Amazon announced a new grocery shopping experience at Whole Foods Market in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, combining the retailer’s signature organic and natural food offerings with Amazon’s wide assortment of national brands and everyday essentials—all under one roof.
The new format features a 10,000-square-foot automated micro-fulfillment center built into the store’s back-of-house area, containing more than 12,000 unique items from both Whole Foods Market and Amazon. The technology enables orders to be prepared within minutes, whether placed online or via in-store QR codes.
“Whole Foods Market has always taken pride in offering a wide selection of natural and organic products, but we understand customers appreciate the convenience of one-stop shopping,” said Jason Buechel, Vice President, Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores, and CEO, Whole Foods Market. “Now, while shopping at Whole Foods Market, customers can also shop Amazon’s additional selection of national name-brand groceries and everyday essentials online or via in-store QR codes.”
Customers scanning QR codes in-store are directed to a custom mobile storefront in the Amazon app, where they can add items such as Tide Laundry Detergent Pods, Johnson Baby Shampoo, or Swiffer Refills to their cart. Within ten minutes or less, customers receive a text notification to pick up their Amazon items at the Amazon Pickup & Returns Counter, completing their trip in one stop.
Online shoppers will also benefit from this integration. Through the Whole Foods Market online store in the Amazon app or on Amazon.com, customers can build a single cart that includes Whole Foods’ organic assortment as well as Amazon’s everyday essentials for pickup or delivery.
Grocery pickup remains free for all customers, while Prime members can access delivery with a $9.95 service fee or subscribe to Amazon’s grocery delivery plan for $9.99 per month, offering unlimited delivery on orders over $25 from Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and other local retailers.
The Plymouth Meeting fulfillment center operates using technology from Fulfil, a Silicon Valley robotics company specializing in grocery automation. The system employs autonomous ShopBots to retrieve and sort products across temperature zones, optimizing efficiency while keeping fulfillment operations behind the scenes.
Amazon noted that it is already among the largest grocers in the U.S., with over $100 billion in gross sales—excluding Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh. According to the company, this latest innovation is part of its broader effort to integrate convenience, technology, and selection across its grocery ecosystem.
“I am tremendously proud of the innovation from our team that is working to provide quality selection, competitive prices, and convenient shopping options that meet the diverse needs of customers across the country,” Buechel added. “As we gather customer feedback from this first location, we plan to refine and expand this offering to additional stores over time.”