<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
           THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
           EXTRACTED FROM THE WHOLE FOODS MARKET 1999 FORM 10-K
           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>                             SEP-27-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-26-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<CASH>                                           9,019
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   19,578
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                     93,452
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               140,625
<PP&E>                                         407,204
<DEPRECIATION>                                (172,121)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 659,735
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          121,355
<BONDS>                                        124,419
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                       211,192
<OTHER-SE>                                     100,028
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   659,735
<SALES>                                      1,567,879
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,567,879
<CGS>                                        1,031,830
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                1,031,830
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               458,695
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               8,248
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 69,106
<INCOME-TAX>                                    26,951
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             42,155
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    42,155
<EPS-BASIC>                                     1.60
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.54