Whole Foods Market Joins Sweetwater Brewery's Save The Hooch Campaign Donates $23,645 To Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
July 10, 2008
Whole Foods Market today announced it will present a check for $23,645 to Upper
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) to support river patrol and water quality monitoring programs in
the Chattahoochee River watershed. This donation is the result of Whole Foods Market
designating 5% of the sales on June 18 at all seven Atlanta area Whole Foods Market and Harry's
Farmers Market stores to SweetWater Brewery’s Save the Hooch campaign.
The check presentation will take place today at 10:00 a.m. at the Whole Foods Market in
Sandy Springs (5930 Roswell Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30328). Associate Marketing Coordinator for Whole
Foods Market, Emily Broad, said, “With our current water crisis in Georgia, we thought a citywide
5% Community Day was a great way for Whole Foods Market customers to help Save the Hooch.
SweetWater is a terrific local company, and we are happy to partner with them and support UCR
in this program.”
Through the Save the Hooch campaign, SweetWater Brewery will donate a portion of all beer
sales in the metro Atlanta area from Memorial Day through July 4 to UCR and has worked with local
bars and taverns on fundraising initiatives in their establishments. Representatives from UCR were
present at participating Whole Foods Market and Harry’s stores on June 18 to educate shoppers about
the campaign and encourage their support while SweetWater employees offered beer samples.
According to Sally Bethea, UCR’s Executive Director and Riverkeeper, “Whole Foods Market has
been a great supporter of UCR for several years, but this donation takes the company’s commitment
to a new level. Through this effort, Whole Foods and its customers are not only being great
partners in protecting our water resources during this crucial time, but they are also raising
awareness about the river and the threats it faces.”
In reference to the Save the Hooch program, SweetWater’s Marketing Director, Steve Farace,
said, “SweetWater began this campaign in 2005 as a way to help those who protect the most important
ingredient in our beer and metro Atlanta’s main source of drinking water. Whole Foods’
participation has helped to make this year’s campaign the most successful yet.”
About Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market holds 5% Community Days on a quarterly basis. Founded in 1980 in
Austin, TX, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com) is the
world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified
organic grocer.
About SweetWater Brewery
SweetWater Brewery is a 49,000-barrel microbrewery (located at 195 Ottley Drive in Atlanta, GA
30324) that specializes in producing aggressive West Coast style beers to be enjoyed in the
Southeast US. (www.sweetwaterbrew.com)
About Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
UCR’s mission is to protect and preserve the Chattahoochee River, its lakes and tributaries
for the people, fish and wildlife that depend upon it. The Chattahoochee is considered the
most used water resource in Georgia and is one of the most threatened rivers in the United States.
(www.chattahoochee.org)