Whole Foods 2007 Annual Report Download - page 71

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Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Company's management, with the participation of the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer,
has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-
15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) as of the end of the period covered by
this report. Based on such evaluation, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded
that, as of the end of such period, the Company's disclosure controls and procedures are effective in recording, processing,
summarizing and reporting, on a timely basis, information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files
or submits under the Exchange Act.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and
15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably
likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.
Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
The Company's management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial
reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also,
projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Management’s assessment of and conclusion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting did not include
the internal controls of Wild Oats Markets, Inc. (“Wild Oats”), which is included in our 2007 consolidated financial
statements. The Company completed the acquisition of Wild Oats on August 28, 2007. Wild Oats constituted 9% of
Company total assets and 2% of Company net assets as of September 30, 2007. Wild Oats also constituted 2% of Company
revenues and 2% of Company net income for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007.
Under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's management, including our principal executive officer
and principal financial officer, the Company conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial
reporting based on criteria established in the framework in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, the Company's
management concluded that its internal control over financial reporting was effective as of September 30, 2007.
The Company's independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, audited management’s assessment of
internal control over financial reporting and also independently assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting. Ernst & Young LLP has issued their attestation report which is included in Part II, Item 8 of this Report
on Form 10-K.
Item 9B. Other Information.
Not applicable.