Amazon Opens 100+ Whole Foods Stores in Grocery Pivot

Amazon just made a bold bet that organic kale matters more than checkout cameras.

The online retail giant announced Tuesday it's closing all 70 of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores to focus entirely on expanding Whole Foods. More than 100 new Whole Foods locations will open over the next few years, marking Amazon's biggest commitment yet to brick-and-mortar grocery shopping.

Amazon Go stores were known for their futuristic "Just Walk Out" technology. Shoppers could grab items and leave without scanning anything at checkout, thanks to overhead cameras and sensors tracking purchases. Amazon Fresh stores offered a physical counterpart to the company's online grocery delivery service.

Both concepts tested cutting-edge retail technology and pushed Amazon's brand into new shopping categories. But after years of experimentation, the company decided to pivot toward what customers already love.

Some of the closing locations will reopen as Whole Foods stores. Amazon acquired the organic grocery chain in 2017, and it will now serve as the company's only physical retail presence.

The Bright Side

This story showcases smart business evolution in action. Amazon isn't abandoning physical retail or admitting defeat. Instead, they're listening to what customers want and investing heavily in proven success.

The Whole Foods brand brings something Amazon's experimental stores couldn't replicate: an established community presence and customer loyalty built over decades. By expanding Whole Foods rather than forcing its own brand, Amazon shows willingness to let quality win over ego.

The company says it gathered valuable insights during the Go and Fresh experiments. Those learnings won't disappear. The technology and strategies tested in those stores will likely enhance the Whole Foods experience, combining innovation with the comfort of a trusted brand.

For shoppers, this means more access to quality groceries in their neighborhoods. Whole Foods locations typically anchor communities, creating jobs and providing organic and specialty food options that might otherwise be unavailable in certain areas.

Amazon's decision proves that even tech giants benefit from focusing their energy on what works best for customers.