Whole Foods Names Global Local Brand Coordinator

Whole Foods Market has named its own Kelly Landrieu as global coordinator of local brands in an effort to enhance its local offering. 

Landrieu's new role will include working closely with Whole Foods Market's local foragers and buyers, who are responsible for sniffing out new and unique products from each store's community, to better support and counsel local suppliers. She will also work to highlight the local product selection at the retailer’s stores and develop continued education and mentorship programs for current and future local suppliers. 

Cathy Strange, global executive coordinator of specialty and product innovation and development, said the company is excited for Landrieu to work with its team of local foragers to "source the best local products for our stores and help our local suppliers thrive and expand.”

“Kelly’s experience as a local forager in the field, along with her passion for food and entrepreneurship, make her a terrific advocate for our local buyers, foragers and suppliers," Strange said. 

Prior to her new role, Landrieu helped develop and manage the “Friends of Whole Foods Market” program, featuring artisan and restaurateur partners operating their own independent venues within Whole Foods Market stores. Before that, she spent four years on the ground as local forager in the Southwest region, which includes more than 40 stores in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. In that role, Landrieu brought to market hundreds of local brands, including MALK Organics, French Truck Coffee and Windowsill Pies.

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In 2017, Whole Foods Market brought more than 700 small suppliers' products to the shelves of local stores, and for more than 11 years the grocer's Local Producer Loan Program has provided low-interest loans to local suppliers to help them expand their businesses. Whole Foods Market has loaned more than $22 million to small businesses to use for investments in new equipment, organic certification, or research and development for new products.

Landrieu is based at the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, as part of Whole Foods Market’s Product Innovation and Development Team.