Whole Foods Market opened its first North Orange County location in Brea on 17 February, with the store featuring a bar, food-to-go counters and an upstairs mezzanine.
According to Whole Foods, the store’s innovative offerings and mid-century design mean “it will bring a culinary wonderland for shopping, dining and entertaining to North Orange County”.
Patrick Bradley, president of Whole Foods Market’s Southern Pacific Region, commented, "We heard from locals that they wanted a bar with wine and local craft beer, grab-and-go food options, kid-friendly spaces and interesting culinary experiences.
"From the self-serve pizza station, to the bar-restaurant with local brews, to the upstairs mezzanine area for tastings and Kids’ Club events, we’re thrilled to bring North Orange County a unique shopping experience that was designed to address the community’s needs and wishes."
Whole Foods Market Brea has a juice and smoothie bar and expanded vegan options across all departments, as well as a coffee bar with locally made Bodhi Leaf cold-brew coffee on tap and its own in-store bar-restaurant, offering 24 different local craft beers.
Last week, Whole Foods confirmed plans to open five additional smaller-format 365 stores, which will be located in Evergreen Park, Illinois; Gainesville, Florida; and Concord, Claremont and Los Alamitos, California.
As the brand seeks to differentiate itself from cheaper rivals that are increasingly offering organic and health food, co-chief executive officer Walter Robb told Bloomberg TV that it is exploring unconventional tactics to attract younger, budget-conscious shoppers.
Through a programme called Friends of 365, the new chain could host other businesses inside its outlets, ranging from body-care brands to record shops, and even tattoo parlours.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Jenny Whelan. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
