Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Federal Trade Commission is asking a federal judge to halt the integration of Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market as part of an ongoing legal battle over the 2007 deal that combined the two natural grocery chains.
The FTC want a U.S. District Court judge to force Whole Foods to stop integration activities while one of several disputes over its acquisition of Wild Oats is handled in court. If the judge finds the FTC has a strong enough case, the regulators say they would completely unwind the companies.
Whole Foods officials vehemently opposed the FTC's request and say the process of integrating Wild Oats is done.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
