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The company says the stores, targeting urban areas, will provide "easier access to the fresh, high-quality offerings."
The new stores will be called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop.
The first location to open will be in the Upper East Side in Manhattan with additional locations in New York City to follow.
The first store, located at 1175 Third Ave., is expected to open later this year.
Following the New York City launch, Whole Foods Market plans to bring the format to other cities across the country.
Ranging between 7,000 to 14,000 square feet, the quick-shop stores are about a quarter to half the footprint of an average 40,000 square foot Whole Foods Market store, paving the way for expansion in dense, metropolitan areas.
"In bustling hubs like Manhattan where proximity matters, these stores will bring Whole Foods Market closer to existing customers while extending the company’s reach to others in surrounding neighborhoods," Whole Foods said in a statement.
The stores will still offer Whole Foods Market favorites, including a selection of fresh, seasonal produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods like sandwiches and pre-packed meals, bread, alcohol, and supplements, as well as a handpicked range of local specialties and Whole Foods Market's 365 brand products.
The new format stores will not replace the traditional Whole Foods Market store format.
Whole Foods Market, founded in 1980, currently has more than 530 stores in the US, UK, and Canada with more than 75 stores in the pipeline.
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