Exhibit 31.1

Certification of CEO Pursuant to

18 U.S.C. Section 1350,

As Adopted Pursuant to

Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002





|   | I, Perry D.
    Odak, Chief Executive Officer of Wild Oats Markets, Inc., certify that:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
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|  
|1. | I have reviewed
    this annual report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 27, 2003, of Wild Oats
    Markets, Inc. (the "Registrant");                                                                                                                                                                                          
|  
|2. | Based on my
    knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
    omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
    circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the
    period covered by this annual report;
|  
|3. | Based on my
    knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this
    annual report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of
    operations and cash flows of the Registrant as of, and for the periods presented in this
    annual report;                    
|  
|4. | The
    Registrants other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and
    maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e)
    and 15d-15(e)) for the Registrant and have:                                                                                                
|  
|   | a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|  
|   | b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|  
|   | c)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|  
|5. | The
    Registrants other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent
    evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Registrants auditors
    and the audit committee of Registrants board of directors (or persons performing the
    equivalent functions):                            
|  
|   | a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|  
|   | b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
|  
|   | Date: March 11,
    2004                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|   | /s/ Perry D.
    Odak                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|   | Perry D. Odak,
    Chief Executive Officer