This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Sprouts Farmers Market announced on Thursday two key C-suite executive changes, naming Amanda Rassi as its first chief customer officer and Don Clark as chief merchandising officer.  Rassi is stepping into the newly created role at the company, while Clark’s appointment follows the retirement of Scott Neal, the specialty grocer’s current chief merchand ...

CASTLE ROCK, Colo., Feb. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Where Food Comes From, Inc. (WFCF) (Nasdaq: WFCF), a trusted resource for independent, third-party verification of food production practices in North America, today announced the adoption of RaiseWell® Certified for Beef by Whole Foods Market to support its commitment to farm animal welfare. The adoption marks a major milestone for the recently launched RaiseWell standard, positioning it as a market-ready, retailer-backed certification designed to meet t ...

Amazon is closing its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores while adding more same-day grocery delivery services.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.“While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-brand ...

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said this week that it was closing almost all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations within days as it narrows its focus on food delivery and its grocery chain, Whole Foods Market. Some of the shuttered stores will be converted into Whole Foods locations, the Seattle company said in a blog post. The announcement arrived shortly before Amazon said Wednesday that it was cutting about 16,000 corporate jobs, its second round of mass layoffs in three months. Late last year, CEO A ...

RIP, Amazon convenience stores: gone and probably soon forgotten.Amazon announced on Tuesday that it will close its brick-and-mortar Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores and will instead expand its capacity for same-day grocery delivery, as well as its Whole Foods Market footprint. These stores were used to grow Amazon’s cashierless Just Walk Out technology, which tracks what items customers grab, allowing them to pay for their groceries without a more formal checkout process. The company is instead focusing ...

Group 1 - The e-commerce giant announced plans to convert some of its locations into Whole Foods Market stores [1]

Core Insights - The grocery industry is experiencing structural shifts that could redefine its future, with trends that may seem weak now but are expected to gain prominence in the next three to five years [1][2] Group 1: Structural Shifts - Major retailers are transitioning from traditional loyalty programs to closed ecosystems, enhancing customer retention [2][4] - Transparency is becoming essential in a low-trust environment, serving as a defensive measure against consumer skepticism [2][6] - AI agents are emerging as decision-makers, influencing purchasing decisions for both consumers and retailers [2][8] Group 2: Metabolic Health and Nutrition - Metabolic health, including the GLP-1 movement, is influencing consumer choices and could develop into a distinct grocery category [3][5] - Future nutrition labels may shift from traditional facts to supplemented metabolic data, reflecting a growing focus on health [3] Group 3: Retail Strategies - Retailers are increasingly creating "walled-in gardens" to keep customers within their ecosystems, as seen with Costco and Amazon [3][4] - Last-mile delivery is evolving through "dark store networks," which enhance pickup and delivery options for consumers [5] Group 4: Technology and Consumer Interaction - Third-party apps are enabling consumers to assess brand trustworthiness and product risks, exemplified by the Yuka app in Europe [7] - QR codes on product labels are providing transparency regarding product origins and recall alerts [7] Group 5: AI's Role in Decision-Making - AI is becoming a pivotal decision-maker in the grocery sector, with agents potentially making purchasing decisions on behalf of consumers [8][9] - Retailers may shift from direct sales to selling through consumers' AI gatekeepers, changing the dynamics of retail interactions [9]

Core Insights - Amazon is planning to build a large-format store in Orland Park, Illinois, which will exceed the size of a Walmart Supercenter, indicating its ongoing experimentation with physical retail [1][2] Group 1: Store Details - The proposed store will be a one-story building with a total area of 229,000 square feet, offering a variety of products including groceries, household essentials, and general merchandise [2] - In comparison, Walmart's U.S. Supercenters typically average around 179,000 square feet, highlighting the scale of Amazon's new store [2] Group 2: Operational Features - The facility will include a limited warehouse component to support on-site operations and provide space for delivery drivers to pick up orders, enhancing operational efficiency [3] - An Amazon spokesperson emphasized the company's commitment to testing new retail experiences aimed at improving customer convenience [3] Group 3: Strategic Moves - Amazon's push into physical retail follows its acquisition of Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion in 2017, marking a significant investment in expanding its brick-and-mortar presence [3] - The company has previously launched various retail formats, including bookstores and convenience marts, but has since scaled back or discontinued many of these initiatives [4] Group 4: Community Impact - The proposed store will replace a local restaurant, Petey's II, which closed in January 2024, and is strategically located near major highways and other national retail chains [5] - Some local residents have expressed concerns regarding potential traffic impacts resulting from the new development [5]

Group 1 - Amazon.com Inc. is planning to open a 229,000-square-foot store in the Chicago area, focusing on groceries and general merchandise, aiming to compete with big-box retailers like Walmart and Target [1] - The proposed store will include a limited warehouse component to support the store's operations, but it will not function as a distribution center [2] - The site for the new store is currently a vacant restaurant located on 35 acres [2] Group 2 - Amazon has previously experimented with various physical store formats from 2015 to 2020, including bookstores and automated grab-and-go stores, but many of these initiatives were scaled back during the pandemic [3] - The company's significant entry into physical retail was marked by the 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods Market, which expanded its presence to over 400 supermarkets across the country [4]

Group 1 - J.P. Morgan Asset Management released its 1Q Guide to the Markets, providing insights into market trends and forecasts [1] - Reed Hastings discussed the development of Netflix in a podcast with Patrick O'Shaughnessy, highlighting key strategies and growth [1] - John Mackey shared insights on building Whole Foods Market in a conversation with David Senra, focusing on the company's growth and market positioning [2] Group 2 - Boyar Research's publication, The Forgotten Forty, featured investment cases for Uber Technologies and UniFirst Corporation, indicating potential investment opportunities [2] - Brent Beshore's 2025 Annual Letter from Permanent Equity was noted for its engaging content, reflecting on investment strategies and market outlook [2] - The Value Investing World newsletter, sponsored by Sorfis Investments, emphasizes the importance of fair fees and quality service in investment management [3]