SEATTLE — Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has unveiled plans to close its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores, converting various locations into Whole Foods Market stores. The Seattle-based e-commerce giant states that it hasn’t “yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion.” Customers can continue to shop Amazon Fresh online in available areas for delivery.
At the same time, Amazon plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years, citing increased investment in “physical stores that are resonating with customers.” Amazon acquired the Austin-based natural and organic foods grocer in 2017 in a $13.7 billion deal. Since then, the brand has experienced over 40 percent sales growth and expansion to more than 550 locations.
There are 14 Amazon Go convenience stores located in Washington, California, Illinois and New York. According to the company, Amazon Go locations served as innovation hubs where Amazon developed Just Walk Out technology — now a scalable checkout-free solution operating in over 360 third-party locations across five countries.
There are 58 Amazon Fresh grocery stores located in California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, Viriginia and Tennessee.
Amazon says it will continue inventing and testing new physical store formats for customers. Last week, the company received approval to open a first-of-its-kind retail store in Orland Park, Ill. Functioning like a supercenter, the store will offer groceries, household essentials and general merchandise.
Additionally, Amazon is rolling out a new format called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop. This smaller-format store offers a curated selection of grab-and-go meals, coffee and everyday essentials. There are currently five Whole Foods Market Daily Shop locations, and Amazon plans to open five more by the end of 2026.
Whole Foods previously operated a chain of smaller stores called 365 by Whole Foods Market that Amazon scrapped in early 2019.
Over two decades ago, Amazon started adding groceries and everyday household essentials to its website. According to a release, Amazon is now one of the top three grocers in the United States, with over $150 billion in gross sales and more than 150 million customers shopping groceries each year.
In 2025, Amazon introduced perishables into its same-day delivery service, with the launch of more cities planned in 2026. Perishable grocery sales through the same-day service have grown 40 times since January 2025.
Amazon’s stock price opened at $246.41 per share Wednesday, Jan. 28, up slightly from $238.15 one year ago.
— Kristin Harlow