New Seasons/Whole Foods Come to Agreement over Lawsuit

More twists in what has become a fascinating series of twists and turns in the merger between Whole Foods and Wild Oats markets.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m always so impressed by the power of a united community. Because of all of the voices that chimed in from the Portland area and from all over the country, we’ve been able to bring the issue with Whole Foods to a resolution that works for us.

As you probably know, we’ve never taken a position on the dispute that Whole Foods has with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about their takeover of Wild Oats. We tried really hard to stay out of the crossfire of this fight, because it really has nothing to do with us. Obviously, we wish we weren’t being forced to give any of our internal financial records to one of our competitors, but we’re pleased that a compromise was reached. As part of the settlement, I promised not to disclose the actual terms of the agreement, but I can tell you that there is a big difference between what the original subpoena demanded and what we’re going to actually turn over.

Thanks again for your help in protecting the future of New Seasons Market. We’re excited about getting back to minding our own (local) business.

Now, from The Oregonian, “FTC seeks halt to Whole Foods and Wild Oats combo”

The Federal Trade Commission today asked a federal judge to halt the integration of Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market as part of an ongoing legal battle over the 2007 deal that combined the two natural grocery chains.