Fresh & Wild owner hunts agency to launch new chain
Whole Foods Market, a leading US organic food retailer that is set to unveil a flagship store in London next year, is talking to agencies about its advertising.
The Texas-based company, which owns the Fresh & Wild organic chain in the UK, is also seeking to appoint someone to oversee marketing operations in the UK.
Whole Foods is expected to open its first UK store in Kensington, London early next year, and plans to examine other areas of the UK for suitable sites to build a chain of stores.
Mara Fleishman, director of marketing for the North-east and North Atlantic region, will oversee the appointment of an agency and a head of UK marketing.
Fleishman says: “We approach marketing from a grass-roots perspective, and look to support groups such as local charities that share our vision of sustainable food production.
“We are talking to small and large agencies that have a grasp of putting together integrated programmes that use less conventional methods of delivery.”
A launch campaign for the Whole Foods Kensington store will initially focus on the London catchment area, but the appointed agency is likely to be asked to develop ideas to back a nationwide expansion, should the flagship outlet prove successful. There are no plans at this stage to rebrand Fresh & Wild stores.
