Key Points:
- Amazon rolls out same-day fresh food delivery in 1,000+ U.S. cities.
- Prime: free over $25; non-Prime: $12.99 flat fee.
- Goal: 2,300 cities by 2025 to grow grocery market share.
Amazon is significantly expanding its grocery operations, rolling out same-day delivery of fresh food items to more than 1,000 cities across the United States. The move marks one of the company’s largest grocery service expansions to date, allowing customers to purchase perishable items—such as dairy, meat, and seafood—alongside other Amazon orders for delivery within the same day.
Streamlined Shopping Experience
Previously, Amazon’s grocery offerings were split across different platforms, including Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and partnerships with local stores. This often required separate checkouts and delivery fees, creating a fragmented experience for shoppers. With the new approach, customers in eligible cities can add fresh groceries and other products to the same online cart and pay a single delivery fee.
Prime members can receive Amazon same-day delivery at no extra cost for orders over $25 in most locations. Orders under that amount will incur a $2.99 fee. Non-Prime customers can also use the service for a $12.99 fee with no order minimum.
Nationwide Rollout Plans
Amazon same-day delivery plans to expand the service to 2,300 cities by the end of 2025, with additional markets set to be added in 2026. The rollout follows trials in Phoenix, Arizona; Orlando, Florida; and Kansas City, Missouri. According to the company, these pilots saw high engagement, with many first-time grocery customers returning to place repeat orders twice as often as customers who did not purchase perishable goods.
Competitive Position in the Grocery Market
Industry analysts suggest the expansion could strengthen Amazon’s position in the competitive grocery sector. Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, noted that Amazon’s existing logistics infrastructure gives it an advantage in scaling the service efficiently—an area where many other online grocers have faced challenges.
The company said the new service complements its other grocery delivery options, such as Amazon Fresh, which offers faster delivery speeds for a higher order minimum, and Whole Foods Market, which charges a standard delivery fee.
Shifting Grocery Strategy
Since acquiring Whole Foods Market in 2017, Amazon’s grocery strategy has evolved through various formats, including physical store openings, separate grocery apps, and exclusive delivery programs. While some initiatives faced operational hurdles, the integration of fresh food delivery into Amazon’s core shopping platform appears to have gained traction.
In 2024, Amazon generated $100 billion in grocery sales, excluding revenue from Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh. Company reports indicate that the fresh food pilot program contributed to growth in everyday essentials, which represented one in three units sold globally.
With this expansion, Amazon Same-Day Delivery aims to capture more frequent grocery shoppers while leveraging its established delivery network to meet the growing demand for fresh and perishable goods in the rapidly expanding e-commerce grocery market
