USA: Whole Foods Market announces plans for further store and new rating system

Whole Foods Market plan to open their first store in Iowa in late spring 2012, KCCI reports. The new store will be located in West Des Moines and create 125 jobs. The company is also looking for a second location in the Des Moines area. 

Whole Foods Market has also recently introduced their Eco-Scale Rating System. The system is a set of tiered, green household cleaning standards and aims to help shoppers make greener choices. Whole Foods Market is the first retailer in the USA to provide its own comprehensive, color-coded rating system for household cleaners. Under the new evaluation system, products will be rated red, orange, yellow or green, based on the specific set of environmental and sourcing standards each product meets. 

Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, USA in 1980. About 300 stores belong to the company, and 58,000 people are employed at the ninth largest food and drug store in the USA. As of January this year, 52 leases have been signed for new stores.