Whole Foods to set Wild Oats store plan this month

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Whole Foods Market Inc (WFMI.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) should announce plans for the Wild Oats stores it bought by the end of September, Co-President and Chief Operating Officer Walter Robb said on Thursday.

Whole Foods, the largest natural and organic grocery chain, was "absolutely" on track to meet its goal of reaching $12 billion in annual sales by 2010, even without the addition of the Wild Oats chain to its lineup, Robb said.

Robb made his comments during a presentation at a Goldman Sachs investor conference, which was also broadcast over the Internet.

Whole Foods laid out plans a week ago for Wild Oats stores in the Boulder, Colorado area, near Wild Oats' headquarters. The company has also said it is selling Wild Oats' 35 Henry's and Sun Harvest stores and a distribution center to Smart & Final Inc, a Los Angeles-based food retailer.