Walmart
this month will begin selling discounted organic food from Wild Oats,
the natural foods company that has been struggling to make a comeback
since 2007, the retailers announced Wednesday.
The new partnership will add potentially hundreds of organic food items to Walmart stores as the world's largest retailer works to compete with traditional grocers by catering to customers' growing appetite for organics. In an exclusive deal, Walmart will sell Wild Oats brand organic products -- canned vegetables, spices, pantry items and ready-to-eat meals -- at prices that are at least 25 percent cheaper than competing national organic brands.
"We are removing the premium associated with organic groceries," Jack Sinclair, executive vice president of grocery for Walmart, said on a call with reporters Wednesday morning. "They will be able to buy organic products at nonorganic prices."
Customers can still find some Wild Oats products in other, smaller retailers, but at higher prices. The discounts are exclusive to Walmart; for example, a 6-ounce can of Wild Oats organic tomato paste will sell at Walmart for 58 cents, while the competing organic brand sells for 98 cents. Some Wild Oats products will be half the cost of other leading organic brands.
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