Bella Vitano, this wine is a classic grenache & syrah blend featuring dark cherry and pepper notes with a smoky, anise nose.

• De Chancey Rose Brut & Florette:  The well-balanced and soft-ripened Florette compliments the bright cherry, mineral and crushed herb on the nose of the De Chancey Rose Brut.  Made from Gamay grapes in the South of France, this wine is beautifully balanced.

We won’t send you home without a taste of our featured Top 10 Sparkling Wine, Toso, as well as intended after-dinner sips of bourbons, Benchmark & Ancient Age.  Afterall, here in Kentucky, we understand bourbon as well as we understand our ABC’s.  No celebration is complete without a taste to warm your palette and your belly.