<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
           THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
           EXTRACTED FROM THE WHOLE FOODS MARKET 1999 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-26-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-04-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               JUL-04-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<CASH>                                          13,527
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                     95,492
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               149,651
<PP&E>                                         375,002
<DEPRECIATION>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 610,105
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          113,223
<BONDS>                                        122,982
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                       205,572
<OTHER-SE>                                      94,525
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   610,105
<SALES>                                      1,192,691
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,192,691
<CGS>                                          784,795
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  784,795
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               341,194
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               6,617
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 60,085
<INCOME-TAX>                                    23,433
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             36,652
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    36,652
<EPS-BASIC>                                     1.39
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.34