Upcoming Whole Foods to Provide 150 Jobs in Fairfield

Editor's note: The following news release was submitted by the state Labor Department.

State Labor Commissioner Glenn Marshall on Monday said a unique partnership between the Connecticut Department of Labor and two community action agencies in Fairfield County is helping Whole Foods Market to successfully hire 150 people for its newest store in Fairfield.

“This recruitment collaboration has played a key role in successfully matching qualified job seekers with a local employer that provides good pay and benefits,” Marshall said. “As a result, when the store opens for business later this spring, I am proud to say that a unique partnership between state and local governments, non-profits and private industry played an instrumental role in helping a well-known employer with its continuing success.”

According to Marshall, staff from the Labor Department’s local Bridgeport office teamed up with CTE, Inc. and NEON Inc., located in Stamford and Norwalk, respectively, to pre-screen potential candidates for Whole Foods. From there, the Labor Department provided orientations at the Bridgeport CTWorks office.

Victor Fuda, manager of the Bridgeport CTWorks office, said collectively, the team has already met with approximately 450 prospective job seekers. This included reaching out to those employees that had been displaced when Basic Foods (A&P) of Bridgeport closed operations earlier this month.

“Knowing that a variety of people in this area could offer the experience Whole Foods Market needs, it made sense to connect the company with candidates that were local, job-ready residents,” Fuda said.

The Labor Department has also worked closely with Fairfield’s town employees to provide Whole Foods Market with an interview area at Fairfield Town Hall.  To further assist the company when it begins the orientation process for its new hires, the agency reached out to the city of Bridgeport to secure the City Hall Annex which will accommodate these 150 employees for a three-day training session.

“We have worked with the Department of Labor in the past with great results,” said John Dauenhauer, Whole Foods Market's executive coordinator of Team Member Services. “This latest endeavor is a true testimony to the power of partnerships. By working with the Labor Department, CTE, NEON and the cities of Bridgeport and Fairfield, the challenge of hiring and training 150 team members for our newest store became almost effortless.”

“This is a great example of how teamwork can create a win-win situation for our state – one that helps a valued employer, boosts the economy, and provides good jobs for our residents,” Marshall said.

The upcoming Whole Foods Market in Connecticut is located at 350 Grasmere Avenue in Fairfield. Slated to open in late spring, it will be the grocer’s eighth location in the state. Other stores are in Darien, Glastonbury, Greenwich, Milford, Westport and two in West Hartford.

Submitted by the state Labor Department.