KAILUA, HAWAI‘I (March 15, 2012) – Whole Foods Market’s Kailua store is brewing up a new style of grocery shopping that includes a number of new store features – including the  company’s first in-store wine and beer bar in Hawai‘i. In addition to offering colorful, prepared salad and hot food bars, which the company is celebrated for, one of the new features when the store opens April 18, 2012 is an in-store wine and beer bar, which will have shoppers buzzing with five to seven local beers on tap as well as an assortment of all-natural and organic wines available by the glass.

For those who want to turn their happy hour into a full meal, they can pair their favorite beverage with a variety of fresh and savory pizzas, available by the slice.

“Our new Kailua store will offer the convenience, creativity and taste that Whole Foods Market is celebrated for and customers will be overflowing with excitement over each feature that enhances their grocery shopping experience,” said Tim Talkington, Whole Foods Market Kailua store team leader.

And beer isn’t the only type of bar that Whole Foods Market Kailua will be serving up — the new store will also offer a sizable, eight-foot-long, self-serve poke bar, with six to 10 ono (delicious) poke variations to choose from.

Well-known for its selection of all-natural, local and organic products and produce, Whole Foods Market’s Kailua store will keep its assortment of local products fresh with a healthy display of all-natural, organic and locally grown products. A few of the farms supplying the local produce including MA‘O Organic Farms, Ho Farms, Mohala Farms, Twin Bridge Farm, Kawailoa Farm, Poamoho Farm and the Reppun Family Farm.

“We hope to be more than just a grocery store where shoppers pop in and check out as part of their errands,” Talkington added. “With our new store, we want to cultivate a deep relationship with our shoppers and the community, and create an atmosphere that welcomes them in to relax, enjoy a drink and grab a bite to eat.”

Whole Foods Market Kailua will open its doors on April 18, 2012. For additional information on Whole Foods Market’s Kailua store, please visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/kailua or to stay updated on grand opening events and activities, follow Whole Foods Market Kailua on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WholeFoodsKailua and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WFMKailua.