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, certify that:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|-- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|  
|1. | I have reviewed
    this report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 1, 2005, of Wild Oats Markets, Inc.;                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|  
|2. | Based on my
    knowledge, this 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 report;
|  
|3. | Omitted;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|  
|4. | Omitted; and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|  
|5. | Omitted.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|  
|  
|  
|   | Date: March 17,
    2005                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|   | /s/ Perry D. Odak                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|   | Perry D. Odak