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Whole Foods, Amazon ready more price cuts

Latest round of reductions to offer extra savings for Prime members

Russell Redman

April 1, 2019

3 Min Read
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Whole Foods Market and parent Amazon this week plan to kick off a round of price cuts, including lower prices on fresh produce for all customers and more exclusive weekly deals across departments for Prime members.

The companies said Monday that the price reductions are slated to go into effect on April 3. Prices available to all customers go down by an average of 20% on select items throughout the store.

Starting Wednesday, customers will find lower prices on hundreds of items throughout the store — namely for produce, including greens, tomatoes, tropical fruit and other fruit and vegetables. Items with price cuts will include large yellow mangoes ($1 each), mixed-medley cherry tomatoes ($3.49 for 12 oz.) and organic bunched rainbow chard ($1.99 each).

“Whole Foods Market continues to maintain the high quality standards that we’ve championed for nearly 40 years and, with Amazon, we will lower more prices in the future, building on the positive momentum from previous price investments,” Whole Foods co-founder and CEO John Mackey said in a statement. “The standards for how our products are sourced, grown and produced are powerful and set Whole Foods Market apart from the competition. We will continue to focus on both lowering prices and bringing customers the quality they trust and the innovative assortment they expect from our brand.”

Related:Prices back on the rise at Whole Foods

Prime members shopping at Whole Foods will see twice the number of exclusive weekly deals and deeper discounts, Whole Foods and Amazon said. Over the next few months, members can expect more than 300 Prime deals on popular seasonal items.

Examples for April, to rotate on a weekly basis, include organic asparagus and strawberries at $2.99/lb., a $2 savings; sumo citrus for $2.49/lb., a $1.50 savings; air-chilled, no-antibiotic whole chicken at $1.79/lb., a 40% savings; spiral sliced ham at $3.99/lb., a 33% savings; animal welfare-rated, bone-in pork loin chops: for $4.99/lb., a $2 savings; and fresh, sustainable, wild-caught halibut fillet at $16.99/lb., a 35% savings.

Also for Prime members, there will be 35% off all Justin’s brand products, $20 off Vega One Organic Shakes (24.3 oz. to 26.9 oz. sizes), 40% off all Kite Hill plant-based products, 35% off all Epic brand products and 20% off prepared sandwiches and wraps: 20% off. Prime members, too, can get an extra 10% off hundreds of sale items across the store.

Amazon and Whole Foods noted that the latest price cuts build on hundreds of lower prices introduced since the companies’ August 2017 merger, ranging from whole trade organic bananas and Chobani yogurt to 365 Everyday Value cage-free large eggs.

Related:Whole Foods set to open 500th store

“When Whole Foods Market joined the Amazon family, we set out to make healthy and organic food more accessible. Over the last year, we’ve been working together tirelessly to pass on savings to customers,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer. “Every time a customer walks into a Whole Foods Market, they expect and trust industry-leading quality standards across aisles. And now they will experience that same Whole Foods Market quality with even more savings across departments.”

With the price reductions, the companies also will look to drive Prime memberships. Through the end of April, customers who try Prime will be able to get $10 off their $20 purchase in-store at Whole Foods when they try Prime at amazon.com/WholeFoods10. New members will be able to try Prime free for 30 days.

Amazon and Whole Foods said the latest price cuts mark the third round of reductions following their merger. Savings efforts have included an additional 10% off hundreds of sale items throughout the store and up to 20 exclusive deals available weekly for Prime members, as well as 5% back for Prime members using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card (and 3% back for cardholders without an eligible Prime membership).

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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