Amazon Officially Takes Over Whole Foods: Goal To Make 'Food More Affordable'

SUDBURY, MA—The joke has long been that Whole Foods is dubbed "Whole Paycheck," as the selections at the market don't rival those of Market Basket or Price Rite stores. However, as customers will point out, the selection is different at Whole Foods.

Amazon and Whole Foods officially merged on Monday, Aug. 28, when Amazon's acquisition of the market became official, announcing that "the two companies will together pursue the vision of making Whole Foods Market’s high-quality, natural and organic food affordable for everyone. As a down payment on that vision, Whole Foods Market will offer lower prices starting Monday on a selection of best-selling grocery staples across its stores, with more to come."

There is a Whole Foods located in Sudbury at 536 Boston Post Road.

Also, technology teams are going to integrate Amazon Prime into the selling system, and when that's complete, Prime members will get additional savings and in-store benefits.

“We’re determined to make healthy and organic food affordable for everyone. Everybody should be able to eat Whole Foods Market quality – we will lower prices without compromising Whole Foods Market’s long-held commitment to the highest standards,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide consumer, in a statement. “To get started, we’re going to lower prices beginning Monday on a selection of best-selling grocery staples, including Whole Trade organic bananas, responsibly-farmed salmon, organic large brown eggs, animal-welfare-rated 85% lean ground beef, and more. And this is just the beginning – we will make Amazon Prime the customer rewards program at Whole Foods Market and continuously lower prices as we invent together. There is significant work and opportunity ahead, and we’re thrilled to get started.”

“It’s been our mission for 39 years at Whole Foods Market to bring the highest quality food to our customers,” said John Mackey, Whole Foods Market co-founder and CEO, in a statement. “By working together with Amazon and integrating in several key areas, we can lower prices and double down on that mission and reach more people with Whole Foods Market’s high-quality, natural and organic food. As part of our commitment to quality, we’ll continue to expand our efforts to support and promote local products and suppliers. We can’t wait to start showing customers what’s possible when Whole Foods Market and Amazon innovate together.”
Here’s what will be new in Whole Foods Market stores on Monday and what customers can expect over time as the two companies integrate:

Lower prices starting on Monday include bananas, organic avocados, organic large brown eggs, organic responsibly-farmed salmon and tilapia, organic baby kale and baby lettuce, animal-welfare-rated 85 percent lean ground beef, creamy and crunchy almond butter, organic Gala and Fuji apples, organic rotisserie chicken, 365 Everyday Value organic butter and much more.

The company also announced a plan to have "Amazon Lockers," where customers can have products shipped online to their locker at the store.

Photo Credit: Whole Foods Media