Whole Foods Market plans to open an Augusta store in late 2014.

The natural and organic foods supermarket will locate in a 41,000-square-foot retail space at the Washington Crossing Shopping Center, on Washington Road near Interstate 20, according to a news release.

“We’ve been looking at the Augusta market for some time,” said Mike Howard, Whole Foods Market South region vice president. “Augusta is a great city with a lot of interest in natural and organic food, so we are excited to be adding to our roster of stores in the area and to be bringing a new store to the market.”

Between 120 and 140 jobs will be created once the store opens, said Darrah Horgan, a company spokesperson.

Whole Foods offers a selection of natural foods that are free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives and hydrogenated fats.

Whole Foods Market, founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, has more than 340 stores in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. There are currently nine locations in Georgia, with eight in metro-Atlanta and one in Savannah.