Whole Foods, the £2.85bn American organic superstore, has opened its first European outlet in London and is aiming for around 40 UK stores in the long-term. The opening on the 6th June drew crowds to the 7,500 square metre (80,000 square foot) three-floor store on Kensington High Street, which became the nation’s biggest dedicated food store. The store has a reputation for the sheer variety on offer, with more than 100 lines of olive oil and a mountain of (mostly imported) fresh produce but has also gained the nickname in the US Whole Paycheque for its high prices. David Lannon, the group’s regional vice president looking after the UK, has however pledged to compete with the likes of Waitrose and Marks & Spencer on price. “We’re not going to be the highest priced,” he says. At present it appears to be the multiples who are getting the twitchiest about the new development with Waitrose offering a free taxi service for shoppers at its Marylebone store and all the top chains re-launching their own organic lines. The question remains as to whether Whole Foods’ arrival will spell disaster for farmers’ markets and organic grocery stores or do them and growers a favour by helping to grow the market.