Whole Foods Market Inc, the world's largest organic and natural foods chain, opens its first store outside North America in London on Wednesday and plans hundreds more in Britain and across Europe. Britain's largest supermarket at 80,000 square feet, the store is located in a landmark former department store building on upmarket Kensington High Street.
It is the largest of the chain's nearly 200 stores. Co-President Walter Robb said Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods was coming "humbly" to Britain, where it saw "tremendous potential".
"We're obviously not here to do one store. We have plans for the UK and the continent," he told Reuters at the launch party on Tuesday for one of the most anticipated store openings in London this year.