Newark, N.J. (Mar. 1, 2017) – Whole Foods Market, America’s Healthiest Grocery store®, will celebrate the opening of its much anticipated Newark, New Jersey, location on Wednesday, March 1. The 29,000-square-foot store is located in the recently renovated Hahne and Company building at 633 Broad St. in the city’s Central Ward.
Opening day will feature samplings, sales, and more. Festivities will begin at 8:30 a.m., with a bread-breaking ceremony and remarks from Mayor Ras Baraka, company leaders and representatives from Whole Cities Foundation. Doors will open at 9 a.m.
“It’s long been the belief of Whole Foods Market that each and every community deserves access to fresh and healthy food,” said Christina Minardi, president of Whole Foods Market’s Northeast Region. “When we had the opportunity to open a store in Newark, we knew that we wanted to build long-lasting and powerful relationships with our neighbors, community organizations and local partners. We are proud to now call Newark home and look forward to expanding our local partnerships and delivering the highest quality food and service to the community.”
The store is Whole Foods Market’s third location in Essex County and its 17th in New Jersey. The store will create 145 new jobs for the Newark community.
In an effort to increase access to fresh, healthy food in Newark, local organizations were invited to apply for Whole Cities Foundation’s Fresh, Healthy Food Access Grant. After reviewing applications, 11 Newark-based organizations were selected to receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. Each recipient’s work helps strengthen the local food system and supports community self-sufficiency and self-determination. Grant recipients include:
Al'Maidah Organic Community Garden – Aldine Street Community Garden –
Bedrock Gardening Solutions – Center for Court Innovation – Elegant Bouquet Kitchen Project, Garden of Worker Bees – International Youth Organization –
Newark Science and Sustainability –
Planting Seeds of Hope – Rabbit Hole Farm – Unified Vailsburg Services Organization
“The opening of a Whole Foods Market in our historic Hahne and Company Building is a significant event for our City, as it addresses so many of the goals that we are working to achieve,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “The store will provide nearly 150 jobs, enhance the luster of our downtown for tourism and business, help bring a great building back to life, empower local organizations like AeroFarms and GlassRoots, and most importantly, bring new and healthier eating choices to residents, workers, and visitors alike, improving the overall public health of Newark. This is more than the opening of a supermarket. This is a day that defines to the world the excellence of Newark in many ways and demonstrates our resurgence and transformation. I congratulate the entire Whole Foods team on today’s opening.”
Additionally, select vendors have committed to donating a portion of sales from nearly 800 products during the first two weeks of the opening to Whole Cities Foundation, which will support community healthy-eating initiatives and education in Newark.
What’s in store?
Shoppers will see a variety of familiar local brands and items throughout the store:
- Delicious treats from Newark’s own Bean Pie Café, Viera’s Bakery, and Keeping You Sweet in the store’s bakery department
- Fresh salad greens from AeroFarms, the world’s largest vertical farm, which is based in the city
- Specialty items, like the Antonio Mozzarella Factory’s Oaxaca cheese, and coffee from T.M. Ward Coffee, a local favorite since 1869
- Jewelry from Aspiring Artists of the Earth, and hand-blown glass housewares from GlassRoots, including a “Newark Made” collection sold exclusively at the store.
In addition to these local vendors, the store is continuously seeking new community partners and vendors. Newark-area businesses that would like to become a potential vendor partners should contact newark.community@wholefoods.com.
The prepared foods department makes Whole Foods Market Newark an ideal dining destination for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The store will offer wide variety of chef made creations including: soups, sandwiches, sushi, and rotating seasonal and international cuisine featured on the store’s salad and hot bar. Additionally, the department has developed concepts unique to this location including: Rita’s Cocina, a Peruvian inspired offering, a New Jersey bakery-style pizza station and a venue offering unique twists on classic hot dogs.
The store will also boast all the features that shoppers have come to expect from Whole Foods Market: high-quality meat free of antibiotics and added hormones; sustainably sourced seafood; the finest selection of artisan-produced, hand-cut cheeses sourced locally and from around the world; a wide selection of premium personal care and beauty items in the Whole Body department; an on-site floral department, and much more.
For more announcements from Whole Foods Market, visit media.wholefoodsmarket.com.
Whole Foods Market Newark
633 Broad Street
Newark, NJ 07102
Store Hours: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Phone Number: (973) 755-5080
