Whole Foods Market is set to expand its presence in the United Kingdom with the opening of a new store on London’s iconic King’s Road.
The new 21,800-square-foot store is Whole Foods Market’s first new UK location since 2014 and will offer a mix of customer favourites alongside new, exclusive products available only at this location.
“Whole Foods Market has roots deeply planted in the U.K., and we are thrilled to be bringing more natural and organic food to this market with the opening of our new King’s Road store this March,” said Vice President of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores and Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel. “Continuing our expansion outside of the U.S. enables us to extend our reach to more customers while advancing our higher purpose to nourish people and the planet.”
“We know customers in the U.K. are seeking high quality natural and organic products. As we plan for the future, we are actively looking at this market and opportunities to bring Whole Foods Market to more customers there,” said Christina Minardi, Executive Vice President Growth & Development, Whole Foods Market & Amazon.
Whole Foods Market currently operates more than 535 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the UK, with nearly 90 new locations in development. The company has also introduced Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, a smaller-format store designed for quick and convenient shopping in urban areas.
What shoppers can expect
The new store will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. Shoppers can expect a diverse selection of high-quality foods, many sourced from local producers. Highlights include:
- Full-service seafood counter featuring only sustainable wild-caught or Responsibly Farmed seafood and a large selection of ready-to-cook seafood. Local seafood options with fresh catches four days per week including dover sole and Shetland scallops.
- An array of certified organic and conventional fresh produce. Local items include Merit Mushrooms, Wye Valley asparagus from Mudwalls with a King’s Road exclusive of Crate-to-Plate herbs and lettuce that use 95% less water than traditional farming, no pesticides or herbicides and no importing.
- Speciality department dedicated to celebrating cheesemakers and artisan producers. A wide local cheese selection from Neal’s Yard Dairy, European cheeses from Mons, and Whole Foods Market exclusive Goudas. The cheese counter is overseen by trained cheesemongers who can offer recommendations for any occasion.
- Curated grocery section filled with exclusives from XOXO, Joe & Seph’s, Old Spike Roastery, Good Phats and Ice Cream Union, and local products from over 80 brands.
- Full-service meat counter, with butchers available to cut steaks and poultry to order. Features include dry-aged beef, selection of marinated-in-house meats, beef from Ashdale Farm and pork from local supplier Dingley Dell.
- Extensive selection of more than 400 wines, and a range of local beers including an exclusive from Battersea based Mondo Brewing. A new and exclusive to Whole Foods Market King’s Road rosé wine from Mirabeau, from the first vineyard in France to achieve both Regenerative Organic Certified and Certified Regenerative, setting a benchmark for climate positive viticulture.
- Prepared Foods department featuring a hot food bar, salad bar with new condiment station and made-in-house hot pizza with an exclusive flavour curated by a King’s Road Team Member. Customers can also shop for sushi made fresh daily in store from Genji Sushi.
- Full-service coffee bar brewing a variety of roasts and serving made-to-order seasonal and everyday tea and coffee beverages.
- Bakery department offering fresh bread daily as well as everyday favourites, such as Whole Foods Market’s Berry Chantilly Cake and brown butter cookies. The department also carries a wide variety of special diet items, including vegan brownies, cakes and chocolate chip cookies along with several gluten-free selections. Exclusives for the store include floral-inspired decorated cupcakes and party cakes, as well as local items from Celtic Bakers and Pourtoi.
- Wellness & Beauty department with a large assortment of wellness, beauty, and lifestyle items, including an assortment of local products. The store will also have an exclusive scented candle from Toorak Candle Co. named the Chelsea candle, products from Ayeya Soaps and a limited-edition Whole Foods Market beauty bag.
- Whole Foods Market adheres to rigorous quality standards, banning more than 300 artificial ingredients from its food products and over 240 potentially harmful ingredients from its beauty offerings.
Grand Opening Festivities
On opening day, the first 200 customers will receive a custom tote bag and Secret Saver coupons with money-off deals. Complimentary coffee from Old Spike and morning snacks from Whole Foods Market suppliers will be available for early visitors.
The launch will also support local charitable initiatives, with a food donation to The Felix Project as part of Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighbourhoods Program. Additional funds will be donated to community organisations in Chelsea, including the Kensington & Chelsea Foundation.
For more details, visit www.wholefoodsmarket.co.uk.
