Food Retailing / Supermarkets

Whole Foods and FTC Agree on Wild Oats Settlement

Specialty grocer will sell 32 supermarkets to resolve antitrust charges

Published

15 years ago

March 6, 2009

VMSD Staff

Whole Foods Market Inc. (Austin, Texas) and the Federal Trade Commission have reached a settlement regarding the company’s 2007 acquisition of Wild Oats Markets. The ongoing suit had charged that Whole Foods’ purchase of rival chain violated antitrust law.

The FTC says under the settlement, Whole Foods will sell 32 premium natural and organic supermarkets and related assets. The company will also divest related Wild Oats intellectual property, including unrestricted rights to the Wild Oats brand.

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