Whole Foods Market(R) Opens New Store in Huntington Beach Featuring Local Flavors and Community Celebrations

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA--(Marketwire - October 6, 2010) -  Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI), the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket and the nation's first certified organic grocer, will open its newest Southern California store at the Bella Terra Mall located at Edinger and Beach Boulevards in Huntington Beach on October 13^th at 9:00 a.m.

Blending together the tastes and flavors of the surfside and Vietnamese communities with the natural and organic products that shoppers associate with Whole Foods Market, the 30,000-square-foot store will feature products from more than 50 local vendors. Enthusiastically joining the community, Whole Foods Market Huntington Beach features indoor and outdoor seating, coffee from local vendor Portola Handcrafted Coffee Roasters, freshly prepared pizza, tapas, rotating ethnic cuisines and cold beer on tap, making the store a perfect meeting place for neighbors to gather and hang out.

"We are proud to be a part of Huntington Beach which is synonymous with Surf City USA and home to one of the most vibrant Vietnamese communities in the country," said Pat Cox, Whole Foods Market Huntington Beach Store Team Leader. "Whether you are looking for a variety of ethnic dishes, local and organic produce, or a great place to meet friends for a quick meal before heading to the beach, the store has a unique and tasty blend of fresh ingredients and a friendly atmosphere that we think perfectly fits the needs of the Huntington Beach community."

As Whole Foods Market celebrates 30 years of the joy of eating and living well, Whole Foods Market Huntington Beach marks the 300^th store for the company. The store will feature the following highlights:

• Local Flavors: selections of Vietnamese cuisine including Sesame Peanut Cold Noodle Salad, soups like Sweet and Spicy Tamarind and Pho, entrée dishes such as Vietnamese Skirt Steak and Spicy Lemon Tamarind Tofu, Vietnamese-inspired pizza and more. For those who want to cook Asian dishes at home, there are stir fry sets of pre-cut strips of pork, lamb, chicken and beef paired with vegetables
• Pizza and Beer Bar: hot pizza from the oven and cold beer on tap, the Pizza and Beer Bar is a fun gathering place for shoppers to meet up with friends. The area will also feature a live feed of the current surf conditions in Huntington Beach so surfers can keep track of the waves
• Beach Bar 405: rotating flavors from all over the world will include beef and chicken empanada plates, a variety of bruschetta and marinated garlic plates, and unique dishes like arepas (flat cornmeal patties from Venezuela and Columbia stuffed with chicken, cheese, or meat) and Jade Pearl Marbles (rice balls made with Jade Pearl rice, vegetables and herbs) served with sesame miso dipping sauce, alongside comfort food favorites like fried macaroni and cheese balls, chicken wings, nachos and french fries
• Meat: specialty meats include savory cured meat from our in-house smoke bacon program, smoked pork bellies, shabu shabu meat, duck and game birds
• Seafood: large pre-packed wild-caught and responsibly farmed fish options with vegetables for steaming or stir frying, fish smoked in-house daily as well as frozen bulk shrimp. In September, Whole Foods Market became the first national grocer to provide a comprehensive, science-based sustainability rating system for wild-caught seafood. The system's three ratings, developed in partnership with Blue Ocean Institute, make it easy for shoppers to make informed choices at the seafood case
• Cheese: full selection of cheeses sourced locally and from around the world as well as select preassembled cheese packs, like the "International Assortment" or "The Cheese Mongers Pick." Customers can create their own pairings of cheese with jellies, honeys from Honey Pacifica, a local honey producer, truffle oils, spreads, sauces, and tapenades
• Beer and Wine: perfect for afternoons in the park, relaxing in the backyard or heading out to a local concert, the Mix and Match 6-Pack lets customers create their own set of hand-crafted beers from around the world, including varieties from the Orange County-based brewery, The Bruery. Wines made from grapes from Vietnam, as well as traditional favorites from Santa Barbara and other well-regarded regions will be featured
• Bakery: organic breads made fresh daily such as French baguettes plus a variety of Vietnamese coconut cakes as well as tapioca desserts, cream puffs and cream horns, with many gluten free and vegan options
• Produce: full array of locally grown produce, including products from Orange County Produce, featuring in-season and unique, ethnic selections such as baby bok choy, baby celery and greens for Asian cooking grown at Yasutomi Farm and a large selection of fresh squeezed citrus and veggie juices
• Floral: flowers and plants from local vendors, including lilies and Gerber daisies from Fox Point Farm and succulents and indoor plants grown at Farm-Deer Springs; can be paired with eco-friendly cards from Jillson and Roberts, a precious line of locally made cards designed by kids through the Art for Education program
• Pickle Barrels: features a variety of Alexander Valley pickles in barrels including Manhattan, Bread & Butter and Hot & Spicy pickles as well as famous Rick's Picks
• Bulk: more than 60 herbs and spices alongside numerous types of olive oil, including two California brands
• Whole Body: value oriented bulk selections of natural soaps, bath salts, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, and lotion; bodycare, make-up, supplements, including herbs and essentials from Southern California-based Paradise Herbs, and a huge selection of organic baby products

As Whole Foods Market joins the Huntington Beach community on October 13th, the new neighborhood culinary destination and hang out will host a variety of events to allow the community to sample the store's offerings and take some goodies home. Grand opening week events will include:

• Grand Opening (October 13^th): The first 300 customers in line for the 9:00 a.m. "bread breaking ceremony" will receive a complimentary demi-baguette. There will also be delicious foods to taste and Whole Body bodycare products to sample. As the store opens, Whole Foods Market Huntington Beach will launch a free iPhone app celebrating the sights and sounds of the Huntington Beach community.
• Community Support Day (October 20th): Demonstrating Whole Foods Market's commitment to the community, five percent of net sales on October 20th will be donated to the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, a non-profit, non-political organization established to ensure the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach. For additional information, please visit http://bolsachica.org/

 For additional grand opening festivities beyond opening week, please visit: http://wholefoodsmarket.com/storesbeta/huntingtonbeach/

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 55,000 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.