April 10, 2014 — Whole Foods Market has today opened its ninth store in the UK on 10th April 2014 on the popular Fulham Broadway in South West London.
The new store is a ‘home away from home’ for local shoppers. The two storey building has been completely renovated to open up the space and allow plenty of natural light in to the glass fronted space. A building with great food and service running through every brick, this much anticipated store will offer everyday food, drink and beauty shopping in a friendly and convenient environment. The store has around 100 employees.
The store’s highlights include a bakery, baking breads, cakes and pastries around the clock. A traditional butchery counter on the ground floor will provide the freshest cuts of meat to order seven days a week whilst its own dry-aging case tenderises prime cuts of beef. There will be a traditional fishmonger, a fresh greengrocer and a frozen section, where shoppers can find an array of frozen fruit and vegetables – a quick and easy way to keep veg prepped at home ready to pop into a smoothie or soup.
Whole Foods Market’s pride in sourcing UK produce means the store opens with food, drink and beauty products from 70 suppliers, all of whom are based within the M25. To shine a spotlight on the Hammersmith & Fulham borough itself, five local food companies based in the area, are in store – Firefly health drinks, the Cool Chile Company, The Oil Merchant, The Fresh Pasta Company and the Mirabilia Olive Leaf Tea Company. In the Spirits section, Hammersmith-based Sipsmith is featured, and in Health & Beauty, natural supplement maker Organic Burst are on shelf.
The store is a one stop shop catering for everyone’s everyday needs. The grocery department has a great range of organic and all-natural foods, and every one of the products is assessed to be free from artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners and preservatives. Shoppers will also be able to find a wide selection of food and ingredients suitable for those with specific dietary requirements, whether it be gluten, dairy or sugar free. Throughout the department, shoppers will find everyday essentials together with more unusual ingredients. Whole Foods Market’s range of Mexican foods is a good example where everyday hot sauce sits next to authentic Mexican dried chillies.
There is a self-service Cook department, where shoppers will find a wide selection of ingredients served loose, so they can select as much or as little as they like. Whole Foods Market’s tea selection contains over 200 different teas, including a dedicated matcha fridge, where customers can buy a ready-to-drink matcha tea. Customers looking for a good range of raw items will find an excellent selection of ingredients and on-the-go snacks.
Whole Foods’ seasonal displays include a wide range of Easter treats and products to inspire some urban spring gardening. Whole Foods Market believes in encouraging urban eco systems so look out for bee-friendly seed collections and seed “bombs” – designed for greening patches of unloved land.
Staying on the gardening theme and looking ahead to the summer, Cultivate London, a social enterprise based in West London, are represented via their fresh herbs which are going to be used in the smoothies made fresh in store. They grow fruit and vegetables on pieces of previously derelict land and are dedicated to helping young disadvantaged people learn horticultural skills and start new careers.
The Fulham store is a place to linger over a coffee at the new organic café bar or catch up with your friends over a fresh pasta dish at the new Broadway Kitchen and Bar. The bar serves charcuterie, cheese platters and wine and beer by the glass. There is a fresh juice bar and hot and cold food bars to make popping in for lunch or picking up dinner easy.
Whole Foods Market’s Fulham Broadway store is the place to come and try out the latest natural beauty trends or pick up some food supplements. Situated upstairs, the Health & Beauty section has been specially designed to encourage everyone to come and try out the latest products – from body lotions to bath oils. Local London premium soap brand Soapsmith are showcasing their new fragrances “Piccadilly Circus” and “Kensington” and natural nail varnish brands Pretty NYC and Butter London are on hand for a touch of glamour. Alongside makeup, natural toothpastes and family health care, the Health & Beauty section also has a selection of homewares which make perfect gifts.
For those interested in keeping fit and optimum nutrition, there is an extensive Sports Nutrition section including a tasting machine which mixes sports drinks to order, as well as a Superfoods section featuring the most popular and latest trends in nutrition such as chia seeds, spirulina, wheat and barley grasses.
Jade Hoai, the store’s team leader for Fulham, commented on the community outreach programme: “We are finally open, and we can’t wait to serve our new local Fulham community. Putting our local shoppers at the heart of what we do is what sets Whole Foods Market apart. From today, our commitment to working with local causes which can most benefit from our resources is something we are most proud of. We want to encourage people to come here to shop, meet, talk and learn. Our new Community Room will encourage all of that and more.”
Whole Foods Market has partnered with the Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham in 2014 to donate the proceeds of the first 5 percent day to four Mayoral Charities. Whole Foods Market typically donates 5 percent of the opening day’s total sales to local charities. The four charities are the Opportunity Fund for Fulham, the Daisy Trust, Albert & Friends Instant Circus, and Walking for the Wounded. Each will receive an equal share of the 5 percent donated.
For further press information, please contact Alex Tunney at the Whole Foods Market press office on 0207 368 6139 / alex.tunney@wholefoods.com or uk.publicrelations@wholefoods.com.
