Participants in LEAP follow a 12-week educational curriculum. Credit: Ken Wolter via Shutterstock.

US supermarket chain Whole Foods Market has opened the application process for its 2024 local and emerging accelerator programme (LEAP).

Launched in 2022, LEAP creates mentorship opportunities for cohort participants with Whole Foods Market experts accompanied by tailored educational programming.

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Selected participants for the early growth cohort will undergo a 12-week educational curriculum and will then be considered for placement on the grocer’s shelves in their home city or area.

They will also be eligible to be considered for a $25,000 equity investment from a donor-advised fund managed by the Austin Community Foundation, with proceeds benefiting Whole Foods Market’s private operating foundations.

Food brand Jaju Pierogi launched in select Whole Foods Market stores in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island in December 2023 after participating in the 2023 early growth LEAP cohort.

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“The LEAP programme re-inforced the foundation of our relationship with Whole Foods Market and gave us insider access to leaders in the consumer packaged goods space and a great network of other emerging suppliers,” said Vanessa White, co-founder of Jaju Pierogi.

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Whole Foods Market senior vice-president of merchandising Alyssa Vescio commented: “By equipping emerging brands with the necessary tools, education, and access, we’re not just fostering their growth – we’re cultivating a platform for creativity, innovation and positive change.”

Part of Amazon’s worldwide grocery stores, Whole Foods Market operates 530 stores across the US, Canada and the UK.

The retailer recently revealed plans to introduce a smaller store format in the US named the Whole Foods Market Daily Shop for its urban customers.