Biz News: Whole Foods to open Irvine market March 16

Whole Foods Market plans to open a new Irvine store March 16.

The store, at 8525 Irvine Center Drive, will have a restaurant and bar called The Irv, offering daily specials and local beers. There also will be a large prepared-foods section with expanded vegan and vegetarian options, according to a news release.

Whole Foods, a leading retailer of natural and organic foods, currently has 431 stores in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, the release said.

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Pie-Not lands deal with Whole Foods in O.C., S.D.

Pie-Not, a Costa Mesa fast-casual restaurant and bakery that specializes in handheld gourmet Australian meat and vegetarian pies and pastries, said three of its products are rolling out to the frozen entrée sections of Whole Foods Markets across Orange and San Diego counties.

The deal follows a test run at several Whole Foods locations in Orange County in 2014, according to a news release.

The individually wrapped selections available at the stores are:

• Dog’s Eye Pie (ground beef and diced onions in a pastry shell, $7.99)

• Southern Comfort (white meat chicken breast with peas, carrots, potatoes, celery and thyme in a white wine cream sauce with black pepper in a pastry shell, $7.99)

• Hippie Roll (spinach, ricotta, walnuts, Swiss and Gruyere cheeses and cayenne, $4.99)

“Our values directly align with those of the Whole Foods Market brand,” Pie-Not co-founder Ryan Lopiccolo said in a statement. “Making sure our guests are satisfied and nourished, sourcing the freshest, highest-quality ingredients and supporting our local community are our main priorities.”

Pie-Not, which opened in May 2013 at 270 E. 17th St. in Costa Mesa, plans to open its second location this summer at Pacific City in Huntington Beach.