EMERYVILLE, Calif. (April 7, 2010) – Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com) is thrilled to announce that it will open its new Novato store on Thursday, April 22 at 10 a.m., with a bread breaking ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Novato Mayor Jean MacLeamy, Supervisor Judy Arnold and Whole Foods Market store leadership will be on hand to cut the traditional eight-foot long sourdough loaf and welcome shoppers into the store.
Novato residents are invited to the “Community Taste Fair” on Sunday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event is an outdoor festival for the community to sample delicious organic and natural food from a variety of local vendors and enjoy a variety of family activities. Additionally, Novato residents will be able to learn more about Whole Foods Market quality standards, Kid’s Club, green mission, community involvement, Whole Trade™ products and Whole Planet Foundation. A complete April calendar of events can be found below.
The new store, located at 790 De Long Avenue, will feature a wide range of products from more than 200 North Bay farmers and producers including Novato’s flourChylde Bakery, Pacheco Ranch Winery, Rustic Bakery, John & Jill’s Bakery, Marin French Cheese Co., Moylan’s Brewery, Navitas Naturals and Starry Night Winery; Lagunitas’ Allstar Organics and Easy Living Foods; Ross’s Longevite Tea and One Planet Granola; San Anselmo’s Marin Pasta Works; West Marin’s Red Hill Farms, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, Cowgirl Creamery, Wild Pear Company and a host of Marin County wineries including Kalin Cellars and Kendric Vineyards.
“Novato is such a wonderful town, and we are thrilled to become part of this warm, caring and family-oriented community,” said Martha Harmon, store team leader for Whole Foods Market Novato. “I hope that Novato residents come to think of our store as their community ‘go to’ grocer. Whole Foods Market is a place where folks can find the highest quality natural and organic foods as well as a place filled with awesome Team Members that can help them with all their needs – be it information on special dietary requirements and healthy eating, shopping on a budget or choosing the right products for their children.”
Some of the highlights that Novato Whole Foods Market shoppers can look forward to enjoying:
- Bakery – theater-style bakery where baked goods are the stars! Customers can watch the bakery team create fresh-baked items daily including Whole Foods Market artisan hearth breads (made with organic flour), sandwich breads, pastries, foccacia, rolls, baguettes, corn bread, pretzels and pies. Other yummy items include rustic treats like fruit crisps and bread puddings, a variety of in-house baked cakes and an array of delectable items from local bakeries including flourChylde’s wheat-free desserts.
- Kombucha – Kombucha Botanica’s Healthy Living Tonic™ will be available on tap. Kombucha Botanica is a living symbiotic colony of beneficial yeast and bacteria collectively named “Kombucha.” After thorough fermentation, the process results in myriad health promoting by-products: probiotics, organic acids, enzymes and B-vitamins. Kombucha Bontanica is a Whole Foods Market Local Producer Loan Program recipient. More information on the loan program can be found at wholefoodsmarket.com/values/local-producer-loan-program.php.
- Straus Frozen Yogurt Bar – local Straus Family Creamery organic, probiotic, soft-serve frozen yogurt bar featuring a variety of yummy flavors.
- Meat –featuring the best-tasting, freshest and highest quality meat available that is carefully raised without antibiotics or added growth hormones, as well as hand-made sausage and a professional butcher who can prepare any cut to order. Special offerings include local Panorama organic, grass-fed beef and Country Natural pasture-raised beef.
- Seafood – 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. Whole Foods Market also offers a selection of sustainable seafood products certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.
- Prepared Foods – mealtimes are a snap with an extensive selection of healthful, ethnic and comfort foods made by our team of talented in-house chefs. Specialties include a daily selection of house-made soups, extensive organic salad bar, Italian-style brick oven pizzas and a full-serve burrito bar. A wonderful array of healthful and tasty lunch options also will be available on a daily basis including a variety of nutrient-rich items like quinoa, brown rice and kale.
- Coffee Bar – fresh-brewed coffee daily from Allegro®.
- Nut Butters – grind-your-own almond and peanut butter stations.
- Bulk Section – huge variety of bulk bins brimming with legumes, grains, flours, and nuts as well as body care (shampoo, lotions, conditioner, bar soap and liquid soap), olive oil, honey, maple syrup and tamari. The bulk section will be hard to miss with gravity bins for the dry goods leading up to two stacked, 30-foot shipping containers with our liquid bulk items – making this bulk section a Whole Foods Market worldwide exclusive!
