Whole Foods Market

At our South Windsor WFM, we’re always looking for meaningful ways to connect with the community. One idea we loved was creating a little “take a book” library for the kids who visit the store. It’s simple gestures like this—sparked by our team members—that make each store’s culture truly special. What’s your favorite way to give back to your community..? #teamWFM

It’s Thanksgiving week! I’ve traveled to so many stores across the country this year, but one consistently stands out as the benchmark. The Bedford, NH location is a masterclass in what Customer Obsession and insisting on the highest standards look like in real life. If you’ve ever met Philip, the Store Team Leader there, you know exactly what I mean. Working in Philip’s store during one of the biggest food holidays is always energizing in the best possible way. It has helped shape not only how I understand this work, but how I try to show up as a leader. The energy across Whole Foods Market this time of year is a reminder of why we do what we do. We’re here to serve customers. And when we take that seriously, we can make the holiday season feel a little more ✨magical✨ for everyone. Philip isn’t on LinkedIn (he’s busy actually running the place!), so if you know him or if you’re in food/retail and can relate, feel free to show some love in the comments and I’ll pass it along.

"My Whole Foods Market journey started in Berkeley, California, 22 years ago as a Prepared Foods Team Member. I was making sandwiches and burritos part-time while attending college. After two years, I moved into the Meat department where I joined the Meat Apprentice Program to deepen my understanding of the craft. I became a Meat Cutter, then advanced to Associate Team Leader and eventually Meat Team Leader. There, I ran one of the busiest meat shops in the metro, earning the honor of Meat All-Star. Over my two decades here, the “one store, one team” mentality has always stood out to me. I’ve worked in seven stores and supported many others, and one thing I’ve consistently seen is that teams are always ready to step up and help each other — especially in times of need. When I interview a Team Member or connect with new hires, I tell them all, ‘Whole Foods Market is whatever you want it to be.’ If and when you're willing to put in the effort, Whole Foods can support many diverse job or career needs. If you’re a student looking for a part-time job, Whole Foods can be that. If you’re looking to pursue a career, Whole Foods is one of the best places to do it; there are so many Career Growth and Learning programs designed to help you grow into the best leader you can be." - Cristian Luna, Associate Store Team Leader #NourishPeople #NourishWellbeing #TeamWFM

"My journey with Whole Foods Market began 17 years ago at our Union Square store. Fresh out of high school, I started as a part-time Team Member in the Seafood department to help cover household expenses and support my mom who was a single parent. Working at Whole Foods was a way for me to contribute financially and ease some of that burden. Over the years, I’ve held a variety of roles, moving from Team Member to Supervisor, Associate Team Leader, Team Leader, and eventually into Store Leadership. I’ve had the opportunity to work in 11 different Whole Foods Market stores and across two operational regions, from low-volume locations to high-volume stores including my most recent assignment at the iconic Columbus Circle store. Each experience has helped shape my leadership journey and deepened my commitment to our mission and values. As the Store Team Leader for our new Hoboken location in New Jersey, what I’m most looking forward to is connecting with a new community on behalf of Whole Foods Market. I strongly believe in our Core Values, and I’m excited to bring our highest quality selections to a neighborhood that’s new to our brand with the goal of satisfying and delighting every customer who walks through our doors. The Daily Shop concept presents a unique opportunity to train, mentor and develop the next generation of leaders within the company, and I’m honored to be part of that journey. Plus, I’m a big foodie, so I can’t wait to experience and share great food with both our team and our community! I’ve stayed with Whole Foods Market because I truly believe in the company’s mission and the growth they encourage. During my time at the Chelsea store, I learned the craft of a butcher a skill I can carry with me anywhere. I was provided tools to build a platform, and I've used it further my career, create job opportunities and educate others about the great food we offer. I appreciate the diversity and inclusiveness that #TeamWFM embraces, where a young Latino man from uptown Manhattan can build a meaningful career and make a difference in his community. For that, and so much more, I’m truly grateful." - Victor Luciano, Daily Shop Store Leader #NSO #NourishPeople #NourishWellbeing

