August 29, 2013

3 Min Read
GreenAcres Market doubles with acquisition of Whole Foods Association and Health Food Center

GreenAcres Market, the 20-year-old family-owned chain of natural foods markets with stores in Wichita, Kansas City and Tulsa, Okla., is about to grow again.

Barb Hoffmann, CEO, and her executive team—husband John, daughter Shannon and store manager Matt Murray—announced today that they are taking over the management of three Whole Foods Association stores in Wichita, Kan., and two Health Food Center stores in Oklahoma City and Lawton, Okla., with a complete buyout soon to come. In addition, there are plans for a second store in the Kansas City plaza area next year.

“Plans have been in the works for several months,” said Barb Hoffmann, in announcing the management contract and impending purchase of Whole Foods Association stores. “I have greatly admired Rene Shelton and her late husband, Bill, who started Whole Foods 42 years ago and who were the first to bring all-natural, organic food and quality vitamin and mineral supplements to Wichita. It is an honor to carry on their mission of education as we continue our mission to become your healthy-food experts.”

Barb has always said that education is the reason she got into the health food business in the first place. This move to expand their GreenAcres family of stores will allow her to share what her team has learned about nutrition in the last 20 years with a much wider, Midwestern audience.

“We are dedicated to the Midwest,” said Barb. “It is our home base, and we love the opportunity to provide valuable information and service to those seeking a healthier lifestyle."

Barb stated that they get requests every day to expand GreenAcres to the west side of Wichita, and they have been working on that for quite a while. “This opportunity to integrate the Whole Foods Association stores is an important one for us,” she said, “and we look forward to how it allows us to grow our overall presence in Wichita and Oklahoma. For now, we plan to learn all about the Whole Foods Association and Health Food Center businesses, their teams and their customers while focusing on continuing them as strong stores in their respective markets.”

The Hoffmanns also launched a radio show last year, “GreenAcres HealthTalk with Brett, Matt & Shannon,” which has become an effective educational opportunity in their core markets of Wichita, Kansas City and Tulsa. This acquisition of the new stores will allow them to further their reach with the radio show, and continue to support their passion for alternative health education. GreenAcres Health Talk is fresh, fast-paced, informative and current. The show airs on the new 99.7 Lite FM in Wichita, along with 98.1 KMBZ 98.1 News Talk radio in KC & AM 740 Newstalk radio KRMG in Tulsa. 

Whole Foods Association and GreenAcres, which have been healthy, respectful competitors for more than 20 years, will now become one and will stay a strong, locally owned business providing health and wellness solutions to Wichita, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City and the Midwest area. “With more competition coming, it creates more choice for our customers, and we can all work together to improve the health of our communities, one person at a time. We are thrilled and honored to have this opportunity,” said Hoffmann.

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