Medford, Mass. ( May 14, 2008) –Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI), the world’s leading natural and organic supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer, opened in Medford today. The new store at 2151 Mystic Valley, along the Mystic River in Medford, is the 18th Whole Foods Market location in Massachusetts.
The store, which was previously a Wild Oats Marketplace and was acquired by Whole Foods Market, underwent extensive remodeling and renovations including new floors, lighting, bathrooms and fixtures; new seafood and meat prep rooms; an updated kitchen; new seafood, meat and cheese cases and additional changes to the layout of the store, including added seating.
Spanning more than 33,000 square feet, the Whole Foods Market Medford store will feature a wide selection of the highest quality natural and organic offerings. The store will be open seven days a week from 8 am – 10 pm. The store will feature six large-basket registers and two express lanes to assist shoppers. Upon checkout, shoppers can enjoy a snack or chat with friends in the café area, which seats 40 people. Free wireless internet service will also be available.
To welcome the Medford community during opening weekend, Whole Foods Market will host a “May Fair” outside the store, which will include live music, tasty snacks, fun games and activities including face painting, raffles to benefit the Mystic River Watershed Association and informational sessions about topics including shopping for value, pantry makeovers, gluten-free diets and floral demonstrations. The May Fair will run on Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17 from 10 am – 6:30 pm; and Noon – 6:30 pm on Sunday, May 18.
“We are actively involved in every community we are part of, so we are excited to become a trusted neighborhood partner in Medford,” said Todd McInnis, store team leader at Whole Foods Market Medford. “Caring for the local community is at the core of what we do at Whole Foods Market.”
As with all Whole Foods Market locations, shoppers in Medford can be confident that they are buying the freshest, tastiest and highest quality foods available. Whole Foods Market prides itself on quality and has extremely high standards for the products and goods it carries. Every item must meet the Company’s strict quality standards to ensure that all products are free of all artificial additives, sweeteners, colors, flavors, preservatives and hydrogenated oils.
In an effort to help customers learn about how to shop for value, Whole Foods Market Medford will offer “Value Shop Tours” where knowledgeable Team Members take shoppers on a guided store tour and offer advice on how to make smart, cost effective decisions about grocery shopping including our 365 Everyday Value™ and 365 Organic Everyday Value™ products, in-store promotions and weekly sales. For more information about Medford’s Value Shop Tour schedule, contact customer service at 781.395.4998.
Shoppers can choose from a vast selection of fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables that are offered in both the organic and conventional varieties, including local seasonal produce and a variety of fresh pre-cut options. There will be an extensive selection of bulk items and spices as well as a trail mix bar, where shoppers can create a customized mix of their favorites from a variety of granolas, nuts, dried fruits and candies.
The store will feature a variety of high quality meats and poultry, including ready-made options and pre-cut meats. Whole Foods Market sells only meat from animals raised on a vegetarian diet that have never received added antibiotics, growth hormones or any other growth promoting agents.
At the seafood department, knowledgeable fishmongers are ready to help you choose from the freshest daily catches and help with recipe tips. The only supermarket to own and operate three seafood processing and distribution facilities, Whole Foods Market guarantees freshness from sea to store.
For shoppers looking to save time with restaurant-quality prepared foods, Whole Foods Market offers an extensive selection of freshly made healthful foods made by the company’s talented chefs. Options will include an assortment of fresh sushi, an expansive salad bar, a new brick oven pizza and panini station, a make-your-own burrito bar, a hot bar specializing in Italian and other international cuisine and six freshly prepared soups that will be created and stocked daily.
“At Whole Foods Market, we want to put the fun in grocery shopping— and not see it as a mundane chore. We want people to see, smell and taste all of the delicious natural foods we offer. With regularly scheduled samplings and interactive fishmongers and Team Members, we are here to help – as well as tempt you into buying unique and delicious foods that you may have never experienced,” said McInnis.
The expansive cheese case with knowledgeable and passionate cheese mongers will feature a large selection of cheeses from around the world as well as locally produced varieties, an assortment of delicious olives and spreads. The bakery will feature freshly baked breads from our local bakehouse as well as a wide selection of cookies, pastries and cakes. Shoppers with special dietary needs will also find the bakery department suitable for them as vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free items will be available.
Whole Body™ at Whole Foods Market will offer a wide selection of luxurious natural body care items and cosmetics, as well as a diverse selection of high-quality nutritional vitamins and supplements. All products carried at Whole Body are made with the highest quality natural ingredients and are free of harsh chemicals and unnecessary fillers.
Whole Foods Market is a uniquely mission-driven company with one of its core values being commitment to the local community. The company donates five percent of profits annually to a variety of non-profit organizations in addition to hosting regional five-percent days quarterly, where stores donate five percent of daily sales to a local non-profit organization.
