OTHER NEWS - Jan. 24, 1996

New Name, Layoffs Planned for Mrs. Gooch’s: Whole Foods Market of Austin, Texas, said it is revamping the Southern California health food store subsidiary because of lower-than-expected sales and earnings growth. Founder Sandy Gooch sold the chain in 1993. Executives said the nine Mrs. Gooch’s stores in the region will be renamed Whole Foods Market within three to six months. In addition, half of Mrs. Gooch’s 85 corporate employees will be laid off this week, a move expected to save Whole Foods $1.5 million to $2 million. Store workers will not be affected and no locations will be closed. In the first quarter ended Jan. 14, Whole Foods had a 9.3% sales increase at stores open at least a year, compared with an increase of less than 1% at Mrs. Gooch’s.