Health-conscious US grocery chain Whole Foods will unveil a spa inside its new 50,000sq ft (4,645sq m) flagship market shop, opening in the South End’s Ink Block in Boston.

To be located on the former site of the Boston Herald newspaper headquarters, the spa and food shop is set to open in Q1 of 2015, according to the Boston Herald.

“It’s more about getting both done at the same time, versus a day at the spa,” said regional president for Whole Foods, Laura Derba. “We are always looking for something that is innovative, exciting and fun and our customers and consumers today really want convenience. Other grocery stores have banks in them, so it’s really about convenience.”

The spa is a collaboration with Austin-based spa and salon chain, Milk + Honey, which will operate the facility. The Milk + Honey product range will be sold at Whole Foods in December.

“I think that a spa is not a luxury, it should be part of everyone’s regular habits – like grocery shopping,” said Alissa Bayer, who is the co-owner of Milk + Honey with her husband Shon. “It will be more convenient and accessible to people now.”

“Whole Foods approached us,” continued Bayer. “We weren’t really looking for opportunities outside of Austin but Whole Foods’ values and our own values are so aligned that it was such an easy decision to say yes to them.”

Whole Foods was recently named as a finalist in the international 2014 Sustainable Beauty Awards – organised by Organic Monitor – for the sustainable leadership award, which is given to an organisation that is blazing a trail in various aspects of sustainability.

In 2007, the supermarket chain launched Refresh, an ‘everyday spa’ at its property in Dallas, Texas.