Whole Foods to Launch Smaller Store Format in NYC

Whole Foods Market — a subsidiary of Amazon — plans to introduce a new, quick-shop store format designed for urban neighborhoods. The new format, called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, will initially launch on the Upper East Side in Manhattan with additional locations in New York City to follow. The first store, located at 1175 Third Avenue, is expected to open this year. Following the New York City launch, Whole Foods Market plans to bring the format to other cities across the country.

Ranging between 7,000 to 14,000 square feet, the quick-shop stores are about a quarter to half the footprint of an average 40,000 square foot Whole Foods Market store, paving the way for expansion in dense, metropolitan areas. In bustling hubs like Manhattan where proximity matters, these stores will bring Whole Foods Market closer to existing customers, while extending the company’s reach to others in surrounding neighborhoods.

Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will provide a convenient option for grab-and-go meals and snacks, weekly essentials, and a quick, easy destination to pick up ingredients to complete a meal – with all items meeting the company’s rigorous quality standards. Though smaller, the stores will still offer Whole Foods Market favorites, including an ample selection of fresh, seasonal produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods like sandwiches and pre-packed meals, breads, alcohol, and supplements, as well as a handpicked range of local specialties and our own 365 by Whole Foods Market brand. In addition, the location that is expected to open this year will be the first Whole Foods Market store in Manhattan to offer Juice & Java, a venue for coffee, tea, fresh pressed juices, smoothies, sandwiches, soups and various desserts.

“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,” said Christina Minardi, Executive Vice President Growth & Development, Whole Foods Market & Amazon. “Expanding our footprint with Whole Foods Market Daily Shop is key to our growth, fostering deeper customer connections, and advancing our purpose to nourish people and the planet.”

The new format stores will not replace the traditional Whole Foods Market store format. In fact, this quick-shop format is one more way Whole Foods Market and Amazon are innovating every day to build a best-in-class grocery shopping experience that offers multiple ways for customers to conveniently shop for the products they know and love.

In 2023, Whole Foods Market added its 17^th store in New York City at One Wall Street, underscoring the company’s dedication to enhancing the urban customer experience and expanding its urban real estate footprint. Whole Foods Market currently has more than 530 stores in the U.S., U.K. and Canada with more than 75 stores in the pipeline.