HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Howard Hughes Corporation® (NYSE: HHC) and Whole Foods Market® announced today plans for a 50,000 square-foot flagship Whole Foods Market in Honolulu at Ward Village. Whole Foods Market in Ward Village will be the company’s largest location in Hawai‘i and will occupy the ewa makai corner of Queen Street and Kamake‘e Street as part of a mixed use development. The project is slated to begin construction in 2015 with completion expected in 2017.
“As a company that has a strong commitment to caring for and supporting the local communities we serve, Whole Foods Market is pleased to officially announce our flagship Honolulu store in the vibrant community of Ward Village,” said Patrick Bradley, President, Southern Pacific Region of Whole Foods Market. “As we reach six years in the Hawai‘i market, we look forward to serving both current and future shoppers with the addition of a Whole Foods Market at Ward Village.”
Whole Foods Market in Ward Village will further enhance the transformation of Ward Village into an environmentally sustainable, walkable community in the heart of Honolulu. The flagship location will support local farms and producers and will offer the best selection of quality local and superior organic products available. As Hawaii’s only LEED-ND Platinum-Certified project and the largest neighborhood development in the country to receive such a prestigious certification, the core values of Ward Village and Whole Foods Market are well-aligned.
“We are pleased to introduce Whole Foods Market to Ward Village and are confident that this new and exciting store will serve as a true cornerstone in our efforts to meet the needs of our community,” said Nick Vanderboom, senior vice president of development for The Howard Hughes Corporation. “Whole Foods Market in Ward Village is the perfect addition to our mixed use, pedestrian-oriented and bike-friendly neighborhood and will serve as an amenity for all of Honolulu to enjoy.”
Whole Foods Market in Ward Village will be the fourth Whole Foods Market in the state of Hawai‘i, joining locations at Kāhala and Kailua on O‘ahu and Kahului, Maui. The company opened its first store in Kāhala in 2008 and has been committed to buying, sourcing and supporting locally grown and made products since then. In 2013 alone, over $8 million was spent on purchases from local vendors in the state.
About Ward Village
Developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation, Ward Village is a new 60-acre coastal master-planned community located in the heart of Honolulu between downtown and Waikiki in the Kaka’ako district. The first phase of Ward Village, including two mixed-use residential towers – Waiea and Anaha – will transform the area into a vibrant neighborhood that offers exceptional residences with incredible island and ocean views and a diverse collection of retail experiences set among dynamic public open spaces and walkable streets. Ward Village is Hawaii’s only LEED-ND Platinum-Certified project and the largest neighborhood development in the country to receive such a prestigious certification. The information center and residential sales gallery is located at the iconic IBM Building with sales underway for Waiea, at 1118 Ala Moana Boulevard, and Anaha, at 1108 Auahi Street. For more information visit www.wardvillage.com.
About The Howard Hughes Corporation®
The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Our properties include master planned communities, operating properties, development opportunities and other unique assets spanning 16 states from New York to Hawai‘i. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. For additional information about HHC, visit www.howardhughes.com.
About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com) (NASDAQ: WFM), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company's motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s more than 80,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 17 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2013, the company had sales of $12.9 billion and currently has 379 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words such as “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “enables,” “realize”, “plan,” “intend,” “transform” and other words of similar expression, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth as risk factors in The Howard Hughes Corporation’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly and Annual Reports. The Howard Hughes Corporation cautions you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.
