Post by Whole Foods Market

“I remember it was a warmer-than-usual October day in 2001 when I began my Whole Foods Market career as a Customer Service Cashier at the Uptown store in Minneapolis. At the time, I just needed a flexible job to support my acting career, and I was only planning to stay for two years. But that changed as I realized how wonderful and exciting working for Whole Foods Market was. After several other positions, I eventually landed the role of Whole Body Team Leader at our St. Paul store, where I helped grow my team for many years. And when the Store Trainer position opened, there was no question about my next move. I wanted to be that person who connects with every team member at my store. I wanted to share my stories and inspire them to grow, which is why I also became a Culture Champion. That decision led to me getting to go on our recent In the Field with Jason trip to Peru. Besides getting my picture taken dressed as a llama with our CEO, I loved getting to visit a quinoa farm with SIMPLi, the Maras Salt Flats and a Sourced for Good regenerative coffee farm and mill. We listened to inspiring stories from women farmers about their struggles and successes. We made the journey up to Machu Picchu and learned about the Incas and their agricultural advances. And we ate a lot of potatoes! Did you know Peru has over 4,000 different varieties? With every place we visited one thing stood out: how much the Peruvian people respected the earth and how proud they were of the crops they grew. They still pay homage to Pachamama — “Mother Earth” — and out of that respect comes a sense of happiness. They were always dancing and singing, inviting us to join them. I felt a shared community tied together by culture passed down from generation to generation. It reminded me of the responsibility we have as team members to create our own dance-worthy culture and pass it on to the next generation.” 💚 — Renee Hatton, Store Trainer #TeamWFM