Wild Oats Markets

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Wild Oats Markets, Inc.
Type Public (NASDAQ: OATS)
Founded 1987
Headquarters Boulder, Colorado
Key people Gregory Mays, Chairman & (interim) CEO
Industry Grocery store, Health food store
Products Food, Organic food, Vitamins
Revenue $1.12 billion USD (2005)
($3.2M)
Employees 8,596
Slogan Better Food. Pure & Simple.
Website www.wildoats.com

Wild Oats Markets (NASDAQ: OATS) operates natural foods stores and farmers market stores in North America. The company’s stores offer dry grocery, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, frozen, prepared foods, bakery, vitamins and supplements, health and body care, and household items. As of February 21, 2007, it operated 110 stores in 24 states and British Columbia, Canada. Wild Oats Markets is the nation's second largest natural and organic foods chain. Wild Oats Markets was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.

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[edit] History

Wild Oats was founded in 1987 with the purchase of Crystal Market in Boulder, Colorado. Crystal Market was re-named Wild Oats Vegetarian Market in 1992.

Wild Oats Markets acquired the 11-store Boulder-based Alfalfa's Markets chain in July 1996. Three Capers Community Market natural foods stores, located in British Columbia, were part of the Alfalfa's acquisition and have maintained the Capers name. In 1999, Wild Oats acquired several divisions, including 11 San Diego-based Henry's Marketplace stores (rebranded Henry's Farmers Market in 2004) and nine San Antonio-based Sun Harvest stores.

In 2001, Perry Odak became President and Chief Executive Officer of Wild Oats Markets, coming from Ben & Jerry’s. Odak resigned in October 2006 after he and the company were unable to reach an agreement for a new employment contract. Gregory Mays, Chairman of the Board, was named interim chief executive officer. Mays is a former chief financial officer of Ralphs Grocery Co.[1]

Wild Oats announced that it would close all five of its Henry's Farmers Market stores in Arizona on December 16, 2006, and would instead focus on the Wild Oats banner in that market.[2]

[edit] Partnership with Pathmark

Wild Oats Markets partnered with Pathmark Stores beginning in February 2007 when Pathmark added Wild Oats brand private-label goods to all of its 141 northeast U.S. stores. About 150 different natural and organic products were included in the partnership, including specialty products such as imported Italian sodas, balsamic vinegar, organic fruit spreads and flatbread crackers.[3]

[edit] Merger with Whole Foods Market

This section documents a current event.
Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

On February 21, 2007, Whole Foods Market announced that it has agreed to acquire Wild Oats for an estimated $565 million.[4][5][6] The purchase is expected to close in April, pending shareholder and regulatory approval. Following a two-year integration period, the Wild Oats banner will eventually disappear. The Sun Harvest stores in Texas have received interest from other buyers should Whole Foods want to divest the chain.[7]

[edit] Store formats

[edit] Natural foods stores

The natural foods stores have an emphasis on natural and organic foods in an educational and vibrant setting. These stores generally range from 20,000 to 35,000 gross square feet.

  • Wild Oats Natural Marketplace: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington
  • Capers Community Market: British Columbia

[edit] Farmers' market stores

The farmers' market stores have an emphasis on farm-fresh produce, natural foods, vitamins and supplements in an authentic farmers' market setting. These stores generally range from 15,000 to 25,000 gross square feet.

  • Henry's Farmers Market: California
  • Sun Harvest: Texas

[edit] Notable achievements

  • Supermarket News ranked Wild Oats No. 63 in the 2007 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2006 fiscal year estimated sales of $1.2 billion.[8]
  • Wild Oats was included in Corporate Responsibility Officer (CRO) magazine’s annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2007, ranking No. 59 out of 1,100 U.S. public companies surveyed.[9][10] The ranking is based on measures of corporate service to eight groups: shareholders, community, governance, diversity, employees, environment, human rights and product.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Wild Oats Markets, Inc. Names Gregory Mays Interim Chief Executive Officer, Wild Oats Markets, Inc., October 25, 2006.
  2. ^ Wild Oats Markets Rationalizes Store Portfolio, Closing 8 Stores in Under-Performing Locations, Wild Oats Markets, Inc., November 14, 2006.
  3. ^ Pathmark Stores Introduce Hundreds of Wild Oats Brand Specialty Products, Wild Oats Markets, Inc., February 6, 2007.
  4. ^ Whole Foods to acquire Wild Oats, Austin Business Journal, February 22, 2007.
  5. ^ Whole Foods to buy Wild Oats rival, Austin American-Statesman, February 22, 2007.
  6. ^ For Whole Foods, a natural decision, Austin American-Statesman, February 23, 2007.
  7. ^ Wolff wants Sun Harvest chain back, San Antonio Express-News, February 23, 2007.
  8. ^ 2007 Top 75 North American Food Retailers, Supermarket News, Last accessed February 24, 2007.
  9. ^ 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2007 (PDF), Corporate Responsibility Officer, January/February 2007.
  10. ^ Wild Oats Named on '100 Best Corporate Citizens' List by Corporate Responsibility Officer Magazine, Wild Oats Markets, Inc., February 15, 2007.

[edit] External links

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