The largest American online retailer Amazon is preparing to launch a new network of grocery supermarkets in major US cities. The first store of the new chain is scheduled to open in Los Angeles in the second half of 2019, according to The Wall Street Journal. To date, it is known that the company has signed a lease agreement for at least two more of its stores, which are scheduled to open in 2020.
Stores of the new network may appear in shopping centers in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Philadelphia. It is reported that retail facilities of the new format from Amazon will not compete with the Whole Foods Market supermarket chain. At the same time, prices in new stores, according to market participants, will be significantly lower.
The acquisition of Whole Foods, a health food supermarket chain, closed in 2018. For approximately 500 stores Amazon shopping network paid $13.7 billion. In 2018, Amazon launched its own courier delivery from Whole Foods stores.
The name under which the stores of the new Amazon retail project will open has not yet been disclosed. According to market sources, Amazon's plans include the possible purchase of regional retail chains with at least ten supermarkets.
