8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 18, 2004

                            WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

    Texas                          0-19797                       74-1989366
  (State of                    (Commission File                (IRS Employer
incorporation)                     Number)                Identification Number)

                          601 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 300
                               Austin, Texas 78703
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (512) 477-5566

Check the appropriate box if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the reporting obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:

|_|   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act

|_|   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 of the Exchange Act

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) Exchange Act

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) Exchange Act



Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers.

(c) At a meeting held on October 13, 2004, Ken Meyer was named Regional
President of the Company's Mid-Atlantic region. We announced this appointment in
our press release dated October 18, 2004.

      Set forth below is biographical information regarding Mr. Meyer:

Mr. Meyer joined the Company in 1996 and has held various positions including
Store Team Leader, and Vice President of the Southwest Region. He most recently
has served as President of the South Region since March 2001.

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On October 18, 2004, we issued a press release regarding the developments
described in Item 5.02(c) above. A copy of the press release is furnished
herewith as Exhibit 99.1.


================================================================================
      Whole Foods Market 601 N. Lamar #300 Austin, Texas 78703 512.477.4455
                        http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com
                                      - 2 -



Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)   Exhibits.

      Exhibit 99.1-- Press release, dated October 18, 2004

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

Date: October 18, 2004                          By: /s/ Glenda Flanagan.
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Glenda Flanagan
                                                    Executive Vice President and
                                                    Chief Financial Officer


================================================================================
      Whole Foods Market 601 N. Lamar #300 Austin, Texas 78703 512.477.4455
                        http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com
                                      - 3 -

EX-99.1

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

       Whole Foods Market Announces New Mid-Atlantic Regional President

    AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whole Foods Market, Inc.
(Nasdaq: WFMI) today announced that Ken Meyer has been named the new President
of the Mid-Atlantic Region effective October 13, 2004.
    "Three years ago, Ken was named President of the new South Region which
was formed by combining the Whole Foods Market stores in North Carolina and
Atlanta with the newly acquired Harry's Farmers Market stores in Atlanta.  He
has led an amazing turnaround at the Harry's stores from both a merchandising
and profitability standpoint and has built an outstanding regional leadership
team," said A.C. Gallo, Co-President of Whole Foods Market.  "We are fortunate
to have someone of Ken's ability and successful track record available to
assume the role of Regional President for the Mid-Atlantic Region, one of the
largest regions in the Company."
    Mr. Meyer joined the Company in 1996 and has held various positions
including Store Team Leader, and Vice President of the Southwest Region.  He
most recently has served as President of the South Region since March 2001.

    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-                             10/18/2004
    /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