Wild Oats Founder Sowing Next Natural Foods Chain

BOULDER, CO-Sunflower Farmers Markets recently raised $35 million for its continued expansion. Founded in 2002 by Wild Oats markets founder Mike Gilliand, The locally-based, full-service natural foods chain opened seven new stores in four states in 2009, taking its overall store count to 27, with more stores coming early next year. It wants 50 stores up and running by the end of 2013.

The new funding–a $30-million five-year loan with Fifth Third Bank and a $5 million equity investment from its existing financial partner, Pacific Corporate Group–will be used to add new stores within its existing markets of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, where it operates under its corporate name, and in Texas, where it operates as Newflower Farmers Market.

Planned 2010 store openings listed on the company’s web site include San Ysidro Plaza in Santa Fe, NM, on January 13 and the Shops at Galleria in Bee Cave, TX. The site also lists Heights Village in Albuquerque, NM as the location of a new store sometime in 2010, as well as an undisclosed location in Longmont, CO.