- In-Store Dining – the store features a large mezzanine area on the 2nd level that overlooks the store and has seating for about 40 customers. There is an additional outside seating area in the garden plaza.
- Store Tours –the store will offer shopping tours tailored to special diets such as gluten-free living, store tours for moms, as well how to shop on a budget. Private tours can be arranged by request for organizations like schools and senior centers. These tours will start in May and will be free.
- Health, Wellness & Food – Whole Foods Market works hard to stay on top of food and health issues and to educate its customers on the benefits of a healthy eating. To bring this concept to life, Whole Foods Market Novato will offer regular store tours, talks and demos with trained Team Members, local health practitioners, cookbook authors and chefs.
- Whole Foods Market 5% Days — four times a year, Whole Foods Market sets aside a day on which 5 percent of the day's net sales is contributed to a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The next 5 percent day is on June 9 and will benefit Marin Organic.
- Nickels for Nonprofits – when customers bring in their own bags for groceries they have the option of receiving a five cents refund (per bag) or donating the money to a selected charity, with three organizations being selected each quarter. The inaugural slate of recipient non-profits are Homeward Bound of Marin, Novato Live Well Network and School Fuel, the Foundation for Public Education in Novato.
- Donations Out the Back – perishable products that aren’t sold during the day are donated to those in need. Whole Foods Market Novato is proud to work with Homeward Bound of Marin, the Marin Community Food Bank and Respecting Our Elders.
- Kid’s Club – children ages 2-8 are eligible to be Kid’s Club members. They receive a membership card which allows them to receive one free Kid’s Club treat each time they visit the store. Additionally, the store will be offering a monthly story time for kids – presented by the Novato Public Library – on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 11 a.m.
- Knife Sharpening – provided Bill’s Mobile Sharpening. Beginning on Wednesday, May 5, customers will be able to get their knives sharpened on a first-come, first-served basis in the store’s parking lot. After Wednesday, May 19, customers will be able to make an appointment for a monthly sharpening service in the meat department.
- Parking – Shoppers can enter the 199-spot parking garage off of De Long Avenue or through the rear of the building on Scott Court.
Store Information Whole Foods Market Novato 790 De Long Avenue Novato, CA 94945 Tel. 415-878-0455 Hours: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Store Team Leader: Martha Harmon Website: wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/novato Facebook: facebook.com/WFMNovato
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WHOLE FOODS MARKET NOVATO APRIL CALENDAR –Friday, April 16 – “Retake Our Plates” Film Screening: “What's On Your Plate?” 6 – 8:30 p.m.
$5 suggested donation, 1/2 of the proceeds to benefit the Environmental Education Council of Marin. Attendees will also get a free sandwich from the Whole Foods Market Sandwich Truck! Location: Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Avenue
- “What's On Your Plate” was filmed over the course of one year, the film follows two eleven-year-old multi-racial city kids as they explore their place in the food chain. With the camera as their companion, the girl guides talk to each other, food activists, farmers, new friends, storekeepers, their families and the viewer, in their quest to understand what's on all of our plates.
- Hosted by Cameron Diaz, “Nourish” vividly illustrates how what we choose to eat – individually and as a society – has an effect around the world and how making more wholesome choices can improve the health of the environment, our communities and ourselves. Enjoy this short film (22 min.) followed by 11 shorter films of 2-3 minutes each including “Edible Education” with Alice Waters and “Twinkies v. Carrots” with Michael Pollan.
–Sunday, April 18 – Whole Foods Market Novato Community Taste Fair, FREE, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Get a sneak peak at our new store and meet some of the faces behind the products we will be carrying in the store. We've assembled representatives from some of our favorite companies (local to Novato, the Bay Area and beyond) for you to sample and learn from and will having grilling galore! Get some information on Whole Foods Market's programs and offerings and enjoy activities for the whole family.
–Thursday, April 22 – Whole Foods Market Novato Store Opening Day 9:30 a.m. – Bread-breaking Join our regional and store leadership for the traditional breaking of bread to celebrate the opening of our new store. Novato Mayor Jean MacLeamy and Supervisor Judy Arnold will also be in attendance.
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Store opens for business 3 p.m. Earth Day stories, read by the Novato Public Library's very own children's librarian 4 p.m. & 4:45 p.m. Eco Beeps (a puppet show with an environmental message)
