WHOLE FOODS 3RD QUARTER HITS RECORDS

AUSTIN, Texas -- Strong same-store sales helped Whole Foods Market here achieve record sales of $97.4 million in the third quarter ended July 3.

0% in the quarter. Excluding the company's Mrs. Gooch's units, which were damaged in the Los Angeles earthquake last January, same-store sales increased 14%.

Whole Foods also said same-store sales at one store in Chicago were strong in spite of the opening of a nearby Fresh Fields store. Fresh Fields, Rockville, Md., is a major competitor.

Christopher Vroom, a securities analyst at Alex. Brown & Sons, Baltimore, said Whole Foods' per-share earnings were in line with expectations. Operating profit increased 23%, he said.

3rd-QUARTER RESULTS

Qtr Ended 7/3/94 7/4/93

Sales $97.4 million $79.5 million

Change 22.5%

Same-store 10%

Net Income $2.21 million $1.74 million

Change 27.1%

Inc/Share 15 cents 13 cents

40 Weeks 1994 1993

Sales $306.6 million $243.7 million

Change 25.8%

Same-store 9%

Net Income $6.68 million $5.26 million

Change 27.2%

Inc/Share 47 cents 41 cents