MCLEAN, VA – Natural and organic grocery chain Whole Foods is testing its first customer rewards program, beginning this month at a Princeton, N.J., store, followed by a larger test in the Philadelphia market, reports USA Today.

If the program resonates with customers, it could launch nationwide by late 2015, spokesperson Michael Silverman told the newspaper. "Our customers have wanted an affinity program for some time," he said in an email. "With such strong existing customer demand for a program like this, we believe it will enhance existing customer loyalty and drive new customers to shop Whole Foods Market stores."

Silverman told USA Today that the program won't just be about collecting "points" for dollars, but that there also will be various "experiential" rewards, such as being able to exchange points for free cooking classes. The rewards will be personalized for customers based on their “individual preferences."

Whole Foods also announced recently that it would be among the first retailers to use Apple’s new Apple Pay mobile payment system.