Whole Foods Market proceeding with UK expansion despite recent losses
Despite reporting a £35.9 million loss in the UK last year, American organic food company Whole Foods Market still plans to proceed with its UK expansion, potentially creating a number of new food jobs as they do so.
As Whole Foods Market stores in the US are just starting to recover from the debilitating effects of the recent economic crisis and like-for-like sales in the London arm of the business improved considerably in the last quarter of 2009; the company has revived previous expansion plans shelved last year as the economy floundered.
The company already has a sizeable flagship UK store on Kensington High Street, and is reportedly looking to build more outlets in the nation's capital. The upmarket grocery chain has informed the Financial Times that they are looking for sites in London at about half the size of their Kensington store.
Improving public image
Whole Foods Market is also making concerted efforts to improve its public image and increase consumer confidence in the brand. The store has struggled to shed a somewhat 'expensive' image in the past, which they are now rectifying by increasing the number of discount coupons issued and sale offers made available to shoppers.
As Whole Foods Market stores in the US are just starting to recover from the debilitating effects of the recent economic crisis and like-for-like sales in the London arm of the business improved considerably in the last quarter of 2009; the company has revived previous expansion plans shelved last year as the economy floundered.
The company already has a sizeable flagship UK store on Kensington High Street, and is reportedly looking to build more outlets in the nation's capital. The upmarket grocery chain has informed the Financial Times that they are looking for sites in London at about half the size of their Kensington store.
Improving public image
Whole Foods Market is also making concerted efforts to improve its public image and increase consumer confidence in the brand. The store has struggled to shed a somewhat 'expensive' image in the past, which they are now rectifying by increasing the number of discount coupons issued and sale offers made available to shoppers.
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