Organizations Share Mission of Building a Sustainable, Just and Delicious

                                Food System

      Discounted tickets for Sunday Afternoon Taste Pavilion available

        exclusively at Northern California Whole Foods Market stores



    EMERYVILLE, Calif., July 30 /EMWNews/ -- Whole Foods

Market, the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket and

America's first certified organic retailer, proudly announces its

sponsorship of Slow Food Nation 2008, the largest celebration of food in

the nation. Specifically, Whole Foods Market will be the lead sponsor of

the Taste Pavilions -- Slow Food Nation's grand celebration of good, clean

and fair food, featuring 15 individual pavilions showcasing the country's

best cheese, bread, wine, charcuterie, coffee, chocolate, ice cream,

pickles and chutneys, honey and preserves, and much more.



    "We are proud to lend our support to Slow Food Nation. We share a

common desire to unite America's growing sustainable food movement and

introduce a wide spectrum of people to food that is produced safely and

grown in a sustainable manner," said Walter Robb, co-president chief

operating officer of Whole Foods Market. "We hope to empower people to lead

a slow food lifestyle by offering a diverse selection of community-grown

produce and handcrafted foods in our stores."



    Slow Food Nation, which will take place in San Francisco over Labor Day

weekend (Aug. 29 - Sept. 1), will bring together tens of thousands of food

enthusiasts to experience an extraordinary range of activities highlighting

the connection between plate and planet. In addition to experiencing the

Taste Pavilions, participants will meet more than 60 California farmers at

a marketplace surrounding the newly planted Slow Food Nation Victory Garden

in the heart of San Francisco, and learn from visionary speakers who will

engage citizens in political discourse about shaping a more sustainable

food system. Slow Food Nation also will feature a music festival,

workshops, films, dinners, hikes and excursions around the city.



    More than one-quarter of local food producers whose products are

featured at Slow Food Nation sell their products at Whole Foods Market

stores in Northern California. This includes farmers and food artisans for

locally grown, sustainably produced foods such as St. Benoit Yogurt

(French-style yogurt producer in Bodega, Calif.), Full Belly Farm (200-acre

organic farm in Capay Valley, Calif.) and Massa Organics (family farm

growing organic brown rice in Chico, Calif.).



    "At Slow Food Nation, we are hoping to create a life-changing

experience for participants that will encourage a shift in how people shop,

cook and eat," said Anya Fernald, executive director of Slow Food Nation.

"Partnering with Whole Foods Market is a natural fit to help broaden the

impact of our message."



    Whole Foods Market will be involved in many aspects of Slow Food

Nation, including:



    -- Offering 1,600 discounted tickets for the Sunday Afternoon Taste

Pavilion (Aug. 31, 5 to 9 p.m.). Tickets, which cost $58 (10 percent off

retail price), will be sold at all 24 Whole Foods Market stores in Northern

California. Whole Foods Market is the only retailer to sell hard-copy

tickets and offer this discount. For a list of stores, visit:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com.



    -- Hosting two Slow Dinners to benefit the Center for Food and Justice.

Both dinners will be held at the Whole Foods Market store in Potrero Hill

(450 Rhode Island and 17th Street). Tickets are available by calling (415)

552-1155.



    -- Hosting two workshops at Fort Mason Center. Tickets are available

for purchase at http://www.slowfoodnation.org.



    -- Volunteering dozens of Whole Foods Market Team Members to answer

visitors' questions about sustainable agriculture, organic products and

prepared foods.



    -- Supporting the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden with volunteers and

catering at the Community Planting and Harvest Days. All food grown in the

garden will be harvested and donated to Bay Area food banks and meals

programs that have limited access to healthy organic produce.

    About Whole Foods Market(R)



    Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market

(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com) is the world's leading natural and

organic foods supermarket and America's first national certified organic

grocer. In fiscal year 2007, the company had sales of $6.6 billion and

currently has more than 270 stores in the United States, Canada, and the

United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, "Whole Foods, Whole People,

Whole Planet"(TM) captures the company's mission to find success in

customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness,

enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental

improvement. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild(TM), and Harry's Farmers

Market(R) are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats(R)

and Capers Community Market(TM) are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc.

Whole Foods Market employs more than 53,000 Team Members and has been

ranked for 11 consecutive years as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work

For" in America by FORTUNE magazine.



    Media Contact:



    Vanessa Cornish 510.428.7054



    [email protected]