Business Operations
Whole Foods to Offer Grocery Pickup Option
The grocer has tripled its pickup availability since the start of of the coronavirus pandemic
By Nat Rubio-Licht September 9, 2020
Like its competitors, Whole Foods is ramping up grocery pickup.
Whole Foods, owned by Seattle-based Amazon, will offer pickup from 480 of its 487 United States locations beginning at the end of the month. The grocer has tripled its pickup availability due to the demand for e-commerce since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and currently offers grocery delivery to more than 2,000 cities and towns.
In June, 54% of online grocery sales were ordered for pickup, according to Digital consulting firm Brick Meets Click.
Orders made through the pickup service can be ready within an hour. For Amazon Prime members, grocery orders over $35 do not come with a fee.
To make room for the grocery pickup operation, some Whole Foods stores will get rid of their in store dining and seating.
The Austin, Texas-based grocer, which was purchased by Amazon two years ago for $13.7 billion, is following in the footsteps of other grocers such as Albertson’s and Kroger, which owns Fred Meyer and QFC, in ramping up grocery pickup. Albertson’s and Kroger have both waived fees for the service.
Whole Foods also recently ranked No. 1 of 33 brands across several industries for its coronavirus health and safety practices, a survey from research firm Ipsos found.