(CLOSTER, N.J., October 17, 2016) – Whole Foods Market, the nation’s leading natural and organic grocery store, is pleased to announce the opening of its newest New Jersey store on Wednesday, October 19 in Closter. Located at 33 Vervalen Street, the Closter location will anchor the revitalized Closter Plaza and be home to Bergen County’s fourth Whole Foods Market store, and 16th in New Jersey. Opening day will begin with the company’s traditional bread breaking ceremony at 8:45 a.m., featuring Whole Foods Market’s leadership team and special guests including Lt. Governor of New Jersey Kim Guadagno and Closter Mayor John Glidden. In addition, the first 200 customers will be receiving a special edition Whole Foods Market Closter reusable tote bag.
In line with Whole Foods Market’s commitment to the local community, the grocer has named the Center for Food Action (CFA) as the 5% Community Giving Day Partner. On Opening Day, CFA will receive 5% of the day’s net sales from all Whole Foods Market Bergen County locations (Closter, Ridgewood, Paramus, and Edgewater) to help fight food insecurity. Proceeds of opening day will directly benefit the CFA’s Weekend Snack Program and Thanksgiving Food Pack Distribution, with a goal of providing Thanksgiving meals to more than 3,000 local families in need.
Shoppers will also be excited to know that local fan-favorite, Mr. Cory, the nine-year old with an entrepreneurial spirit who owns his namesake Mr. Cory’s Cookies, known for its all-natural cookies, will be teaming up with Whole Foods Market. Mr. Cory’s Cookies will be hosting a series of Cookie Pop-Ups at select Whole Foods Market stores, kicking off with the Closter store’s opening day festivities, with 10% of the proceeds benefiting the Whole Kids Foundation and its mission to improve childhood nutrition.
Whole Foods Market Closter boasts 41,000 square feet of space and will provide local residents with an unparalleled selection of high quality natural and organic goods, in addition to a variety of unique dining options and store innovations for the entire family.
“The store has been eight years in the making and we’re excited to finally join the Closter community,” said Ron Brennan, Store Team Leader of Whole Foods Market Closter. “The residents have been extremely welcoming and we’re excited to arrive just in time for the fall and holiday seasons to give locals access to a new shopping option and continue to build our partnerships with nearby businesses and other organizations.”
To enjoy the outdoors as the crisp fall air makes its way, customers can take advantage of outdoor seating with a fire pit to stay warm. In addition, every department will be featuring an unrivaled selection of premium and locally sourced goods and first-to-market innovations just in time to celebrate the coming of the fall season:
- Produce: It’s harvest season in the Northeast and what better way to celebrate than with locally harvested pumpkins and squash galore! Shoppers can find bins of specialty pumpkins and sugar pie pumpkins along with hard squash to ease into the comfort of fall. In addition, customers will also find other seasonal offers like apples, pears, and other fresh fruits & veggies.
- Bakery: In addition to baked-in-house breads, cakes, pastries and more, the Closter Bakery Department will host a special selection of items specifically baked with no refined sugars including muffins, cookies and cakes. Shoppers can also enjoy Toast – a venue celebrating a selection of artisanal toasts like avocado, roasted tomatoes and confit pesto butter or brie, cranberry and walnuts.
- Grocery: The aisles will be stocked with an emphasis on bulk offerings, gluten-free and vegan options as well as a wide variety of ingredients for international cuisines. The Closter store will be New Jersey’s first to offer the much-heralded Beyond Meat Beyond Burger – the first plant-based burger that looks, cooks and tastes like fresh ground beef!
- Seafood: Shoppers can find sustainably wild caught or Responsibly Farmed seafood. In particular, locally caught fish is available in abundance fresh from the Jersey Shore. To cook for your family with ease, shoppers can find new ready-to-cook meal options like tuna meatballs, croquettes, baked salmon, and shrimp scampi.
- In-Store Dining Options: Exclusive to the Closter store is Vegta Bowl, a brand new venue featuring inventive, plant-centric, nutrient-dense veggie bowls. Shoppers can also enjoy a Jewish-style deli for a quick lunch with options like a pastrami sandwich, bagels, and more! Local purveyor Seed to Mill will have a cart featuring hand-cut halva, tahini, and other tasty options.
- Meat: Shoppers can rest assured knowing that all meat sold in stores were raised to the retailer’s strict standards and have been certified to the 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating System. In addition to the finest cuts of beef, pork, poultry, lamb and more, the Closter store will be introducing an array of new items including Asian-inspired sausages and stuffed pot roasts.
- Specialty: In addition to some of the finest cheeses sourced locally, domestically and from around the world, the Closter store will offer an extensive selection of charcuterie and an array of pickles, kimchi, olives and more!
- Coffee: The coffee bar will offer popular Pumpkin Spiced Lattes along with other seasonal items like a maple cold brew. Customers can expect to find a selection of Allegro coffees and teas.
- Whole Body: In time to celebrate Halloween, the Whole Body section will have a variety of Halloween themed goods from candles to candy bags. Other offerings include a Man Cave Line exclusive to the store, as well as a line of Korean beauty products currently making waves in the skincare world.
For additional information and future announcements, please visit the store’s social media channels: Facebook.com/wholefoodsbergennj and Twitter & Instagram @wfmbergennj
