Whole Foods has today opened its first new UK store in over a decade, featuring full-service fish, meat and cheese counters, as well as food on-the-go offerings and a wellness and beauty department.
The 21,800 sq ft new store is on the King’s Road in Chelsea, London, and represents the first new opening for the brand in the UK since 2014.
Whole Foods currently operates 535 stores across its home market of the United States, Canada and the UK, with a further 90 stores in the pipeline.
Where other food retailers are moving away from in-store counters and service, Whole Foods’ new store leans into those aspects of what its store manager Bianca Rojas refers to as “the theatre of retail”.
The store has a full-service meat counter, with butchers available to cut steaks and poultry to order, as well as a special dried-age refrigerated section.
It also has a full-service seafood counter and a specialty cheese counter overseen by trained cheesemongers who can offer recommendations for any occasion.
All the specialist counters and departments are focused on providing customers with the most sustainably and locally sourced products. All the fish and seafood sold there has been sustainably wild-caught, while the beef and pork products have been supplied by Ashdale Farm and Dingley Dell.
There is a huge selection of certified organic fresh produce, including an in-store exclusive of crate-to-plate herbs and lettuce that use 95% less water than traditional farming, no pesticides or herbicides and no importing.
The store also carries Whole Foods’ full assortment of hot bar and prepared foods, in-store bakery and a selection of over 400 domestic and international wines.
Moreover, the King’s Road store has an in-store health and beauty department, carrying an extensive range of products, including an in-store exclusive candle with Toorak Candle Co. called ‘the Chelsea candle’.
Amazon vice president of worldwide grocery stores and Whole Foods Market chief executive Jason Buechel said: “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.”
“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.”
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