First Whole Foods In Bradenton Planned: Reports

BRADENTON, FL — Whole Foods Market, the Austin-based organic grocery chain, plans to open its third store in Sarasota and Manatee counties and its first in Bradenton, according to multiple reports.

The new store is coming to Market Place at Heritage Harbour Shopping Center, which is just off Interstate and State Road 64, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.

Patch has reached out to Whole Foods for more information.

The shopping center is currently home to Costco and a 150,000-square-foot Target is also planned there, according to the Bradenton Herald.

• Also Read: New Whole Foods Celebrates Grand Opening In St. Petersburg

The 500,000-square-foot retail project is just one mile from Lakewood Ranch in an “area (that) has seen explosive population growth with thousands of residential units in the development and planning stages,” according to the website for Edgewood Properties, which manages the development.

There are currently two other Whole Foods stores in the region - one in downtown Sarasota and the other in the University Town Center area. There are 33 locations in Florida, including the new store that opened Wednesday in St. Petersburg.

Whole Foods is known for selling organic and natural foods.

“We seek out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Add to that the excitement and fun we bring to shopping for groceries, and you start to get a sense of what we’re all about. Oh yeah, we’re a mission-driven company too,” according to the company’s website.