‘Green Path’ Brand Introduction Kicks Off Organic Harvest Month

Seattle — Whole Foods Market , the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket, introduces Green Path wines, organically grown and sustainably packaged Chardonnay and Shiraz, to its stores this month.

Green Path wines are made with certified organic grapes using a growing process with minimal environmental impact. The winery’s sustainable practices also include vigilant water management and waste recycled as compost. Additionally, Green Path wines are bottled in environmentally friendly Tetra Pak Tetra Prisma packaging.

“Whole Foods Market has designated September as Organic Harvest Month, and with the launch of such products as Green Path wines, we hope to emphasize our dedication to organically grown and sustainably produced products,” said Ron Megahan, Whole Foods Market Pacific Northwest regional president.

Chardonnay Tasting Notes and Vintage Description

The 2006 Chardonnay displays ripe nectarine characters with vibrant notes of tropical fruit salad. It is a superbly balanced wine that fills the mouth with flavor and has a lingering finish. It is ideally matched with summer salads, seafood, chicken and a variety of Asian dishes. The 2006 vintage was characterized by warm weather well below average rainfall. This resulted in low yields that produced fruit of great ripeness and flavor intensity.

Shiraz Tasting Notes and Vintage Description

The 2006 Shiraz displays ripe berry fruit characters combined with spicy notes and subtle oak. It is a superbly balanced wine that fills the mouth with flavor and has a lingering finish. It is ideally matched with cheeses, barbeque, red meats and tomato- based pasta dishes. The 2006 vintage was characterized by warm weather well below average rainfall. This also resulted in low yields that produced fruit of great ripeness and flavor intensity.

Benefits of Tetra Prisma

The Tetra Prisma pack represents a major step forward in wine packaging.  Tetra Prisma’s minimal material and energy to produce and ship means the environment is exposed to less waste.  Packs are recyclable, further reducing their environmental footprint. And while no current packaging is fully sustainable, Tetra Pak’s aseptic carton is the most sustainable package currently on the market.

About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak produces carton packages for solid and liquid food. The company also produces solid and liquid food processing equipment – systems needed to heat and treat food to make it safe to package and consume. In addition, Tetra Pak produces complete processing and packaging lines for ice cream and cheese. The company’s international headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland. Tetra Pak has additional offices in Richmond Hill, Ontario and Brossard, near Montreal. It employs approximately 20,000 people in 77 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.tetrapak.com .
 
About Green Path

Green Path wines are crafted to satisfy the most discerning of wine buyers. These are premium Australian wines, made with single-estate organic grapes, displaying bold, fruit driven character. The wines are packaged in convenient one liter Tetra Prisma packs, which have an impressive environmental profile compared with the industry standard 750 mL wine bottle. Green Path Chardonnay and Shiraz are single-estate wines, sourced from Organic One Wines. Established in 1976, this is one of Australia’s oldest and largest vineyards and winery establishments. Organic One Wines has a commitment to its customers and the environment. Its wines are of a high-quality, made from low yielding vines, harvest when ripe so as to achieve full flavors. The 280 acre vineyard is certified organic and bio-dynamic, carrying USDA NOP certification. For more information, please visit http://www.countryvintner.com.au/ .

About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market ( www.wholefoodsmarket.com ) is the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer. In fiscal year 2006, the company had sales of $5.6 billion and currently has more than 270 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & WildTM, and Harry’s Farmers Market® are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP.  Wild Oats® and Capers Community MarketTM are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc. Whole Foods Market employs more than 50,000 Team Members and has been ranked for ten consecutive years as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine.