Ever since Amazon announced it would scoop up Whole Foods Market, we’ve been curious how that would change the upscale grocery chain.
The Whole Foods in Towne Center is a five-minute drive from the 225 office, so the store is an easy stop for a fresh lunch or an after-work grocery run.
Amazon absorbed Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, and on Monday—its first official day as the grocery chain’s new owner—it slashed prices by as much as 43% on key grocery items like produce, eggs and milk. Wanting to see for ourselves how our Baton Rouge store has changed, we took a shopping trip.
|
|
|
At the Towne Center Whole Foods, a banner hangs outside the store entrance depicting the Whole Foods and Amazon logos and the words “We’re Growing Something Good” above. Around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, the store was bustling. For me, perusing Whole Foods has always been a de-stressor, with its colorful, fresh produce section and that to-die-for cheese selection. Don’t get me started on the bakery, y’all.
But post-Amazon, I had a new mission walking through the aisles: finding those products marked with orange labels indicating price reductions. Everything from simple, fresh fruits and veggies to meat, dairy and eggs have been marked down. After purchasing grocery essentials like avocados and eggs, my total came to just $16—a steal at a store once named “Whole Paycheck.” Those orange price labels also include the phrase “more to come,” because Amazon has only just begun its mega price-restructuring campaign.
Amazon Prime will also become Whole Foods’ customer rewards program, and Baton Rouge’s Whole Foods will receive the anticipated Amazon lockers in the near future. I asked a passing store employee about the lockers, and he said measurements for them had already been taken—so it looks like Prime members will be able to pick up online orders from the grocery store soon.
What we put in our cart:
Hass avocados
Formerly: $1.67
Now: $1.49
Tomatoes
Formerly: $2.49
Now: $1.99
Kale
(Spinach, arugula and blends are also available on sale)
Formerly: $3.99
Now: $3.49
Almond milk (365 Everyday Value)
Formerly: $2.29
Now: $1.99
Eggs
Formerly: $3.69
Now: $3.19
Pasta sauce
Formerly: $2.99
Now: $2.79
Organic bananas
Formerly: 79-89 cents per pound
Now: 69 cents per pound
|
|
|
TOTALS:
Prices listed before taxes
Old total: $18.01
New total: $15.63
Now, let’s get cooking. We’re digging this Bon Appetit guide with tips on what you should make with your discounted groceries.