Whole Foods Market(R) Kicks Off 30th Birthday Celebration by Inviting Shoppers to Share the Love

AUSTIN, Texas, June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --To acknowledge the long-term support and tremendous loyalty of its customers, Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFMI) invites shoppers to enter its "A Heart as Big as Texas" short essay contest for a chance to win a culinary celebration weekend in its hometown headquarters of Austin, Texas. The contest kicks off a series of the Company's "30 Years Fresh" birthday festivities held at all 298 stores in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

To enter, participants can visit wholefoodsmarket.com/birthday to share their special stories, inspirations and memories about Whole Foods Market. Entries will be judged on their originality, creativity and passion and must be received by June 30, 2010.

Thirty winners will be chosen to each receive an all-expense paid trip for two to the birthplace of Whole Foods Market where they will be treated to a VIP culinary weekend. Helping Whole Foods Market bring "A Heart as Big as Texas" to life are Texas Tourism, the state's marketing entity which promotes the Lone Star State's seven diverse regions, bold experiences and flavors to travelers nation- and worldwide; JetBlue Airways, which will offset the travel emissions from the 60 flights awarded in the contest through donations to its carbon-offset partner Carbonfund.org; and Radisson Austin, which offers upscale accommodations on Lady Bird Lake, just blocks away from Austin's entertainment district and from Whole Foods Market's landmark store and global headquarters.

"From the moment our original 19 team members opened our first store in Austin 30 years ago, we have appreciated the support from our shoppers who have truly been the secret to our success. By highlighting their favorite stories, we'd like to pay tribute to our customers from all over and thank them for three decades together," said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods Market officially turns 30 on Monday, September 20.  From September 17-20, Whole Foods Market stores all over will host birthday celebrations open to the public. Dates and times for the festivities will be posted on each store's website by July 1.

For more information, go to wholefoodsmarket.com/birthday. For Twitter news and updates:

http://twitter.com/WholeFoods, #WholeFoods30

http://twitter.com/TexasTourism

http://twitter.com/jetblue

http://twitter.com/RadissonTwnLake

SOURCE Whole Foods Market