Whole Foods Market Inc (WFM.O) expects to one day have 1,000 stores in the United States, up from around 300 currently, co-Chief Executive Walter Robb said on Tuesday.
The upscale grocer is bullish on Canada and expects to increase its store count there from six currently to 35, Robb said at the Jefferies 2011 Global Consumer Conference on Tuesday.
He added that the company's flagship store in Britain recently turned cash-flow positive. As of April 10, Whole Foods had five stores in that market.
The upheaval in the commercial property market has created opportunities for companies looking to expand, and Whole Foods has identified locations where it "can put some bets down and take advantage of that," Robb said.
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