Amazon Fresh Opens First Grocery Store, Mixing Smart Tech with Traditional Offerings
Retail Dive | August 27, 2020
Amazon’s long-anticipated supermarket in Woodland Hills, California, opened Thursday morning, the company announced in a blog post. The store, which carries the Amazon Fresh brand, will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Amazon Fresh customers can use Amazon’s automated Dash Cart technology to avoid the checkout line. They can also employ the company’s Alexa technology to handle shopping lists and find their way around the store. The store offers same-day delivery, as well as in-store and curbside pickup, which will be free to Prime members.
Although the Amazon Fresh store is independent of Amazon’s Whole Foods Market subsidiary, the new supermarket will carry organic items sporting the 365 by Whole Foods Market brand. In addition, the store will sell products from companies like Coca-Cola and Kraft as well as items from local brands, such as Rockenwagner Bakery and Groundworks Coffee. It will also stock Amazon-exclusive brands like Fresh and Cursive. Like other traditional grocers, the Fresh store will provide prepared foods, from freshly baked bread to made-to-order pizza.