After nearly two decades, the Wild Oats brand is making a comeback, this time as an organic food and beverage line by distributor KeHE. The brand will be launching Regenerative Organic Certified cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and eggs, debuting at KeHE’s annual show next month and then rolling out to natural and organic retailers this summer.
Wild Oats, originally founded in Boulder, Colorado in the late 1980s, grew to over 100 stores across 23 states and was a key player in the natural and organic movement. After being acquired by Whole Foods in 2007, the brand went through various ownership changes before landing with KeHE last year.
With a focus on honoring the brand’s pioneering legacy and values, KeHE is relaunching Wild Oats to appeal to core organic consumers. The brand is the first to offer products under the Regenerative Organic Certified label, emphasizing soil and animal health along with social welfare.
KeHE sees Wild Oats as a valuable addition to its private label lines, alongside Cadia and Made With. The distributor aims to capitalize on the growing trend of regenerative agriculture and appeal to specialty shoppers with high ingredient standards.
While initially targeting specialty retailers, KeHE has plans for future expansion into conventional grocers, showcasing the potential for growth and wider availability of Wild Oats products in the coming years.