Exhibit 99.1

  Whole Foods Market Announces Enhancements to Executive Team and Creation of
                           Two New Operating Regions

    AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whole Foods Market, Inc.
(Nasdaq: WFMI) today announced the promotions of A.C. Gallo and Walter Robb to
co-presidents of Whole Foods Market.  In addition, the Company has bolstered
its executive management team by adding the newly created position of
Executive Vice President of Retail Support to which Lee Valkenaar has been
named.

    "Whole Foods Market has a healthy store development pipeline of 46 stores
and a goal of reaching $10 billion in sales by the year 2010.  With these
changes to our executive team and operating structure, we have best positioned
ourselves to achieve our growth goals," said John Mackey, Whole Foods Market
Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Co-founder.  "I have transferred the
title of president to Walter Robb and A.C. Gallo who have both done an
excellent job over the past three-and-a-half years and are well deserving of
their promotions.  Also, given our expected acceleration in growth, we believe
it is important to have a top executive fully focused on certain areas that
support our retail efforts including purchasing, marketing, and team member
services.  Lee Valkenaar has over eight years of solid performance as a
regional president, and we look forward to continued valuable contributions
from him in this new role."

    The Company has also expanded its number of operating regions from eight
to ten by separating the Southwest region into the Southwest and Rocky
Mountain regions, and the Northern Pacific region into the Northern California
and Pacific Northwest regions.  "The former Southwest and Northern Pacific
regions were wide-spread geographically over several states, making them
increasingly difficult to operate effectively," said Mr. Mackey.  "By
splitting them into two additional regions, we will be better able to
regionally support our existing store base as well as provide for our
anticipated growth in those regional areas in the future."  The operations in
Colorado, New Mexico, and Kansas are now part of the new Rocky Mountain region
and the operations in Oregon, Washington and Vancouver, B.C. are now part of
the new Pacific Northwest region.  These new regions will be led by Will
Paradise, formerly Regional President of the Southwest region, and Ron
Megahan, formerly Regional President of the Northern Pacific region.  The
Northern California region will now be led by Anthony Gilmore, formerly
Regional President of the Midwest region.


    Biographical information:

    A.C. Gallo has served as Executive Vice President of Operations since
February 2001.  Mr. Gallo has held various positions with the Company and with
Bread & Circus, Inc., which was acquired by the Company in October 1992,
including Vice President and President of the North Atlantic Region.  His
title was expanded in December of 2003 to include "Chief Operating Officer" in
order to more clearly reflect the full scope of his responsibilities.

    Anthony Gilmore has served as President of the Midwest Region since
January 2002.  Mr Gilmore has held various positions with the Company since
1996, including Store Team Leader, Vice President and President of the
Southwest Region.

    Ron Megahan has served as President of the Northern Pacific Region since
June 2001.  Mr. Megahan has held various positions with the Company since 1989
including Store Team Leader.

    Will Paradise has served as President of the Southwest Region since
January 2002.  Mr. Paradise has held various positions with the Company since
1990, including Store Team Leader, Vice President of the Northern Pacific
Region and Vice President of the Southwest Region.

    Walter Robb has served as Executive Vice President of Operations since
February 2001.  Since joining the Company in 1991, Mr. Robb has also served as
Store Team Leader and President of the Northern Pacific Region.  His title was
expanded in December of 2003 to include "Chief Operating Officer" in order to
more clearly reflect the full scope of his responsibilities.

    Lee Valkenaar has served as President of the Mid-Atlantic Region since
March 2001.  Mr. Valkenaar has held various positions with the Company since
1987, including Store Team Leader, Vice President and President of the
Southwest Region.


    About Whole Foods Market:

    Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market(R)
(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com ) is the largest natural and organic foods
supermarket retailer.  The Company had $3.7 billion in sales for the twelve
months ending July 4, 2004 and currently has 163 stores in the United States,
Canada, and the United Kingdom.


    The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Except for the historical
information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which could
cause our actual results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements.  These risks include but are not limited to
general business conditions, the timely development and opening of new stores,
the integration of acquired stores, the impact of competition, and other risks
detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report
on Form 10K for the fiscal year ended September 28, 2003.  The Company does
not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.


     Contact:  Cindy McCann

               VP of Investor Relations
               512.477.4455


SOURCE  Whole Foods Market, Inc.
    -0-                             10/01/2004
    /CONTACT:  Cindy McCann, VP of Investor Relations of Whole Foods Market,
Inc., +1-512-477-4455/
    /Web site:  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com /
    (WFMI)

CO:  Whole Foods Market, Inc.
ST:  Texas
IN:  FOD REA SUP
SU:  PER