These are the stories of the dreamers and the doers, the farmers, the bakers, the organic soy candlemakers. Whole Foods Market is the sum of our suppliers, our Team Members, and our customers. They are our inspiration.
We’re on a mission: to nourish people and the planet. What does that really mean? Scroll down, and we won’t just tell you, we’ll show you. These are the real people behind the products – a community of some of the smartest, most passionate, hardest-working folks you’ll ever meet.
Welcome to the Whole Story.
The Future of Food
What is the next big thing in food? Our experts are always on the hunt for innovative and exciting new products to bring to our stores.
At Whole Foods Market, we’re pretty excited about regenerative agriculture – farming and grazing practices that improve soil, enhance biodiversity, and increase carbon capture. We work with suppliers, scientists, experts, and other committed organizations to help evolve the growing, harvesting, and production of crops and livestock.
At the heart of our commitment are relationships with farmers and ranchers like Hickory Nut Gap, whose mission is to preserve the soul of their communities through regenerative practices that bring 100% grass-fed beef and pasture raised pork to market.
In this Whole Story, learn about how the relationship between Hickory Nut Gap and Whole Foods Market gives us hope for the future of our communities and the planet.
Small family farms are the foundation of a more sustainable, resilient food system, and Whole Foods Market and Stonyfield Organics have been dedicated to supporting them since the start.
At Whole Foods Market, we have a tremendous opportunity to reduce waste within our stores, minimize our impact on the planet, and support people in need within our local communities. The team at Whole Foods Market Williamsburg has used this program to form a local partnership with City Harvest and help nourish people in New York.
Each community has its own unique challenges to long-term fresh, healthy food access and nutrition education. Whole Cities is on a mission to improve individual and community health through collaborative partnerships, education, and broader access to nutritious foods.
In the heart of Lexington, Kentucky, the Whole Cities Community First Grant serves as a down payment on a growing partnership between Whole Foods Market team members and Seedleaf, a nonprofit that provides food access and education through urban garden plots.
This year marks 20 years since Whole Foods Market first attained organic retail certification. This milestone highlights our commitment to our Core Value to sell the highest Quality Natural and Organic Food – from the field all the way to customers’ baskets. Read on to learn what it takes to maintain our certification!
What started as a small pasture and a group of hens has become a business with more than 300 small family farms. Pasture-raised eggs from Vital Farms provide for the people who buy them and the family farmers whose chickens produce them, all while pushing standards forward.
Conventional seafood farming often gets mixed reviews and falls short on transparency. See how Whole Foods Market’s aquaculture standards require traceability and responsible farming.
Sustainable Sourcing isn’t just for the produce department! See how Weleda’s plant-powered body care products help us pursue our purpose – nourishing people and the planet!
Since 1921 Weleda has been promoting a harmonious connection between plants and people. In this piece, visit one of Weleda’s six biodynamic gardens to see how they grow the plants that power their body care products, and learn how their sourcing philosophy aligns with Whole Foods Market’s.
Nestled in the heart of Costa Rica are the seeds of a new society at EARTH University. Founded in 1990, EARTH University has focused on giving young people from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and other regions an innovative educational approach to solve the world’s greatest problems around food systems.
Part of students’ tuition is funded through a longstanding relationship between EARTH University and Whole Foods Market through the retailer’s Sourced for Good program. Bananas that are grown on campus are sold with a premium at Whole Foods Market stores.
The Pacific Northwest’s beauty and natural resources have drawn folks to move and live there for centuries, creating a vibrant mix of nature, technology and culture that permeates the region’s communities.
NW Farms is part of that vibrant mix. The vertical hydroponic farming company is run by a family whose aim is to provide clean and local fresh produce throughout in the Pacific Northwest.
How do we change the way we eat? Hamburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries, milk-shakes — these are often staples of the American diet. Instead of doing away with those comfort foods, PLNT Burger is promoting change by transforming these classics into plant-based foods.
PLNT Burger is a plant-based fast-food establishment crafted by chefs and former industry executives. Its mission is to “eat the change you want to see in the world.” With each order, PLNT Burger aims to inspire a movement to healthy and conscious choices without giving up taste and comfort.
From Greece to Australia to the U.S., Ellenos has continuously traveled and evolved. At its most recent stop in Seattle, Ellenos began a new chapter through a partnership with Whole Foods Market and the Local Producer Loan Program for its yogurt that “makes ice cream jealous.”
Honoring the past, Building the future in NYC’s AAPI Community
What does supporting local mean in New York City? For a city built on transplants with hopes and dreams, it means supporting community initiatives, music, and food and beverage, and how they’re all connected.
In these Whole Story videos, hosted by Nguyen Coffee Supply founder Sahra Nguyen, we see how Whole Foods Market’s support of local brands extends and connects to NYC’S AAPI community and its spirit.
Inspired by the beauty around them in the land of 10,000 lakes, three friends came together with one mission: inspire a movement away from single-use plastics through beauty products.
Jay and Nora Schaper had already been making soaps and working with local co-ops to distribute their products. They decided to shift their focus, go plastic-free and recruit Ward Johnson in the process. But it came with a whole new challenge: neither product formula nor its production process existed.
It’s hard to overstate the effect that Denise Breyley has had on the food scene in the Pacific Northwest; from mentoring emerging brands to chasing down all the latest trends, Denise has been an unwavering champion of artisanal, local food. After an illustrious 28-year career at Whole Foods Market, Denise recently retired from her role as a Principal Forager. Watch on to learn what it means to be a Forager!
Our lamb from Chilean Patagonia comes from animals raised without antibiotics and added hormones. They’re Animal Welfare Certified to Global Animal Partnership’s Level 4, which includes being raised on pasture with no feedlots allowed.