Whole Foods Market had nearly 500 locations worldwide in 2017, nearly doubling the store count over the previous ten years. As the number of locations increased, so did the size of the supermarkets, from an average size of 36,000 square feet in 2008 to 40,000 in 2017.
Humble beginnings
The company, now known as a health food giant, had humble beginnings. Whole Foods Market was preceded by a vegetarian grocery store founded by John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy in Austin, Texas in 1978. The couple went on to partner with another local natural grocery store owned by Craig Weller and Mark Skiles and in 1980 the first Whole Foods Market was opened.
* Number of stores as of December 31.
Fiscal years 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011 and 2010 were 52-week years and fiscal year 2012 was a 53-week year.
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Amazon. (January 1, 2019). Number of stores of Whole Foods Market worldwide from 2008 to 2017 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 23, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/258682/whole-foods-markets-number-of-stores-worldwide/
Amazon. "Number of stores of Whole Foods Market worldwide from 2008 to 2017." Chart. January 1, 2019. Statista. Accessed May 23, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/258682/whole-foods-markets-number-of-stores-worldwide/
Amazon. (2019). Number of stores of Whole Foods Market worldwide from 2008 to 2017. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 23, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/258682/whole-foods-markets-number-of-stores-worldwide/
Amazon. "Number of Stores of Whole Foods Market Worldwide from 2008 to 2017." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Jan 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/258682/whole-foods-markets-number-of-stores-worldwide/
Amazon, Number of stores of Whole Foods Market worldwide from 2008 to 2017 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/258682/whole-foods-markets-number-of-stores-worldwide/ (last visited May 23, 2022)