"I am delighted to welcome the Brevard County community to our first Whole Foods Market in the area. Whether you’re grabbing lunch, picking up party food and drinks or restocking your pantry, we’ve got you covered with the perfect balance of high quality and value.” — Tim Martin, Store Team Leader #ICYMI: Earlier this month, a new 37,000 square-foot store opened its doors in The Crossings at Viera in Rockledge, FL. This Rockledge location is the first store in Brevard County and the debut location on Florida’s “Space Coast.” This store’s product assortment features more than 450 local items from Florida, sourced with the help of Forager for Local & Emerging Brands, Dustin Kennedy. Highlights from the day included: 🥳 Welcoming 500+ customers in the first hour with music, tote bags, and local goodies 🫶 Donating to The Children's Hunger Project and Sharing Center of Central Brevard, and Nana’s Children’s Home via Nourishing our Neighborhoods partner Florida Food Banks to aid food waste prevention and the surrounding community 🥑 A curated grocery section filled with exclusive brand favorites and local products, including guacamole from Glaser Organic Farms, orange juice from 305 Squeezed and Pistachio Chocotella gelato pops from Gelatys 🍤 The full-service seafood counter featuring grouper and red snapper from Greg Abrams Seafood, gulf shrimp and Key West pink shrimp from Cox's Seafood and Littleneck clams from Cedar Key Aquaculture Farms 🧼 Wellness & Beauty section featuring more than 75 local products, including batch artisan bar soaps from LOLABLUE, TrueFit protein powder from RSP Nutrition and face and body care from Acure 🍺 An extensive selection of hundreds of craft beers and local options, including Tropical Bay IPA from Biscayne Bay Brewing Company, Bench Life Lager from Green Bench Brewing Company and pilsner from Orange Blossom Brewing Company 💚 Immense gratitude to Store Team Leader Tim Martin, Associate Store Team Leaders Abigail Freiberg and Jason Nieves, and all the Team Members at Viera for a beautiful opening day! #NSO #NourishPeople #NourishWellbeing #TeamWFM

"I started working at Whole Foods Market right before the pandemic in March 2019 as a Pastry Production Team Member at the Whole Foods Bakehouse. After seven months in that role, I transferred to become a Cake Decorator. I had 10 years of cake decorating experience prior to Whole Foods, so it was a pleasure to jump back into what I already knew. After 10 months, I went back to the Bakehouse in Florida and was soon introduced to the Culture Champion program by a fellow Team Member. By this point, I was amazed with everything I was learning about Whole Foods and eager to learn more. I applied to be the Culture Champion Ambassador for my facility and the Pastry Production Supervisor in March 2025, and I'm proud to say I got both. 🥳 It's been an absolute pleasure being a Culture Champion and attending the 'In the Field with Jason' trip in Maine and Vermont was a special achievement. I got to see the 'behind-the-scenes' of the products we use at work, our homes and eat on the regular. Seeing the dairy farms, feeding the cows and watching them be milked were very unique, full-circle moments for me. Also, I'm a cheese lover, so witnessing the processes of how cheese is made at Jasper Hill was so amazing. A major highlight of the trip was getting to spend time with King Arthur, a product and brand I'm very familiar with. Another major highlight? Winning the baking competition! It was hilarious: As the resident baker, everyone wanted to be on my team. I had such fun with my group: We worked together, took turns with everything and put a lot of love into our scones. When they announced the winner during lunch, I was shocked, but it made my day that much better. That morning, I found out that my little brother passed away and it was hard for me. The team made sure I was comfortable and checked on me frequently. They asked if I wanted to go home, but I didn't want to — we were leaving the next day, and I wanted to enjoy the trip I was so happy and honored to be on. It was hard, but winning the competition and the wonderful people I was surrounded by helped me through the day. I don't regret anything at all." - Ro Burton, Pastry Supervisor #InTheField #TeamWFM