Whole Foods plans to open 30 stores a year

Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel says the company is moving forward with its plan to open 30 stores a year, some of which will be in new formats like its smaller footprint Daily Shop stores.

Buechel discussed the topic recently at the Milken Institute Global Conference along with industry leaders such as Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen and The Food Industry Association President and CEO Leslie Sarasin. 

The Amazon-owned grocery chain announced in early March that the chain, which has more than 530 stores in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, has over 75 new stores in the works. 

It opened its first quick-shop store on the Upper East Side in Manhattan and plans to open more in New York City and other parts of the country. 

Those Daily Shop locations range in size from 7,000 to 14,000 square feet and are a fraction of the size of the typical Whole Foods store at an average of 40,000 square feet. 

“At our new store formats, we’re tailoring every square foot to the unique, fast-paced needs of urban lifestyles. We’re excited to introduce a new way for our customers to quickly pick up their Whole Foods Market favorites – from grab-and-go meals to that last-minute dinner ingredient – making the early morning or after work grocery trips more efficient and enjoyable,” Christina Minardi, executive vice president of growth and development, Whole Foods Market and Amazon, said in March.