FloridaFuture
October 4th, 2007, 10:13 PM
Whole Foods Coming To Tampa
By MARY SHEDDEN, The Tampa Tribune
Published: October 4, 2007
TAMPA - The popular Whole Foods Market natural and organic grocery will come to Tampa by replacing its one-time rival: Wild Oats Marketplace.
Texas-based Whole Foods confirmed Wednesday it will transform the Walters Crossing Wild Oats into one of its own as part of a planned merger of the two retail brands. No timeline for the transition has been announced for the store located at Interstate 275 and North Dale Mabry Highway.
Whole Foods acquired the 74 Wild Oats locations in August for $565 million. This week, the company announced plans to close nine of those stores and relocate operations of eight others to Whole Foods stores under development.
Right now, the only Whole Foods near the Tampa Bay area is in Sarasota.
'The Tampa Wild Oats will be transitioned to a Whole Foods Market once we find the right product mix and the store meets the Whole Foods Market quality standards,' company spokeswoman Meredith Spurgeon said.
Wild Oats' grand opening in April 2006 was the first major natural food retailer to enter Tampa and seize on the increasing popularity of natural and organic products. Previously, shoppers found products at local mainstays, such as Nature's Harvest Market.
In addition to natural products, Wild Oats and Whole Foods also carry upscale products such as wine and cheese, as well as prepared hot and cold gourmet foods, much like retailer Fresh Market. That chain operates three Tampa Bay area locations.
Publix Super Markets expects to break ground soon on a natural, organic and prepared foods store in Tampa called GreenWise that will open in late 2008. Company officials say they're ready to battle other grocers.
'We want to stay competitive, and if that means being close to a Whole Foods or Wild Oats, so be it,' Publix spokeswoman Shannon Patten said of GreenWise, which opened its first store last week in Palm Beach Gardens.
Whole Foods, with more than 300 stores in North America and the United Kingdom, reported $5.6 billion in sales in fiscal 2006. Wild Oats reported annual sales of approximately $1.2 billion and has 109 stores operating under three brand names in North America.
Reporter Mary Shedden can be reached at (813)259-7365 or mshedden@tampatrib.com.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct/04/bz-whole-foods-coming-to-tampa/?news-money
By MARY SHEDDEN, The Tampa Tribune
Published: October 4, 2007
TAMPA - The popular Whole Foods Market natural and organic grocery will come to Tampa by replacing its one-time rival: Wild Oats Marketplace.
Texas-based Whole Foods confirmed Wednesday it will transform the Walters Crossing Wild Oats into one of its own as part of a planned merger of the two retail brands. No timeline for the transition has been announced for the store located at Interstate 275 and North Dale Mabry Highway.
Whole Foods acquired the 74 Wild Oats locations in August for $565 million. This week, the company announced plans to close nine of those stores and relocate operations of eight others to Whole Foods stores under development.
Right now, the only Whole Foods near the Tampa Bay area is in Sarasota.
'The Tampa Wild Oats will be transitioned to a Whole Foods Market once we find the right product mix and the store meets the Whole Foods Market quality standards,' company spokeswoman Meredith Spurgeon said.
Wild Oats' grand opening in April 2006 was the first major natural food retailer to enter Tampa and seize on the increasing popularity of natural and organic products. Previously, shoppers found products at local mainstays, such as Nature's Harvest Market.
In addition to natural products, Wild Oats and Whole Foods also carry upscale products such as wine and cheese, as well as prepared hot and cold gourmet foods, much like retailer Fresh Market. That chain operates three Tampa Bay area locations.
Publix Super Markets expects to break ground soon on a natural, organic and prepared foods store in Tampa called GreenWise that will open in late 2008. Company officials say they're ready to battle other grocers.
'We want to stay competitive, and if that means being close to a Whole Foods or Wild Oats, so be it,' Publix spokeswoman Shannon Patten said of GreenWise, which opened its first store last week in Palm Beach Gardens.
Whole Foods, with more than 300 stores in North America and the United Kingdom, reported $5.6 billion in sales in fiscal 2006. Wild Oats reported annual sales of approximately $1.2 billion and has 109 stores operating under three brand names in North America.
Reporter Mary Shedden can be reached at (813)259-7365 or mshedden@tampatrib.com.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/oct/04/bz-whole-foods-coming-to-tampa/?news-money