Whole Foods…Hotels?

Whole Foods. We all know and love the brand—we do at the McConnell office, at least. When the first store opened in 1980 in Austin, Texas, “it took the grocery world by storm, cultivating a culture of health-conscious eating,” HotelManagement.net writer David Eisen said. And now, according to reports, the brand is looking to bring that same feeling to hotels!

Eisen reported that Whole Foods is planning to open what it calls a health resort in or near downtown Austin, right near the company’s headquarters.

John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods, told USA Today that the company has the “perfect vehicle” for their new getaway. “Think of it as a center where people would go for a day, a weekend or a week for healthy lifestyle education.”

USA Today says that the health resort idea came from an in-house program to improve the eating and lifestyle habits of Whole Foods’ employees—focused on weight loss and reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol. Mackey said, “I’ve seen it improve the lives of our team members.”

Brand expert Robert Passikoff says that the health resort could possibly pay off in their favor in a major way. He told USA Today, “…to move from natural foods to natural spa works. Whole Foods is really a category unto itself.”

Whole Foods is currently negotiating on real estate and is seeking a hotel brand to operate their resort. They hope to have it open within the next three years.

Personally, we would love to stay at a Whole Foods-related resort. Would you? Comment and let us know.