Amazon plans grocery store openings across the US

On March 1, 2019 The Wall Street Journal reported that unnamed sources revealed Amazon plans to expand its grocery retail footprint outside its Whole Foods Market chain. The first store of this venture is expected to open in Los Angeles as early as 2019-end. In addition to the new store openings, on March 7, 2019 The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon will close its 87 pop-up kiosks located in US malls, Kohl’s and Whole Foods stores to focus on its brick-and mortar strategy.

The e-commerce giant is reportedly in talks to open locations in shopping centers in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, The Wall Street Journal report said, adding that the company was considering purchasing regional grocery stores.

Amazon made its entry into the brick-and-mortar grocery business with the purchase of Whole Foods in 2017 and tried to lower prices at the stores. The company has also expanded its Amazon Go cashierless convenience store concept to 10 stores, of which it plans to have 3,000 stores in the coming years. The company has not commented on the report yet.