Amazon has moved to extend the free delivery of natural and organic groceries from Whole Foods Market to Atlanta and San Francisco through its Prime Now service, with the delivery period estimated to take up to two hours for orders worth more than $35. The expansion of the Whole Foods Market delivery service in those cities will allow residents to shop for local fresh produce, meat, dairy, seafood, and flowers through the Prime Now website or mobile app.
It’s worth noting that while the delivery is free of charge for items shipped within two hours, customers might have to pay an additional fee of $7.99 on orders worth $35 or more for one-hour deliveries. Consumers who have signed up for the Amazon Prime service automatically get the free two-hour delivery. Customers in San Francisco will also be able to order select alcoholic products which are available for delivery as part of the Prime Now offering. The launch of the Whole Foods Market delivery service in Atlanta and San Francisco marks the latest expansion of the platform within the United States. Last month, Amazon introduced its Whole Foods grocery delivery in Austin, Dallas, Cincinnati, and Virginia Beach. The offering is hence presently available in six cities and Amazon plans to expand it to more areas this year, though there is no specific word on which cities are next in line. Nonetheless, it should not be too long before the Whole Foods grocery delivery becomes available in other parts of the country, including Amazon’s home city of Seattle.
The launch of the Whole Foods Market delivery service in different cities is the result of Amazon’s acquisition of the American supermarket chain last year for nearly $13.7 billion. Last June, it was reported that the online retail giant entered into a definitive merger agreement with the firm, indicating that the transaction has already been in the making for months by that point. The acquisition is part of Amazon’s larger goal of diversifying its operations and ensuring long-term sustainability.