Whole Foods Market

What if your childhood games of make-believe shaped your professional pursuits as an adult? My latest Beyond the Board guest, Katherine Power of Avaline Wine, shares how she went from playing restaurant owner as a kid to becoming one of the most influential women in business.    Katherine is known for building powerhouse brands and being a force in entrepreneurship, and her work with Avaline is no exception. In our conversation, she reveals how her grandmother's retail experience shaped her career journey. We also explore her unique approach to leadership – running her business like a sports team and developing star players who lead their departments to victory.    Key highlights from our conversation:   ‒ Building a brand on radical transparency while maintaining integrity   ‒ Disrupting the wine industry: From Direct To Consumer startup to retail expansion   ‒ Creating a playbook that made Avaline one of the fastest-growing wine brands in the US    Katherine's journey from digital media pioneer to wine industry innovator offers a masterclass in modern entrepreneurship.    Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/g_Vqcgit 

“Okay, real talk — working at Whole Foods Market has been way cooler than I ever expected. I came in as an Associate Executive Assistant thinking I’d just be scheduling meetings, but this role is so much more. I get to support four awesome Vice Presidents, be a point person on big team programs and events, and lowkey become the “how do we fix this?” person. I’ve even taken on projects, like building out a hub that will hopefully make life easier for over 100 Team Members (which I didn’t even know I’d enjoy but turns out I love making things run smoother). Why do I stay? Honestly, because it’s a vibe. The people here are smart, supportive and actually care about each other. I’ve been able to grow in ways I didn’t expect by leading projects, improving processes and learning new tools that make me feel like I’m leveling up every day. I’m not just stuck in admin work — I’m solving problems, connecting teams and making an impact. And the best part is no two days are the same: One minute I’m helping leaders cut through the chaos with updates, the next I’m troubleshooting travel snafus, and later I’m helping plan events that get the whole team energized. Growth here isn’t just about promotions, it’s about becoming sharper, faster and more connected. I’m seriously excited to keep building on what I’ve started here." - Shakell Head, Associate Executive Assistant #NourishPeople #NourishWellbeing #TeamWFM

Here at Whole Foods Market, we believe the way we grow food matters. That’s why we’ve joined forces with Mad Agriculture and like-minded brands to launch a 1,000-acre biodiversity highway across American farmland — restoring native prairie ecosystems, supporting pollinators, and building resilience for generations to come. 🎥 Watch the story of how collective action can transform agriculture from the ground up. 🔗 Visit wholefoods.com/impact to learn more and read our latest Impact Report. #NourishingPeopleAndPlanet #RegenerativeAgriculture #ClimateAction

"We can not be free if we're not healthy. It doesn't matter how far you travel, what car you arrive in, what your house looks like, what your title is — if you're not healthy, your reality is stark, it's grim; it's not going to lend itself." - Christopher Goode, CEO and Founder, Ruby Jean’s Juicery 💚 Ruby Jean was raised on a soul food diet. In the late 1950's, she moved to Kansas City, MO, and raised her family the same way, leaning heavily on sweet, salty, fatty foods. After a battle with Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and high blood pressure, she passed away at the age of 61. But when her grandson, Chris Goode, was introduced to the world of juicing, a passion for healthy living was born. And when he founded Ruby Jean’s Juicery, Chris reintroduced his grandmother to the world. For their 10th Anniversary (!), we invite you to celebrate along with us as we deliver this Love Letter to Ruby Jean. #NourishPurpose #TeamWFM

Congratulations to the 2025 Whole Foods Market U.K. Supplier Summit Award winners!   Earlier this week, our U.K. team had the pleasure of welcoming and recognizing eight exceptional suppliers at their annual summit. Held in London, the ceremony celebrates a shared commitment to excellence, creativity and operational partnership, and spotlights the suppliers who went above and beyond to deliver quality, innovation and impactful customer experiences across Whole Foods Market’s U.K. stores.   “This year’s winners exemplify the best of what it means to partner with Whole Foods Market. Each of these brands has contributed to making our stores more dynamic, engaging, and aligned with the high standards that define our commitment to customers. Whether that’s through ingredient integrity, responsible sourcing or animal welfare practices. These award winners not only meet our expectations but help to bring them to life on our shelves and in our stores.”   - Jade Hoai, Executive Leader of Purchasing   🏆 Please join us in congratulating:   Botivo Drinks | B corp, Best Window Display   Pip & Nut | B Corp, Foyer Activation   SUPERKEEN, Best New Brand Launch   JinnyB & Co, Most Innovative Supplier   LAURA'S IDEA LTD, Inventory & Logistics Operational Excellence   Maison Mirabeau l B Corp™, Sustainable Initiative   Ice Cream Union, Up & Coming Brand   Zooki, Top Performer (Units/Sales) – Sept 2024 to YTD   💚 Special thank-yous to all the attendees, our new and returning supplier partners, keynote speaker Rory Paterson — founder of XOXO SODA — for sharing your brand’s growth journey within Whole Foods, and our leadership team for a wonderful afternoon!   🔗: To learn more on how to get involved next year, please visit → https://lnkd.in/gMe6eruH

