LONDON, November 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Putting the super  back into super market!

After much anticipation, Whole Foods Market opens today (Wednesday 7 November) in Cheltenham on the Gallagher Retail Park to offer shoppers a new and exciting, all-natural way to shop for food, drink, health and beauty products.

This is Whole Foods Market's first English store outside of the five existing London stores (plus one in Glasgow).  Situated right at the heart of the Cotswolds and offering a vast range of high quality, natural foods, beauty and health products, the 27,000 sq ft store is also stocking more than 330 locally Gloucestershire-sourced products as well as 50 just from Cheltenham itself - significantly more than any other local competitor.

The store was opened today in traditional Whole Foods Market style with a special bread-breaking  ceremony attended by Mary Cunningham, Store Team Leader for Whole Foods Market Cheltenham, Jeff Turnas, Regional President for Whole Foods Market UK, Colin Hay, Mayor of Cheltenham and Rob Rees, founder of one of the Cheltenham store's new charity partners, Wiggly Worm.  The five foot loaf of beer bread was baked in-store especially for the occasion with beer from the Cotswold Brewing Company.  The bread-breaking ceremony is symbolic of the opening of the store and the sharing of produce.

"It is such a wonderful opportunity to be able to open a store here in Cheltenham," said Mary Cunningham. "The store will showcase the highest quality all-natural food and beauty brands. Our team of 180 local people will bring Whole Foods Market to life for all our shoppers and our unique features, such as the Acorn cookery centre, will be an inspiration for everyone.

"Shoppers visiting the store for the first time will immediately see what makes Whole Foods Market different," adds Mary.  "Each morning we will be roasting fresh coffee and baking a delicious selection of breads.  With everything under one roof, shoppers can find exactly what they need both for their weekly shop and for ingredients for special occasions."

The store also has its own cookery demonstration centre - The 'Acorn' - as well as indoor and outdoor cafés and a children's outdoor play area.  An on-going programme of family-friendly events will showcase the best seasonal food and drink, in addition to masterclasses, supper clubs and kids activities.

Jeff Turnas, Regional President for Whole Foods Market UK said: "We chose the site in Cheltenham because we felt it offered us a fantastic opportunity to show Cheltenham and the whole of Gloucestershire what we can do.                            

"We're very proud of our new store, of our 180 new team members and of course, our 300+ local products which will give our shoppers a fantastic choice of all-natural goods."                                                

In a Nutshell …

• New Whole Foods Market opens today on the Gallagher Retail Park on the Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham; ample parking and bike racks
• It re-defines the word 'supermarket'; a store where you can eat, drink, cook and learn more about natural food, drink, health & beauty
• Sip a craft beer in the garden café; nibble on local British cheeses picked and cut at the counter; grind your own peanut butter; savour a piece of warm '15 mile' apple pie; go the 'whole hog' and take away a joint of locally bred pork; come and smell the bread baked in the in-store oven; cast an eye over some natural hand creams and choose some English pears to take home. There's something for everyone!
• The store makes its own bread, dry ages meat and has its own smoker
• It showcases the best in natural beauty and health supplements in the Cotswold region, with European and US brands for skin, hair and body care that are exclusive to Whole Foods Market
• 330 Gloucestershire products  from 32 local producers.