<p><strong>Austin, TX</strong><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Whole Foods Market, Inc. has announced an agreement to purchase six leases from Johnnie's Foodmaster, a family-owned grocery chain based in Chelsea, Massachusetts.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Whole Foods Market intends to remodel each location, with the goal of reopening all six stores including, South Weymouth, Arlington, Charlestown, Brookline, Melrose and Somerville, before the end of its 2013 fiscal year. Whole Foods Market does not expect the transaction to be material to sales or earnings for fiscal year 2013.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"To have the opportunity to sell to a company like Whole Foods Market has made a tough decision much easier," says John DeJesus, president of Johnnie's Foodmaster. "I know that my employees and our loyal customers are in the best hands, and that the communities will benefit greatly from the product selection and shopping experience that Whole Foods Market offers."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The terms of the agreement are not being disclosed but as part of the agreement, Whole Foods Market has guaranteed interviews to all Johnnie's Foodmaster employees at the six acquired locations with the goal of hiring as many as possible.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"We are so pleased that Mr. DeJesus has given us this opportunity at a time when we are looking to expand our presence in greater Boston," says Laura Derba, president of Whole Foods Market's North Atlantic region. "Like Foodmaster, Whole Foods Market has a long history of supporting the communities we serve, and we are excited to bring our fresh, quality foods at affordable prices to these six new market areas.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.Wholefoodsmarket.com" target="_new"> Whole Foods Market </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