"I stay with Whole Foods Market because I genuinely believe in the company’s core values — especially in putting customers first and supporting Team Member growth. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to develop my skills, take on new challenges and work with inspiring leaders who truly care. I began my journey with Whole Foods Market in June 2011 at the Forest location in Dallas as a Cake Decorator. Three years later, in February 2014, I stepped into a leadership role as the Bakery Associate Team Leader at the FVW store, was promoted later to Bakery Team Leader, and after three years, I experienced further growth by becoming the Dallas Metro Associate Store Team Leader. In that position, I supported multiple stores over a five-year span, expanding my leadership skills and deepening my understanding of the broader business. In September 2023, I took on a new challenge and moved to El Paso, TX, to serve as Store Team Leader (STL) for the ELP store, which led to me most recently, in May 2025, having the honor of being named the STL for our new McKinney, TX location! What I’m most looking forward to as the new STL is the opportunity to build something from the ground up— a strong, unified team culture rooted in trust, accountability and a shared purpose. I’m excited to develop and mentor new leaders, create an environment where Team Members feel empowered, and lead by example through our Just Get It Done mindset. Most of all, I can't wait to connect with the McKinney community, delivering on our Core Values by offering the highest quality natural and organic foods, exceptional service and a store our customers can truly feel proud of. What really keeps me here is our culture. There’s a strong sense of purpose and community, and I feel proud to be part of a team that values quality, integrity and service. I’ve grown so much professionally and personally, and I continue to see opportunities to make a difference. I’m excited to continue building and growing with my new team in our new home — come check us out! - Afsaneh Eshaghi, Store Team Leader #NSO #NourishPeople #TeamWFM

Whether you're a caviar novice or an aficionado, join our Vice President of Seafood, Elliott Myers, and President of Tsar Nicoulai Inc, Ali Bolourchi, as they share with us some expert tips on grading and tasting this delicacy! #NationalCaviarDay #NourishConnection #TeamWFM

What happens when elite athletes become conscious entrepreneurs? My conversation with Laird Hamilton and Gabby Reece reveals how this power couple harnessed their commitment to wellness and quality food to build a thriving business, all while staying true to their values.    In the latest episode of Beyond the Board, Laird and Gabby shared their keys to success:  -- Surround yourself with people smarter than you;  -- Maintain the guardrails you've established;  -- Recognize that supporting your well-being is the ultimate luxury.    Laird and Gabby exemplify what's possible when you combine purpose with passion – a journey that resonates deeply with Whole Foods Market's mission to nourish people and the planet.    Link to Episode: https://lnkd.in/gxjCKPJK

#ICYMI: St. Charles, Illinois has a new Whole Foods Market. 🥳   Located in the heart of their historically charming downtown, our 81st store in the Midwest is surrounded by a variety of boutique shops, cozy cafes and popular restaurants about 35 miles west of Chicago.   Highlights from the day include:   🧇 Seeing more than 600 guests brave the humid morning weather with freshly brewed coffee from Big Shoulders Coffee, savory snack bars from Undressed Snacks and delicious mini waffles from Chicago-based supplier, Evergreen Waffles   🫶 Senior Product Development and Innovation Expert, Margie Omastiak, presenting Evergreen with a low-interest loan through our Lending Program to help grow their operations and support expansion to more Whole Foods Market locations   🚐 Hosting a Stuff the Van event for HCS Family Services and donating to area non-profits, Lazarus House and Fox Valley Food For Health to support their work in the community   🍖 A Full-service meat counter, with butchers available to cut steaks and poultry to order. Local options include boneless skinless chicken breast from Pine Manor Farms and chicken meatballs, burgers and sausage from Amylu Foods 🕯️ A Whole Body department with a large assortment of wellness, beauty and lifestyle items, including local candles from Bright Endeavors, Kobo Candles and Kalamazoo Candle Company   💚 Thank yous go to Store Team Leader Kristina Malicoat, Associate Store Team Leaders Derek Love and Brian Schnackel, and every Team Member who brought this opening to life! #NSO #NourishPurpose #NourishGrowth #TeamWFM

Early last month, 16 Team Members from across our stores and offices traveled to Iceland with Jason Buechel for our first In The Field With Jason trip of 2025. Over five days, the group learned how to work with the earth to create a more sustainable food system, witnessing sustainability in action while visiting some of our incredible suppliers across the country. Some highlights from the trip included: 🍫 Making delicious chocolate bars with Omnom Chocolate 🐮 Learning the history (and beauty) of skyr while visiting generational dairy farms with Icelandic Provisions 🎣 Touring salmon facilities with ULTCO, LLC 🛫 Flying to the Westfjords to see the sustainable harvesting of minerals with New Chapter, and discovering how Iceland uses available resources to create Reyka Vodka 🌋 Exploring Icelandic lava caves and eating throughout the city on a food tour of Reykjavík Our tremendous appreciation goes out to all the suppliers and teams who welcomed us, fed us, taught us and nourished our journeys back home with a renewed passion for what we do. Takk! 💚 #Iceland #InTheFieldWFM #NourishConnection #TeamWFM