One of the big questions surrounding Amazon’s surprise blockbuster of a Whole Foods buyout was how Amazon would approach the grocery game. The answers have only gradually rolled out, but a big piece of the puzzle just locked into place today: Amazon has added a bunch of foods to Prime Now.
Granted, it’s not everything on the shelves, but Amazon has added meats, alcohol (where it’s allowed by state law), and a large set of Whole Foods’ store-brand 365 products to Prime Now — their same day delivery service that’s free if you buy more than $35 of groceries, something you can easily pull off with their $20 skirt steak. Hey, they may have cut the prices, but grass-fed beef still isn’t cheap. And with Whole Foods having a presence in Prime Pantry, as well, so stocking up on organic ramen and roasted peanuts has never been easier.
This likely has grocery delivery services like Instacart and Peapod thinking hard about their business model, although it’s worth noting that for the full grocery delivery experience, you’ll still need to sign up for Amazon Fresh, which is more expensive at the moment than either at $15 a month. And it seems unlikely Amazon is just going to throw the entire store on Prime Now and have done with it. That said, Amazon is moving quickly, and at the rate it’s going, it may be tough for its competitors to catch up.
(via Food & Wine)
