Local Vendors Get Chance to Put Product on Whole Foods' Shelves

Whole Foods, the supermarket for high-quality natural and organic foods, invites aspiring local vendors to be their “Next Entrepreneur” and is accepting applications now to attend an educational session that will help vendors learn how to grow their business and possibly get on the popular food chain’s shelves.

Applications for the Next Entrepreneur are available at http://nc.wholefoods.com/localvendor and are due by Jan. 14 to be able to get in to the Feb. 6 event during which local vendors will have an opportunity to showcase their goods.

Whole Foods is known for its vast grocery selection, from unprocessed grains and cereals to meat and poultry free of any antibiotics and growth hormones. Someone looking for raw foods or the new craze on chia seeds can most likely find them at this supermarket.

According to Whole Foods' mission statement, its “business is intimately tied to the neighborhood and larger community that we serve and in which we live.”

The supermarket purchases products from local, regional and international wholesale suppliers and vendors, which is why “Next Entrepreneur” is a great opportunity for emerging organic food vendors in showcasing their products to store representatives and the market's purchasing team.

“As Whole Foods continues to open new stores in Northern California, we are also foraging for new local food entrepreneurs,” said Whole Foods Market's Local Forager Harvindar Singh in a statement. “We're looking for unique local products and entrepreneurs that want to grow with us.”

The event will happen on Feb. 6 at the Oakland Scottish Rite Center from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. and will include educational sessions for vendors needing assistance with business growth, and success stories from several vendors who have benefitted from the Whole Foods Market Local Loan Program.