Whole Foods Shareholders Encourage
Labeling GE and non-GE Ingredients

News Release 4apr02

Last October, a diverse group of shareholders filed a resolution asking Whole Foods Market to label products sold under the Whole Foods private labels with respect to genetically engineered (and non-genetically engineered) ingredients. The complete text of the resolution is below.

In a dialogue with senior management following the filing, shareholders were told that Whole Foods, Whole Kids and 365 Every Day Value private label products manufactured after October 1, 2001 no longer contained genetically engineered ingredients though they are not labeled as such. The company's reasons for not labeling these products include the current unavailability of a widely accepted, accurate testing protocol for the presence of genetically engineered ingredients and the economic risk of labeling products prior to an FDA ruling on acceptable language for labels.

Shareholders urged Whole Foods to consider interim labeling of product packages and advised management that labeling would allow Whole Foods to address not only the consumers desire and right to know about product content but also set an example for the industry. Moreover, labeling would be to Whole Foods'  competitive advantage by enhancing the company's reputation. In place of individual product labeling, Whole Foods agreed to shareholders' request to increase consumer access to consistent and clear information throughout their stores and on their website indicating which of their products do and do not contain genetically engineered ingredients. In addition shareholders asked that consumer education efforts regarding genetically engineered foods be strengthened in its GE brochure, in stores and on the website.

Whole Foods also informed shareholders about its on-going support for mandatory labeling legislation and for research to establish a reliable testing protocol to determine whether a product contains genetically engineered ingredients.

After careful consideration, shareholders withdrew the resolution upon management's agreement to: - increase the visibility of its GE consumer education and lobbying information in its stores and on its web site; - improve store-to-store consistency of its consumer education materials; - address the issue of re-labeling Bakehouse and Commissary products (both of which may contain GE) with regard to GE ingredients; - establish timelines for implementing the above; - continue to update shareholders on progress regarding all the issues mentioned and; - continue a dialogue with shareholders.

Shareholders anticipate that Whole Foods will honor its agreement as expeditiously as possible and continue to be responsive to shareholder concerns.

A summary of shareholders' dialogue with Whole Foods was applauded at the annual stockholders meeting held March 25, 2002 in Ft. Lauderdale.

Information on socially responsible investing and other shareholder actions is available through the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility at http://www.iccr.org

• Say No To GMOs!  "Grassroots education, activities and resources in Texas for consumer choice and a genetically viable future" www.saynotogmos.org
• Contact: Shelley Alpern, Trillium Investments, (617) 423-6655 http://www.trilliuminvest.com

Filed with: Whole Foods Market

LABEL GENETICALLY ENGINEERED INGREDIENTS

RESOLVED: Shareholders request the Board of Directors to adopt a policy of identifying and labeling all genetically engineered (GE) ingredients and non-GE ingredients in products sold under the Whole Foods private labels, and report to shareholders by August 2002.

Supporting Statement

In December 1999 Whole Foods Market, Inc., announced a plan to eliminate genetically modified ingredients from its private labels, which include Whole Foods, Whole Kids, and 365 brands. Whole Foods Market, Inc., has not yet followed through on its commitment to give consumers a clear choice of GE free products.

The article "Retailers dropping bio-foods," by James Cox, on Page 1A of the January 4, 2000, issue of USA TODAY, reported that "Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Markets have vowed to rid most of their private-label foods of bio-engineered corn, soy, canola oil and other ingredients this year. 'There's an absolute anger among customers that foods are being genetically modified and they don't know what ingredients are in their foods,' says Margaret Wittenberg, vice president at Whole Foods."

We support Whole Foods Market, Inc.'s plan to ban GE ingredients from its private labels. Until this can be accomplished, consumers have the right to full disclosure of all GE and non-GE ingredients in Whole Foods, Whole Kids, and 365 private label products.

As of August 1, 2001, Whole Foods Market Inc.'s position statement on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) - The Consumer's Right to Know states:

"Consumers simply have the right to choose for themselves between genetically engineered [GE] and non-genetically engineered products."

"… we are very concerned about the disruptive effect genetic engineering may have on our environment and whether long-term human health issues have been thoroughly addressed." http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/issues/ge_position.html July 20, 2001.

Consumers want GE ingredients to be labeled so they can make an informed choice for personal, environmental and ethical reasons. Over a dozen polls in the U.S. show that 70-94% of people surveyed want genetically engineered foods to be labeled as such.

Although Whole Foods Market, Inc., has contributed $10,000 or more to the Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods, it is still denying consumers a choice by not clearly labeling GE ingredients in its own Whole Foods private label products. http://www.thecampaign.org/friends.htm  This mixed message to consumers is not in Whole Foods Market, Inc.'s best interest.

Vote YES for this proposal to label GE and non-GE ingredients in Whole Foods private label products. We believe Whole Foods Market, Inc., should be a leader in the natural foods industry by voluntarily labeling all genetically engineered and non-GE ingredients in its private label products