BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 15, 2007--Wild Oats Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: OATS), a leading national natural and organic foods retailer, is proud to announce it has been included in the esteemed Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine's (Business Ethics magazine) annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 2007. This year, Corporate Responsibility Officer(CRO) magazine ranked Wild Oats number 59, out of the 1,100 U.S. public companies surveyed by the nationally known magazine. This is the fourth year Wild Oats Markets has been recognized on the annual list, which began in 1999.

The "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list is regarded as the third most influential corporate ranking, behind Fortune magazine's "Most Admired Companies" and "100 Best Companies to Work For," according to a PRWeek/Burson-Marsteller CEO Survey. CRO bases its ranking onquantitative measures of corporate service to eight stakeholder groups: shareholders, community, governance, diversity, employees, environment, human rights and product.

"Wild Oats is extremely honored to be chosen as a top corporate citizen by CRO magazine," said Greg Mays, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wild Oats Markets. "Since our beginning in 1987, Wild Oats has been committed to products, education and practices that promote the health and well being of our customers, our employees and our communities."

Wild Oats takes an active role in protecting communities on a local and global level by supporting non-profit, local and national organizations that promote sustainable agriculture, education, environmental preservation, hunger relief and animal welfare. Through paid volunteer time, food donations and monetary gifts, Wild Oats is proud to donate more than $2 million annually to these organizations. In 2006, Wild Oats raised money for national non-profit organizations such as Farm Aid, the Organic Farming Research Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Food for All, Vitamin Angels and the Sierra Club.

To further support the communities in which the Company does business, Wild Oats is dedicated to sourcing a wide variety of local products. Wild Oats buys more than 7,200 locally produced food items from approximately 3,500 farmers, food artisans and manufacturers across the country. In addition to supporting local producers, Wild Oats has been recognized as a leader in the Fair Trade movement, which ensures farmers around the world a fair wage for their labor - meaning they can use sustainable farming practices, send their children to school, feed their families, meet production costs and invest in the quality of their products.

Wild Oats was founded on the vision of enhancing the lives of its customers and its employees with products and education that support health and well-being. The Company is dedicated to providing education that supports informed purchase decisions and healthy lifestyles. In 2005, Wild Oats was presented with the Ted Danson Ocean Hero Award for leadership in preventing mercury exposure in seafood. Wild Oats was the first national grocery chain to voluntarily post mercury warning signs for customer education in all of its stores throughout the Unites States.

While supporting the well-being of its customers and employees, Wild Oats is also committed to supporting animal welfare and is proud to be the first retailer to offer cage-free eggs that are vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free. Additionally, Wild Oats carries grass-fed and free-range meat and poultry, as well as sustainably harvested seafood.

To protect the environment for future generations, Wild Oats works to reduce its negative impact on the earth. With a dedication to organics, Wild Oats supports sustainable farming practices, which emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water instead of using pesticides and harsh chemicals that can pollute the air, the water and our bodies.

Through state-of-the-art store equipment, Wild Oats is able to preserve and conserve energy through HVAC refrigeration system cycling and redesigned lighting, as well as through 13 wind-powered stores. Wild Oats promotes reusing and recycling at its Home Office in Boulder, Colo., and in stores throughout the country. Additionally, Wild Oats is the first food retailer in the nation to pursue third-party LEED(R) certification through the LEED Retail Pilot program of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED Green Building Rating System is the national benchmark for the design, construction, and operations of high-performance green buildings and stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The new Twenty Ninth Street Wild Oats Market signature store in Boulder, opening this spring, will be an inviting showcase of high-performance, energy-efficient systems; healthy indoor air quality; natural daylighting; and non-toxic, environmentally friendly building materials.

With progressive employee benefits that include paid volunteer time, a large offering of high-quality natural and organic products, and a commitment to socially responsible business practices, Wild Oats is committed to delivering value to all its stakeholders.

About Wild Oats

Wild Oats Markets, Inc. is a nationwide chain of natural and organic foods markets in the U.S. and Canada. The Company operates 110 natural foods stores in 24 states and British Columbia, Canada. The Company's markets include: Wild Oats Marketplace, Henry's Farmers Market, Sun Harvest and Capers Community Markets. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.wildoats.com.

Copyright Business Wire 2007

Wild Oats Markets, Inc.

Wild Oats Markets, Inc.

History: Wild Oats Markets, Inc. started in Boulder, Colorado in 1987 with the purchase of a single natural foods store. The concept grew store by store into the nation's second largest natural and organic foods supermarket chain, with a family of 109 stores in 24 states and British Columbia, and annual sales of more than $1.1 billion. Philosophy: Wild Oats stands on a commitment to provide customers with the best selection of natural foods and health care products in a friendly, informative setting. Wild Oats strives to be a proactive member of its community, contributing to the lives of our customers, the communities we do business in and our staff. Wild Oats supports the local economy as much as possible by offering locally produced and manufactured products, including organic and locally grown produce. Wild Oats also supports the community by actively giving back through organized events and philanthropic giving. The company founded 5% Days, a program that earmarks 5% of the day's pretax sales to a selected non-profit organization.

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