Whole Foods Market Is Looking for Up-and-Coming Brands to Stock Its Shelves
Whole Foods Market has opened the 2023 application process for its Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP). The initiative, which launched in 2022, advances Whole Foods’ core value of seeking win-win partnerships with local suppliers. Participants benefit from the mentorship of Whole Foods experts, tailored educational programs and the potential for direct financial support. Each participant’s products are also considered for placement on the shelves of Whole Foods stores in their home city or region at the conclusion of the six-month program.
“Since our start more than four decades ago, we’ve been empowering small, local and emerging producers,” said Alyssa Vescio, SVP of merchandising at Whole Foods. “We’re thrilled to continue this important part of our legacy through the Local and Emerging Accelerator Program. Our first cohort of nine local producers successfully graduated from last year’s inaugural program, and three have already launched in select Whole Foods Market stores. We could not be more excited to begin our search for a new and innovative group of suppliers we can support.”
CHKP Foods, a plant-based brand that transforms chickpeas into dairy-free yogurt, launched in Whole Foods’ Northeast locations in January, serving as the regional representative for Whole Foods’ initial LEAP cohort.
“Whole Foods Market’s Local and Emerging Accelerator Program offered CHKP an invaluable experience to learn, grow and advance our mission,” said Noam Sharon, co-founder of Brooklyn, N.Y.-based CHKP Foods. “The expertise and insights provided by Whole Foods Market taught CHKP what makes a successful emerging brand, and we could not be more grateful for the leadership, confidence and support the team provided. Now that our product is on Whole Foods Market shelves, we are putting our learnings into practice to drive in-store engagement. We thank Whole Foods Market for this incredible opportunity, and wholeheartedly recommend LEAP to any interested supplier.”
Coyotas, a Mexican-American tortilla company based in San Diego, earned placement in Whole Foods stores in Arizona, Southern California, Southern Nevada and Hawaii. Coyotas makes grain- and gluten-free, limited-ingredient tortillas that meet Whole Foods’ strict quality standards and support its commitment to promoting artisan-made products.
“The experts at Whole Foods Market provided our team with invaluable guidance and shared insights that have helped take the Coyotas brand to the next level. We’re thrilled to see our product on Whole Foods Market shelves and look forward to our continued work together,” noted Janet Flores Pavlovich, Coyotas’ founder.
LEAP applications are available online.
The first certified-organic national grocer, Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods has more than 500 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seattle-based Amazon, which is No. 2 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
