Marketing - Thursday, February 25, 2010 12:33 - 0 Comments

Whole Foods Market launches grocery shop online

UK marketing news  can reveal that Whole Foods Market has launched an online grocery shop, in addition to its five London stores. The site offers natural and organic produce available to buy online, as well as hampers and fruit to be delivered within two to three days.

Marketing Magazine reports that the company are planning to expand in the UK again, after their last bid failed. It had planned to open up to 40 stores around the country, but financial circumstances stopped this from happening, after it made a loss of £35.9 million in the year running to September 2008.

It now plans to open stores in a format which will be between the size of its flagship Kensington store and its four smaller stores based in the capital. Jeff Turnas, who took over as Whole Foods Market’s UK region president in March 2009, says he will be overseeing plans for a successful new start.

The retailer entered the UK market in 2004 after it acquired seven Fresh & Wild stores. Its first store opened on Kensington High Street in 2007 and it subsequently opened another in Bristol, which has since closed.

Hamper prices on the new website start from £13.99 for an Allegro Coffee Break hamper and range to £169.99 for an Italian Luxury basket. The site will also offer wine and spirit collections as well as gift vouchers. The site is hoping to attract more customers and orders for home delivery. It also stocks gift sets for men and women, such as candles and cosmetic products.