Exhibit 99.1

             Whole Foods Market Announces Fourth Quarterly Dividend

    AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whole Foods Market, Inc.
(Nasdaq: WFMI) today announced that its Board of Directors declared its fourth
quarterly dividend.  The Company estimates it will pay out approximately
$9 million to shareholders in the $0.15 per share dividend which is payable
October 18, 2004 to shareholders of record at the close of business on
October 8, 2004.

    About Whole Foods Market:
    Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market(R)
(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com ) is the largest natural and organic foods
supermarket retailer.  The Company had $3.7 billion in sales for the twelve
months ending July 4, 2004 and currently has 163 stores in the United States,
Canada, and the United Kingdom.

    The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Except for the historical
information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which could
cause our actual results to differ materially from those described in the
forward looking statements.  These risks include but are not limited to
general business conditions, the timely development and opening of new stores,
the integration of acquired stores, the impact of competition, and other risks
detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report
on Form 10K for the fiscal year ended September 28, 2003.  The Company does
not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

     Contact: Cindy McCann
     VP of Investor Relations
     512.477.4455

SOURCE  Whole Foods Market, Inc.
    -0-                             09/22/2004
    /CONTACT:  Cindy McCann, VP of Investor Relations of Whole Foods Market,
Inc., +1-512-477-4455/
    /Web site:  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com /
    (WFMI)