<ARTICLE>                      5
<LEGEND>
           THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
           EXTRACTED FROM THE WHOLE FOODS MARKET 1998 FORM 10-Q
           AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
           FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
</LEGEND>
<CIK>        0000865436
<NAME>       Whole Foods Market, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY>   US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-27-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               JUL-05-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<CASH>                                          31,196
<SECURITIES>                                    26,285
<RECEIVABLES>                                   15,299
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                     81,648
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               186,216
<PP&E>                                         277,890
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 532,082
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           95,473
<BONDS>                                        115,009
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                       208,136
<OTHER-SE>                                      46,744
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   532,082
<SALES>                                      1,063,598
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,063,598
<CGS>                                          706,075
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  706,075
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               297,542
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               5,611
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 54,370
<INCOME-TAX>                                    20,117
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             34,253
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    34,253
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.31
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.24