EMERYVILLE, Calif. (Oct. 18, 2011) – Whole Foods Market will open its third Sacramento area store in Folsom at 270 Palladio Parkway on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. Store leadership will host a bread-breaking ceremony at 9:45 a.m. and afterwards customers will enjoy live music and beer tasting all day, kids can explore the pumpkin patch and the first 250 Folsom shoppers to enter the store will receive a reusable shopping bag filled with Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value® products.
“Whole Foods Market is thrilled to be a part of the Folsom community,” said Steven Smith, store team leader, Whole Foods Market Folsom. “We look forward to being a trusted neighborhood resource where folks can learn about healthy eating and how to feed their families economically, find products to suit special dietary needs and have a little bit of fun in our bier garden – a perfect place to relax and enjoy live music and good conversation.”
Folsom residents are invited to celebrate the opening at the store’s “Folsom Street Market,” on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. This event will be held in the parking lot and feature over 60 local vendors sampling their yummy products, community partners, live music, sneak peek store tours, beer and cider tasting (which will require a small donation to a charity), hay maze and pumpkin patch for the kids and a variety of DIY food workshops.
The 45,000-square-foot store, located in the Palladio mall, features many unique décor elements throughout the store including reclaimed Douglas-fir and redwood from all around California; large décor letters made from vintage and reclaimed license plates gathered from all 50 states – made in Folsom; 80 percent recycled content tile from McIntyre Tile in Healdsburg and Heath Ceramics in Sausalito; bright color palette and unique artwork to reflect the Folsom community. Green store design elements include glycol refrigeration system; a reflective roof and glass dairy doors with LED lights and solar-powered exterior signage. Additionally, all wood fixtures and wood cladding throughout the store are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Wood. The FSC standards represent the world’s strongest system for guiding forest management toward sustainable outcomes.
The store will feature over 200 local suppliers sourced from nearby El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Amador and Yolo counties. Whole Foods Market has partnered with the Foothill Farmers’ Market Association to launch a year-round certified farmers market to be held in the store’s parking lot. Launching in Spring 2012, the Market will feature over 30 local growers and producers. The Foothill Farmers’ Market currently operates at the Whole Foods Market Roseville location on Tuesdays.
Highlights that Whole Foods Market Folsom shoppers can look forward to enjoying include:
- Local Vendors – a wide range of products from within 100 miles or less of Folsom will be featured.
- Bier Garden – an outdoor bier garden that features local craft beers via an eight tap system. The beer selection will rotate weekly and always feature local breweries including: Sudwerks, Knee Deep, Lockdown, Sierra Nevada and Lagunitas. A craft beer selection features Jolly Pumpkin, Dogfish Head, Mikkeller and many other imported specialties brews. The store will also have a beer shed housing a selection of over 300 different beers as well as a large home brew section with all the ingredients and equipment for brewing beer at home. The Bier Garden will occasionally feature live music and host visiting brew masters for sampling.
- “Cooking Folsom” – part of the expanded bulk section, Cooking Folsom features Cindy, the Cooking at Home Specialist, who will help educate shoppers on cooking yummy and healthy meals for themselves or their families, conduct classes and provide a wide range of food preparation assistance and inspiration.
- Bulk Section – one of the largest selections of bulk items in Northern California. The department will feature a variety of bins brimming with legumes, grains, flours, nuts, olive oil and seeds with each item traceable back back to its original farm or field. To cut back on packaging waste, customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers.
- Meat – large meat counter with special offerings including local Panorama Organic Grass-Fed grass-fed and grass-finished beef and Country Natural grain-finished beef from cattle that have never been in a feedlot. Also available will be grab and go seasoned and marinated meats ready to cook in easy hanging bags, stew and pot roast kits locally-raised Field to Family air-chilled chicken, local Pozzi grass-fed lamb and Diestel Ranch turkeys and brined, boneless turkey breast roasts. The store offers the best-tasting, freshest and highest-quality meat available that meets the company’s strict quality standards, which include that animals are raised on a vegetarian diet without being administered antibiotics or added growth hormones.* All beef, pork and chicken carried in the fresh and pre-packaged cases at all Whole Foods Market stores in the U.S. are rated according to Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating program. Step-rated turkeys and Wellshire spiral sliced hams will be available for Thanksgiving.
- Artisan Bakery – featuring Whole Foods Market artisan hearth breads, brownie bar, cakes, cupcakes and raw and vegan treats. Also not to be missed are treats from local bakeries including Sugar Plum Vegan Bakery from Sacramento and Sugar Lilies Bakery from El Dorado.
- Prepared Foods – featuring an extensive selection of foods made by a team of talented, in-house chefs. Specialties include a daily selection of house-made soups, an extensive salad bar and a full-service burrito bar as well as sandwiches, pizzas and charcuterie. A wonderful array of healthful and tasty lunch options will be available on a daily basis, including a variety of nutrient-rich items like quinoa, brown rice and kale.
- Drink Bar – features Santa Cruz-based Kombucha Botanica’s Healthy Living Tonic™ on tap; freshly-brewed espresso and coffee daily from Allegro ®
- Seafood – large seafood counter featuring a vast array of fresh and frozen selections, as well as all the marinades, sauces, seasonings and herbs to complete a meal with seafood as the centerpiece. New to the store are Dungeness Crab, Gravlox, Cold Smoke Wild Sockeye and Rope Hung Cold Smoked Salmon. Whole Foods Market also offers a selection of sustainable seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and rated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.
- Nut Butters – grind-your-own organic peanut and almond butters.
- Whole Body – features an extensive array of mineral make-up and premium quality facial care, with expert makeover support; organic cotton t-shirts and hoodies; best-selling health books and healthy eating cookbooks and an extensive variety of natural immune support for the upcoming cold and flu season.
- Store Dining – plenty of dining space to accommodate customers young and old alike as the store also features a children's Mercado and play area.
- Store Tours – shopping tours tailored to special diets such as gluten-free living and store tours for parents, as well tours themed for how to shop on a budget, are available. Private tours can be arranged by request for organizations such as schools and senior centers.
- Health, Wellness and Food – Whole Foods Market works hard to stay on top of food and health issues and to educate its customers on healthy eating. Whole Foods Market exclusive and store brand supplements and body care products offer customers exceptional quality at a value price.
- Whole Foods Market Community Giving Days — at least four times a year, Whole Foods Market sets aside a day on which five percent of the day's net sales is contributed to a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The next community giving day on December 15 will benefit the Twin Lakes Food Bank.
- Nickels for Nonprofits – when customers bring in their own bags for groceries they have the option of receiving a five-cent refund (per bag) or donating the money to a selected charity. The first non-profit beneficiaries are the Folsom Zoo and Folsom High School Music Booster.
- Donations Out the Back – perishable products that aren’t sold during the day are donated to those in need. Whole Foods Market Folsom is proud to work with Twin Lakes Food Bank and Folsom Zoo.
- Kid’s Club – children ages 2 through 8 are eligible to complete a scavenger hunt to receive a free treat.
- Charging Station – Two Charge Point Networked Charging Stations by Coulomb Technologies encourages the use of electric vehicles by offering free charges as well as a prime parking space for shoppers who go gas-free.
Store Information
Whole Foods Market Folsom
270 Palladio Parkway
Folsom, CA 95630
Tel. 916-984-8500
Hours: 8 a.m. – 9p.m., Sunday thru Thursday; 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Store Team Leader: Steven Smith
Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/folsom
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WFMfolsom
Twitter: www.twitter.com/wfmfolsom
*Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork and poultry.
