More Than 1,000 Whole Trade(TM) Guarantee Products Now Offered at Whole Foods Market(R) to Help End Poverty in Developing Countries

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFMI), the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket, now offers more than 1,000 Whole Trade Guarantee products, just two years after the socially responsible buying program was launched to help low-income producers gain entry into and stability within the global marketplace. The program supports equitable systems of trade that are an investment in both farms and communities in developing countries where the Company sources certain products.

To be considered under the Whole Trade Guarantee, products must meet Whole Foods Market's high quality standards, and producers must ensure fair wages and safe conditions for workers while caring for the environment during production. By paying honest, respectable prices for these products, Whole Foods Market is enhancing the everyday lives of impoverished people around the world.

"From theWest Bank to the Sub-Sahara to the tropics of Central andSouth America, the Whole Trade Guarantee Program encompasses over 25 countries across the globe and helps boost their economies," said Perry Abbenante, global grocery director for Whole Foods Market. "We are excited to hit this milestone and offer shoppers such a variety of socially responsible products --ranging from bananas and chocolate to cleaning products and body care items-- that help chip away at poverty purchase by purchase."

Whole Foods Market also announced an additional third-party partnership withSwitzerland-based non-profit certification organization Institute for Marketecology (IMO), which recognizes and certifies socially responsible products. IMO joins highly respected third-party certifiers TransFair USA and the Rainforest Alliance as the supermarket's Whole Trade Guarantee program certifiers.

"We are optimistic that this partnership will help us to continue to ensure more sustainable and fair conditions for farmers and workers worldwide. It is of major importance for these producers, who put all their efforts in truly responsible and sustainable production, to reach consumers in the U.S. who are genuinely concerned about the environment and quality products," said Dr. Rainer Bachi, CEO of IMO.

"Whole Foods Market is pleased to have IMO join our group of third-party certifiers for the Whole Trade Guarantee program. Their many years of certification and auditing experience throughout the world, and their keen understanding of the tenets of our program, make this an excellent partnership," said Jim Speirs, global vice-president of purchasing for Whole Foods Market.

Additionally, Whole Foods Market donates 1 percent of all Whole Trade Guarantee product sales to the Whole Planet Foundation, which funds micro-credit loans around the world with the goal of helping end world poverty. The mission of this foundation is to create economic partnerships with the poor in those developing world communities that supply Whole Foods Market with products.

"Whole Foods Market's Whole Trade Guarantee program helps bring power to villages without electricity, eradicate water-born illnesses through funding and drilling of wells, build and improve schools and create community clinics to combat illness and disease," added Abbenante. "At a time when consumers more than ever are watching where their dollars go, it makes sense to select products from producers who really help make a difference for the Earth and its tenants."

Each month Whole Foods Market features Whole Trade Guarantee producers on its "Whole Story" blog at http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/category/whole-trade/ and it routinely highlights products at http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/whole-trade-products.php. This month's web features include: Theo chocolate, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, Whole Trade Gerbera daisies, Whole Trade roses, Allegro French roast coffee and EcoPath cleaning products.

"We are constantly pushing to hold more of our developing world products to the Whole Trade standard," added Abbenante. "With this effort, we can provide a healthy market for an increasing number of producers who can meet our simple criteria of quality and compassion for people and the planet, and in effect, create fairness, goodwill, better wages and an abundance of high quality products."

About Whole Foods Market(R)

Founded in 1980 inAustin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com), a leader in the natural and organic foods industry and America's first national certified organic grocer, was named "America's Healthiest Grocery Store" in 2008 by Health magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet"(TM) captures the company's mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to its 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America by FORTUNE magazine for 11 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2008, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 275 stores inthe United States,Canada, and theUnited Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & WildTM, and Harry's Farmers Market(R) are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats(R) and Capers Community MarketTM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc.

    Contacts:  Kate Lowery 512.542.0390 kate.lowery@wholefoods.com
               Liz Burkhart 512.542.0362 liz.burkhart@wholefoods.com

SOURCE Whole Foods Market, Inc.

Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,SUP,FOD,HOU,PDT,CSR,TX-WholeFoodsMarket

   _   _