New and larger Whole Foods locations seem to be on the horizon in the USA. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, representatives visited Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming – all of which currently lack a retailer’s location – as potential markets for new stores. These 45,000-square-foot stores would integrate Amazon online orders, delivery, and pickup, offering more consumers the chance to tap into Amazon’s two-hour delivery service.
WHOLE FOODS AND AMAZON: THE PATH TO EXPANSION
With 479 stores at its back, the retailer’s possible new stores would help position it against Amazon’s competitors on the brick-and-mortar front. As Whole Foods and Amazon expand, a report from Forbes considered whether the two could be eyeing an acquisition of a major grocery distributor, such as UNFI or SpartanNash. While Amazon has a good relationship with both distributors, a merger or two could occur in 2019 to streamline the grocery supply chain. However, if Amazon does not add a grocery distributor to its portfolio, the e-tail giant could be building its own supply chain and logistics network.
