Austin, Texas (Sept. 18, 2023) – This year marks 20 years since Whole Foods Market first attained organic retail certification. To date, the company offers more than 37,000 organic products across its stores and remains the only national retailer to hold this certification.
“Whole Foods Market is proud to celebrate 20 years as the only certified organic national grocer in the industry and continue our work to help grow and support the organic community,” said Jason Buechel, chief executive officer at Whole Foods Market. “Our Team Members work hard to ensure the organic integrity of our products all the way from the farm to customer selection from our shelves.”
Whole Foods Market has championed organic since before there was a National Organic Program and requires certification for organic label claims on all products it sells. The company’s belief in the importance of organic agriculture also goes above and beyond the sale of organic products, including playing an active role in helping to develop the USDA National Organic Program.
“We have a deep understanding of the environmental benefits sustainable farming methods like organic can bring and continue to work with our community to increase access to the organic market,” said Karen Christensen, senior vice president, Merchandising for Perishables & Quality Standards at Whole Foods Market.
Whole Foods Market has a long legacy of supporting organic agriculture. As part of its broader strategy to invest in climate-smart agriculture, the company is working together with farmers, ranchers, scientists, and industry experts to increase access to the organic market. For decades, the company has supported organic advocacy groups like the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and the Organic Farming and Research Foundation (OFRF), as well as maintained leadership on USDA advisory committees, like the National Organic Standards Board.
“OFRF is deeply grateful to for the long-term partnership and financial support of Whole Foods; their support of our charitable organization over the last 30 years has directly enabled support of organic farmers across the North America through our on-farm research grants, grower education, and farmer advocacy,” Brise Tencer, Executive Director, Organic Farming Research Foundation.
Whole Foods Market’s customers have helped support the growth of the organic marketplace, recognizing the positive impact organic farming can have on their health and the environment. As a result, the company continues to make comprehensive investments in organic agriculture to better support the producers seeking and maintaining organic certification.
Whole Foods Market continues to advocate for legislation supporting the adoption of organic and other climate-smart agricultural practices, while reducing infrastructural challenges and barriers to the market. The company joined OFRF and a broad group of signatories to endorse both the Strengthening Organic Agriculture Research Act (SOAR) in the House and the Organic Science and Research Investment Act (OSRI) in the Senate. Both pieces of legislation make meaningful investments into organic and sustainable agriculture through research, education, and extension initiatives. The legislation also calls for an evaluation of the economic impact organic agriculture has on rural and urban communities to help better understand the impact to producers, the environment, and on public health.
To learn more about Whole Foods Market’s organic commitment, visit our website at https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/quality-standards/organic.
About Whole Foods Market
For more than 40 years, Whole Foods Market has been the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer. As the first certified organic national grocer, Whole Foods Market has more than 500 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.
