Whole Foods Market opened a shiny new 45,000 square foot store in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grand Rapids is also the home base of the Meijer chain. On August 17th, the doors swung open to the delight of more than 500 shoppers who received goody bags with treats and Whole Foods Market Secret Saver cards valued up to $1,000.
The new location’s product mix includes more than 2,500 local items from Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Specialty local items include Gilbert’s Craft Sausages, Square Roots Herbs, Good News Farms heirloom tomatoes and summer squash from Cinzori Farms. Local items include pimento cheese from Zingerman’s, soft ripened cheeses from Tulip Tree Creamery and fresh mozzarella from Crave Brothers. The cheese counter is overseen by trained cheesemongers, who can offer recommendations for any occasion and create custom boards. The store will also have a Certified Cheese Professional on-site. Whole Body section featuring more than 100 local products, including bulk soap from Maggie Ann Soap Company, Organic Immune Support Shots from GingeRX and candles from Kalamazoo Candle Company including a new Riverbank candle scent which will be sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market Grand Rapids.
To give back to the Grand Rapids and Kentwood communities, from August 17th to 21st, Whole Foods Market matched 100% of proceeds from any local product purchased in-store, up to $5,000, to benefit Green Apple Pantry. Green Apple Pantry is one of the newest recipients of a refrigerated van from Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program. From September 6th to 9th, Whole Foods Market will donate 1% of each day’s total sales to benefit four local schools in Grand Rapids and Kentwood.
