US natural and organic retailer Whole Foods Market has reportedly confirmed its ambition to expand further into the UK market.

Whole Foods co-president Walter Robb told the Financial Times that the company was eyeing locations that are smaller than the 75,000 sq ft store in London’s Kensington district.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

The retailer opened the Kensington store in 2007 to much fanfare but, amid the global economic downturn and losses from its UK venture, the company put the brakes on any further expansion in the country.

However, Robb told the FT that Whole Foods was now “working” on expanding its business in the UK capital.

“We want to build more stores in London, it’s a fabulous city,” Robb said. “It’s harder to find real estate there… but we have some stuff there and we’re working on it.”

See Also:

Officials at Whole Foods in the UK and the US could not be reached for comment as just-food went to press.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Reports of Whole Foods’ renewed interest in UK expansion comes after it was announced that UK organic sales fell by almost 13% in 2009.

However, on Monday (12 April), local certification body The Soil Association insisted that demand was showing some signs of returning as the UK economy moved out of recession.