Last May every semi-employed twentysomething got their metaphorical organic broccoli in a bunch at the news that Whole Foods was launching a more affordable grocery chain, aimed at a wider audience (cough, broke Millennials, cough). Good news, penny pinchers: the first Whole Foods 365 will open is Los Angeles on May 25 of this year, according to a press release the company shared today. According to the press release, it will bring "fresh, healthy food to a broader audience with a streamlined, quality-meets-value shopping experience," and will feature not just the store, but "Friends of 365," through which Whole Foods 365 will partner with other brands for a fuller shopping experience.
Among the established partnerships are by CHLOE., a vegan restaurant, Allegro Coffee Company, and TeaBOT, a self-serve tea kiosk that offers custom creations in under 30 seconds. Friends of 365 is providing a platform for other independent retailers to partner with them within the store, a departure from Whole Foods Market's usual uniformity.
“With each store, we’re looking to curate a unique experience. Allegro’s craft brew bar will provide a casual place for Silver Lake residents to relax before or after they shop, while teaBOT’s unique service will offer a quick, yet deeply personalized tea-making experience,” said President of 365 by Whole Foods Market Jeff Turnas in today's press release. “We’ve really dedicated ourselves to partnering with like-minded companies that are doing new and interesting things in their respective field to bring a truly unique shopping experience that complements our thoughtfully curated selection of foods.”
Of course, this means every Whole Foods 365 store will be a little different and more locally centric. If you're hella impatient for one to open near you, you're not alone — but right now the only other set locations to open this year are Bellevue, Washington and Portland, Oregon. Another 10 locations are projected to open in 2017 (c'mooooon, New York).
To top it all off, the company is offering ordering and delivery services through Instacart. So basically between the more affordable prices, the vegan food, the fancy tea, and the ultimate tools for laziness, this is shaping up to look like the dizziest Millennial daydream. Live it up, L.A. humans. The rest of us will be hoarding all of our frozen organic vegetables and bags of quinoa until the sun shines on our own Whole Foods 365.
