Noodles & Company announced in June 2006 it is moving its headquarters from Boulder to Broomfield in November of this year. The company operates 118 healthy fast casual restaurants throughout the United States and plans to expand its headquarters employee base from 75 to 100.

Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill, with 500 restaurants nation-wide, is the largest restaurant seller of naturally raised meats in the USA. The restaurant is increasing the use of organic black and pinto beans, and the company plans to add more organic beans as supply allows. In June 2006, Chipotle placed ads on the side of Denver buses combining humor with their commitment to serve natural meats. Chipotle announced it would donate up to $50,000 from their guacamole sales to The Land Institute, an organization that researches environment-friendly farming techniques.

Arkansas-based Wal-Mart has an eco-store in the suburbs of Denver that is powered by wind turbines and solar power, has sidewalks made of recycled airport runways; dirty cooking oil from the deli and used motor oil from the lube department are recycled to heat the store; spoiled food is turned into fertilizer and resold; its jewelry cases are made of renewable bamboo; it stocks tuna certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and coffee endorsed by the Rainforest Alliance. It is one of two experimental stores built by Wal-Mart to test ways to cut energy and reduce waste, according to the July

Rancho Liborio, calling itself an organic full-service Latino grocery, opened in August 2006 in Commerce City, CO. The grocery hopes to have the freshest poultry for consumers in the state, offering live chickens killed on the premises. USDA and Tri-County Health Department approved the poultry department.

After two years in business, Only Natural Pet Store in Boulder reported increased sales of 132% in the first six months of 2006 over the first six months of 2005. The company's growth reflects a developing trend of interest in natural and organic pet products, says owner Martin Grosjean.

Boulder Co-operative Market’s Chief Financial Officer, Tom Morris, says the business is financially challenged. While the Co-operative generates $3 million in revenues annually, it unlike most Co-ops doesn’t charge non-members a fee. In August 2006 it restructured its management, and is looking to add up to five business and finance-savvy members to its board of directors, according to the Boulder County Business Report Sept. 1, 2006, edition.

Folsom St. Coffee Co. in Boulder received the business award in Eco-Cycle’s 2nd Annual Zero Waste Awards, “Going for Zero Waste… or Darn Near!” category, having committed to Zero Waste practices since the business opened in August 2005. Café owners Chris and Rick Warner set up multiple stations for composting and recycling for customers and employees, and use cornstarch and other biodegradable service ware for the café rather than disposable plastic products. The coffee shop also is certified through Boulder’s Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) pollution prevention program by

Boulder-based Sunflower Farmers Market, a 12-store discount natural food retailer co-founded by Wild Oats Markets co-founder Mike Gilliland, announced in July 2006 it plans to open three new stores in 2007. In Boulder, it plans to open a 25,000 square-foot store in the space now occupied by the United Artists Theater near McGuckin Hardware, a 26,000 square-foot store in Highlands Ranch, CO, and a 28,000 square-foot store in Albuquerque, NM.

Boulder-based Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy announced in August 2006 it is opening a third Boulder store, its 12th nationwide, in a 4,431 square-foot space at the Table Mesa Shopping Center. In Novato, CA, Pharmaca opened its fifth store in the Bay area.

Austin-based Whole Foods Market Inc. announced in August 2006 that it signed a lease to expand its Boulder store in 2007 from 39,000 to 74,000 square-feet, making it among the biggest of the company’s 183 stores, according to the Austin Business Journal. The company’s third-quarter revenues totaled $1.3 billion compared to $1.1 billion in same period of 2005. Whole Foods Market, Boulder hosted a zero waste breakfast for Bike and Walk to Work Day in July 2006. The company offset 100 percent of its estimated 400 employee’s commute carbon emission for the week and committed through Sustainable Travel International and MyClimate to purchase carbon emission for the store for the year.