| | CERTIFICATION OF CEO | Exhibit 31.1
| | -------------------- | ------------
| |                      |             

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:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|-- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|1. | I have reviewed
    this report for the three and nine months ended September 27, 2003 on Form 10-Q of Wild
    Oats Markets, Inc. (the "Registrant");                                                                                                                                                                    
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|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. | Based on my
    knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this
    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
    report;                   
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|4. | The
    Registrant's other certifying officer 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 officer 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 the Registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the
    equivalent functions):          
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|   | a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|   | b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

|Date: November 10, 2003                    | 
|------------------------------------------ | 
|                                           | 
|                                           | 
|/s/ Perry D. Odak                          | 
|Perry D. Odak, Chief
    Executive Officer |