Emeryville, Calif. (June 25, 2008) – Whole Foods Market, the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first certified organic retailer, will open its first store in Reno on Wednesday, June 25 at 10 a.m.
Taking a cue from Northern Nevada’s outdoor aesthetic, the 52,000-square-foot store has the look and feel of a rustic mountain lodge. The first Whole Foods Market to feature an indoor/outdoor fireplace as well as a misted/heated patio with family-style dining and comfy sofas, the store team hopes residents will consider the store a meeting place to gather with family and friends and enjoy delicious natural and organic food at prices that are budget-friendly.
Some of the highlights that Reno Whole Foods Market shoppers can look forward to enjoying:
· Sierra Grill – walk-up burger bar featuring all-natural beef patties grilled-to-order with hand-cut seasoned fries and gourmet dipping sauces.
· Artisan bakery – European-style hearth breads made from scratch daily, in tempting varieties like cranberry walnut, sourdough, four-cheese, and buttery challah.
· Trail Mix bar – create custom blends of nuts, grains and sweet treats to fuel expeditions in Nevada’s great outdoors.
· Produce – Reno’s most bountiful selection of the highest-quality fruits and vegetables; shoppers can choose from an abundance of summer berries and field greens and discover unique items like cherimoyas and lemongrass.
· Meat – full-service meat department featuring the best-tasting, freshest and most wholesome naturally-raised meat available; everything from buffalo to quail plus 20 varieties of handmade sausages.
· Value – Whole Foods Market’s private label brands meet the highest standards for quality and taste; Reno shoppers will find more than 2,000 365 Everyday Value™ items throughout the store including frozen food, pantry staples, baby food, dairy and body care products.
“Reno is a community that cares about healthy living and the environment, values that are at the core of Whole Foods Market,” says Northern California and Nevada Regional President David Lannon. “We are very excited to open our doors and become the place where Reno shoppers can find the highest quality natural and organic foods. Most importantly, we are dedicated to offering everyday low prices and helping Reno residents find real deals throughout the store so they may generously share the pleasures of good food with friends and family.”
Special Features at Reno Whole Foods Market
Farmers’ Market
Whole Foods Market Reno will celebrate the region’s bounty by hosting a Farmers’ Market in partnership with the Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association. The market will be held every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the store parking lot, from June through October 25. Functioning as an extension of the store’s shelves, the market will feature produce from Nevada farmers including the state’s prized “Heart of Gold” cantaloupes by Lattin Farms, heirloom and unique varieties of greens, summer squash, pumpkins and potatoes by Home Grown Nevada, and local honey by Hidden Valley Honey. There also will be plants and cut flowers by Nevada’s Own Perennials and Chickie Baby Blooms and natural lavender body products by Lavender Ridge.
Whole Foods Market Reno recognizes that its customers come from diverse economic backgrounds and believes that everyone should have access to great tasting, high-quality natural and organic foods. To bring this concept to life, Reno Whole Foods Market will offer regular “Eat Well for Less” tours, during which store team members show customers how to shop smart on a budget and enjoy the best savings on organic and natural foods.
Focus on Sustainability
It may be fashionable to be green these days, but Whole Foods Market has made it a mission for 28 years. Under the guidance of Adesina Stewart, Whole Foods Market’s Green Mission Specialist, the Reno store will be looking for innovative ways to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact. As an example, Whole Foods Market Reno has partnered with Full Circle Compost – the first permitted organic materials recycling facility in Nevada – to “close the loop” between local agriculture and the urban community. Full Circle Compost will process the store’s produce and food scraps, and waxed cardboard refuse, and use the resulting beneficial soil additive to nourish vegetable and herb starters at Hungry Mother Organics. Down the road, Whole Foods Market hopes to offer the resulting garden starters to its Reno customers.
In keeping with Whole Foods Market’s commitment to the environment, environmentally friendly building materials have been used extensively in the construction of the new store, including architectural beams salvaged from a Tahoe barn, bamboo, low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, and biodegradable linoleum. Whole Foods Market Reno features low-flow toilets and faucets in the restrooms and two large skylights that reduce demand for artificial light. Culinary Center The Reno Whole Foods Market boasts a Culinary Center featuring a state-of-the-art kitchen facility, dedicated chef, and 40-seat auditorium. The Center will offer cooking demonstrations, professional cooking class series and educational lectures on a range of food and health-related topics, such as “Cooking from the Market”— a course on how to create dishes using the freshest seasonal produce from the Farmers’ Market. The Culinary Center also can be reserved for private catered events, team-builds and birthday parties.
Opening Festivities Opening day — Wednesday, June 25th — will commence with a “Bread Breaking” ceremony at 9:45 a.m., with the doors opening to the public at 10 a.m. On hand for the event will be Whole Foods Market Northern California and Nevada Vice President Joe Rogoff, Store Team Leader Kevin D’Arrigo, and the new Whole Foods Market Reno team. A $500 in-kind donation will be made to ENVIROLUTION, a national network of individuals, organizations and businesses dedicated to advancing sustainability and bringing green awareness to America's youth.
Store Information Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days per week Location: 6139 South Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89502 Telephone: 775.852.8023
# # # About Whole Foods Market® Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) is the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer. In fiscal year 2007, the company had sales of $6.6 billion and currently has more than 270 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & WildTM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats® and Capers Community MarketTM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market employs more than 53,000 Team Members and has been ranked for 11 consecutive years as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine.
