June 26, 2023
We recently joined the Bread & Jam team and their community of emerging, challenger food and drink brands at their monthly social. There, we heard from Whole Foods Market buyers, who shared some essential tips for getting products listed in their stores.
Using their insights, we’ve created this ultimate guide for getting your products into Whole Foods Market, the steps you need to take to get your brand noticed and how start the conversation.
This includes the things you need to consider before making contact, what should you include in your application, making sure your brand stands-out and how to get noticed in their inbox.
1. Make sure your product has a GS1 barcode
If you plan on getting listed with any food retailer, you'll need to display these on your product packaging, along with a GS1 GTIN (Global Trade Identification Number) the number that appears under the barcode.
The GTIN means that different items all over the world can be uniquely identified, giving you an accurate and efficient way to access and share information about your food and drink product.
GS1 UK is the only authorised provider of unique GTINs. Our GTINs and barcodes are used and accepted by retailers and marketplaces across the world, making it easy to sell your products anywhere. GS1 UK is a yearly subscription and as a member you'll have access to free resources and opportunities to support your journey as a food and drink challenger brand.
Signing up is easy and only takes three simple steps.
2. Consider what Whole Foods Market look for in new products
Before working on your application, consider whether your product is what they are looking for. The list below shows exactly what they are looking for so your product needs to hit the following criteria:
- Minimum SALSA or BRC accredited (or European/US equivalent)
- Must adhere to our Quality Standards (no artificial colours, preservatives or flavourings) any products found containing banned ingredients are removed from shelf. You can review the full list of banned ingredients here
- Mission aligned – Whole Foods Market is a mission-based business and their mission is to ‘Nourish People and the Planet’, does your brand align with this? Are you supporting environmental or social stewardship?
- They love to see innovation. Are you bringing something new to the category that will drive incremental sales?
- Strong branding
- Sustainable packaging
- Taste – it has to be delicious!
3. How to reach them
Attending community groups such as Bread & Jam events are a great way to meet buyers in person and start conversations. Whole Foods Market require all new applications to be submitted directly to the responsible team by email. Due to the high volume of new product information they receive, Whole Foods Market will only offer to contact you if they are interested and able to take conversations further.
The table below lists email addresses for each buyer category.
| Category | Email address |
|---|---|
| Grocery (includes dry goods, dairy, frozen, & housewares) | UKGrocery.Buyer@wholefoods.com |
| Ready prepared foods & bakery | UKPreparedFoods.Buyer@wholefoods.com |
| Fruit & vegetables (a.k.a. fresh produce) | UKProduce.Buyer@wholefoods.com |
| Meat & seafood | UKMeat.Buyer@wholefoods.com |
| Speciality (includes alcohol, cheese, charcuterie) | UKSpeciality.Buyer@wholefoods.com |
5. How to approach showcasing your new product
In the content of your application, you’ll need to include the information listed below. Keep it short, concise, and easy to read – less is more!
- Full product information including SKU detail
- Ingredients list
- Images of your product
- Detail on your brand and products - what is your USP?
- What distributors are you listed with (if any)
- RRP
- Where is your product listed currently, can you offer any exclusivity?
- What will you bring to support the listing?
- Expected ROS (Return on Sales)
6. How to drive sales once listed
You may wish to include this consideration in your application as it will show how you’ve thought ahead and have a plan to boost sales once your product is on the shelf. Here’s a list of strategies that have proven to be successful.
- Marketing is incredibly effective. With soft launches, Whole Foods Market have seen a 198 per cent once marketing was activated
- Quarterly promotions or special deals aligned with our themes. These drive over 155 per cent
- Sampling – this can get 600 per cent uplift from the foyer, but you will also see sales driven in stores of over 120 per cent and then customer retention
- A good plan is to launch with marketing at full price, then promote the month after to keep momentum and then quarterly with sampling across stores during promo and non-promo periods
7. How to submit your application and what happens next
When your application is ready, add the content into an email and send to the appropriate email address for your category (as listed in step 3). Remember to keep this simple and concise.
In the subject line, include the name of your brand and the category only - make it easy for them to notice you and pass your application onto the right buyer.
Wait to hear from them - If you do not hear from them your submission has not been successful in this instance. Providing complete and accurate information in your product submission will certainly help to expedite the process.
Good luck for your application.
