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Retail Top 100 2012, No. 58: Whole Foods

July 17, 2012

The upheaval in the commercial property market has created opportunities for companies looking to expand, and Whole Foods has identified locations where it "can put some bets down and take advantage of that," says co-CEO Walter Robb. After stumbling during the recession, the country's largest seller of natural and organic foods is now outperforming other grocery sellers. Whole Foods has lowered prices and cleaned up its balance sheet. Now, it's debt-free, gaining market share and generating good cash flow. In June, Robb announced that Whole Foods plans to use some of its cash to speed up store openings, with the eventual goal of operating 1,000 stores in the U.S., up from around 300 currently. As part of its health-and-wellness initiatives, Whole Foods also plans to open wellness clubs in five U.S. cities.

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