WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. (NewsNation) — Amazon opened its first Amazon Fresh grocery store in Woodland Hills, California.
With the help of Alexa, shoppers can find food, scan and check out groceries using the shopping cart feature, and pick up items ordered on Amazon.com. The store sells national brands, meat, produce, and seafood, as well as made-to-order hot foods like pizza and bread.
The goal of the grocer is to provide new ways to make grocery shopping more convenient, the company wrote in a statement.
The world’s largest online retailer has experimented with physical stores in recent years to capture more consumer spending, particularly in groceries. It has more than 20 cashier-less shops with grab-and-go food for office workers and over 500 stores in the Whole Foods Market chain it acquired in 2017.
Amazon’s latest concept faces stiff competition from far larger incumbents Kroger Co and Albertsons Companies Inc.
It is roughly the size of a Whole Foods store at 35,000 square feet, but serves a different need, not focused on natural and organic items, said Amazon Vice President Jeff Helbling.
At this time, only selected customers with invitations can shop at the store. However, it is opening to the public in a few weeks.
The Woodland Hills location is one of seven that Amazon has confirmed for Southern California and greater Chicago.