Groceries Are Here
Amazon rolls out another hot delivery service to Houston shoppers
Less than a week after announcing free alcohol delivery in Alamo City, Amazon is rolling out another delivery service. Beginning June 26, Amazon Prime will offer home delivery to Whole Foods Market shoppers in Houston.
“We’ve been delighted with the customer response to delivery in as little as an hour through Prime Now, and we’re excited to bring the service to our customers in Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and San Antonio,” said Christina Minardi, Whole Foods Market executive VP of operations, in a release. Grocery delivery has been available in Austin and Dallas since the service launched in February.
The service is available to Amazon Prime members and can be accessed via Amazon's www.primenow.com site, or by using the Prime Now app available on Android and iOS devices. In most but not all neighborhoods, customers can get delivery of Whole Foods' produce, meat, seafood, everyday staples, and select alcohol products.
Whole Foods joins a number of supermarkets who have formed similar delivery partnerships with Amazon, including Walmart, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Kroger. Companies such as Uber, Google Express, Instacart, Shipt, and Texas-based Favor also offer grocery delivery.
But Whole Foods is the only market that's owned by Amazon.
"We're happy to bring our customers the convenience of free two-hour delivery through Prime Now and access to thousands of natural and organic groceries and locally sourced favorites," said Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey in a release. "Together, we have already lowered prices on many items, and this offering makes Prime customers' lives even easier."
Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market in 2017, then made a splashy announcement that it would be lowering prices. Whole Foods' private-label products — including 365 Everyday Value, Whole Foods Market, Whole Paws, and Whole Catch — are already sold through Amazon.com, AmazonFresh, Prime Pantry, and Prime Now.
Prime members receive two-hour delivery for free, or ultra-fast delivery — within one hour — for $7.99 on orders of $35 or more.
Once an order is placed, personnel who are not necessarily store employees will collect the items from Whole Foods. The orders will then be given to Amazon drivers who make the delivery.
Delivery from Whole Foods Market through Prime Now is available 8 am-10 pm. Customers must enter their ZIP code to see if they are in the delivery area.
