Wild Oats Markets
Encyclopedia
Wild Oats Markets was an operator of natural foods stores
and farmers markets in North America. The stores offered 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 was the nation's second largest natural and organic foods chain. Wild Oats Markets was founded in 1987 and was headquartered in Boulder, Colorado
.
On February 21, 2007, Wild Oats' rival Whole Foods Market, Inc
announced that it had agreed to acquire Wild Oats for an estimated $565 million. After an extensive regulatory battle with the FTC
, a federal district court consented to the deal. Whole Foods officially completed their buyout of Wild Oats on August 27, 2007. But on July 29, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
reversed the district court decision that allowed the merger. In 2009 Whole Foods agreed to sell the Wild Oats chain. In 2010 the Wild Oats Intellectual property was purchased by Luberski Inc, a West Coast based food distributor.
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), the Nature's Northwest chain of stores in Portland, OR, 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.
Wild Oats announced that it would close all five of its Henry's Farmers Market stores in Arizona on 16 December 2006, and would instead focus on the Wild Oats banner in that market.
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.
announced that it had agreed to acquire Wild Oats for an estimated $565 million.
On 27 June 2007, the Federal Trade Commission
issued an administrative complaint challenging the acquisition. According to the complaint, the FTC believed that the proposed transaction "would violate federal antitrust
laws by eliminating the substantial competition between these two uniquely close competitors in the operation of premium natural and organic supermarkets nationwide" and contended that "if the transaction goes forward Whole Foods would have the ability to raise prices and reduce quality and services." On July 29, 2008, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned the district court's decision allowing the merger. The Court of Appeals ruled that "premium natural, and organic supermarkets" ("PNOS"), such as Whole Foods and Wild Oats, constitute a distinct submarket of all grocers. The court ruled that "mission driven" consumers (those with an emphasis on social and environmental responsibility) would be adversely affected by the merger because substantial evidence by the FTC showed that Whole Foods intended to raise prices after consummation of the merger. In 2009 Whole Foods agreed to sell the Wild Oats chain.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071003/news_1b3henrys.html
Health food store
A health food store is a type of grocery store that primarily sells health food, organic foods, local produce, and often nutritional supplements...
and farmers markets in North America. The stores offered 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 was the nation's second largest natural and organic foods chain. Wild Oats Markets was founded in 1987 and was headquartered in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
.
On February 21, 2007, Wild Oats' rival Whole Foods Market, Inc
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
announced that it had agreed to acquire Wild Oats for an estimated $565 million. After an extensive regulatory battle with the FTC
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
, a federal district court consented to the deal. Whole Foods officially completed their buyout of Wild Oats on August 27, 2007. But on July 29, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
reversed the district court decision that allowed the merger. In 2009 Whole Foods agreed to sell the Wild Oats chain. In 2010 the Wild Oats Intellectual property was purchased by Luberski Inc, a West Coast based food distributor.
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), the Nature's Northwest chain of stores in Portland, OR, 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
Ralphs
Ralphs is a major supermarket chain in the Southern California area and the largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger. It is the oldest such chain west of the Mississippi River. Ralphs also operates stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. names in California.-History:Ralphs Grocery Company...
Grocery Co.
Wild Oats announced that it would close all five of its Henry's Farmers Market stores in Arizona on 16 December 2006, and would instead focus on the Wild Oats banner in that market.
Partnership with Pathmark
Wild Oats Markets partnered with Pathmark StoresPathmark
Pathmark is a supermarket chain headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey. It was founded in 1968 when its then parent, Supermarkets General Corporation, pulled out of the ShopRite retailers' cooperative...
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
Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is a condiment originating from Italy.The original traditional product , made from a reduction of cooked white Trebbiano grape juice and not a vinegar in the usual sense, has been made in Modena and Reggio Emilia since the Middle Ages: the production of the balsamic vinegar is...
, organic
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
fruit spreads and flatbread
Flatbread
A flatbread is a simple bread made with flour, water, and salt and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Many flatbreads are unleavened: made without yeast or sourdough culture: although some flatbread is made with yeast, such as pita bread....
crackers.
Proposed Sale to Whole Foods Market
On 21 February 2007, Whole Foods MarketWhole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
announced that it had agreed to acquire Wild Oats for an estimated $565 million.
On 27 June 2007, the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
issued an administrative complaint challenging the acquisition. According to the complaint, the FTC believed that the proposed transaction "would violate federal antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
laws by eliminating the substantial competition between these two uniquely close competitors in the operation of premium natural and organic supermarkets nationwide" and contended that "if the transaction goes forward Whole Foods would have the ability to raise prices and reduce quality and services." On July 29, 2008, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned the district court's decision allowing the merger. The Court of Appeals ruled that "premium natural, and organic supermarkets" ("PNOS"), such as Whole Foods and Wild Oats, constitute a distinct submarket of all grocers. The court ruled that "mission driven" consumers (those with an emphasis on social and environmental responsibility) would be adversely affected by the merger because substantial evidence by the FTC showed that Whole Foods intended to raise prices after consummation of the merger. In 2009 Whole Foods agreed to sell the Wild Oats chain.
Natural foods stores
The natural foods stores had an emphasis on natural and organic foods in an educational and vibrant setting. These stores generally ranged 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
Farmers' market stores
The farmers' market stores had an emphasis on farm-fresh produce, natural foods, vitamins and supplements in an authentic farmers' market setting. These stores generally ranged from 15,000 to 25,000 gross square feet.- Henry's Farmers Market: California - Purchased by Smart & Final in 2007
- Sun Harvest: Texas - Purchased by Smart & Final in 2007
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071003/news_1b3henrys.html
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.
- 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. The ranking is based on measures of corporate service to eight groups: shareholders, community, governance, diversity, employees, environment, human rights and product.
- Wild Oats made a big contribution in the start of Fair TradeFair tradeFair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
bananas by making a commitment to TransFair USA to replace their organic bananas by Fair Trade organic bananas. TransFair needed this back-up of a big retail-chain to be able to start this business, because of needed economies of scale and turnover speed.
External links
- Wild Oats Markets Official website (archived from 2006)