Private Brands Highlighted In Whole Foods Impact Report
Growth of own brand organic products along with continuing to work to keep waste out of landfills are among the highlights of Whole Foods Market’s second annual Impact Report.
Offering an in-depth look at the grocer’s investment in various aspects of sustainability, the 65-page report also highlights the growing role its 365 by Whole Foods Market own brand is playing across the store. Currently, the grocer carries more than 2,600 items under its store brand, with nearly 1,000 of those items organic as of the end of 2023.
Throughout the report, Whole Foods features the sustainability efforts made when sourcing products for its private label product assortment sold under the 365 by Whole Foods Market brand.
For example, its private label canned tuna is pole-and-line caught from certified sustainable fisheries with traceability to the fishing vessel. Additionally, its own brand caviar is from wild-caught fish in certified sustainable fisheries.
Other notable sustainable aspects of its private brand assortment include its assortment of paper products, which are made with either recycled content or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), while its own brand tea is certified by Fair Trade USA, Fair Trade International, or Rainforest Alliance, totaling more than 247,700 pounds in 2023.
“With our purpose to nourish people and the planet as our North Star, we continue to hold ourselves to the highest standards in the industry when it comes to the quality of our products, reducing our environmental impact, supporting our communities, and investing in our Team Members,” said Jason Buechel, CEO at Whole Foods Market. “I’m proud of the big wins, growth, and positive impact we achieved in 2023, all built on decades of effort and investment, and I’m excited to build on that legacy as we continue to drive lasting and positive change across the grocery industry.”
Highlights from the 2023 Impact Report include:
- Kept nearly 70% of all store and operational waste out of landfills and maintained recycling programs at 99% of Whole Foods stores and organic diversion programs, such as composting, at nearly 85% of stores.
- Reached more than 41,000 organic products and 154 certified regenerative products across all stores.
- Maintained more than 550 banned ingredients across its standards for food, beverages, supplements, body care, and household cleaning products.
- Donated more than 28 million meals – totaling nearly 34 million pounds of food – to nearly 1,000 unique food rescue and distribution programs.
- Graduated nearly 1,800 Team Members from career development programs, in addition to promoting more than 8,700 Team Members in 2023.
- Awarded more than $1 million to local suppliers in 2023 through the Local Producer Loan Program and inducted 10 participants into its Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP) Early Growth cohort.
- Paid more than $9 million in premium funds to Sourced for Good suppliers, supporting a range of projects that benefit workers and their communities.
- Funded more than 26,600 microloans across 37 countries through the Whole Planet Foundation; awarded 64 Community First grants to community-led organizations through the Whole Cities Foundation; and donated 509 educational gardens, 43 salad bars, and 108 beehives to schools through the Whole Kids Foundation.
“Agriculture sits squarely at the intersection of people and the environment, and the past year has only reinforced my fervent belief that it can be a positive force for good,” said Caitlin Leibert, vice president of Sustainability at Whole Foods Market. “Every day I see and appreciate the effort of all Whole Foods Market stakeholders, from our Team Members to suppliers, to keep moving the needle forward and pushing the industry toward a more sustainable future.”
Whole Foods Market continues to invest in new initiatives that positively impact its stores, supply chain, and its people as part of Growing with Purpose – its 10-year vision that is designed to guide the company into the future. The company has nearly 100,000 Team Members in 536 stores across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada after adding eight new stores in 2023.
