Wild Oats Grows In Grocers

BOULDER, CO-Wild Oats executives aren’t meeting their store-growth targets for the year, but the natural-foods chain is expanding by offering its products in other supermarkets. The locally based company has inked a deal to offer 200 of its products in 115 Price Chopper units and 122 Pathmark stores in northeastern states.

Wild Oats was originally scheduled to open 10 new stores this year, but that number was trimmed to eight units after a lease for one of its Henry’s Farmers Markets units was terminated last month and a Wild Oats store to open in Naples, FL was pushed back until next year. The company currently has 21 new stores planned through the end of 2008, but Gregory Mays, chairman of the retailer, says management may accelerate store growth in the future.

During the quarter, which ended Sept. 30, Wild Oats opened two new stores, a Capers Community Market, in Vancouver, British Columbia; and a Henry’s in Oceanside, CA. Wild Oats now has 114 units across its banners, including 73 Wild Oats, 30 Henry’s, eight Sun Harvest units and four Capers.