Amazon’s (AMZN) Whole Foods Market opened a new style of store in New Jersey that could be part of a bigger rollout.
Whole Foods Market’s new Daily Shop in Hoboken is described as a small-format, convenience-oriented version of a traditional Whole Foods, focused on grab-and-go, essentials, and local items for dense urban neighborhoods. The store is significantly smaller than a conventional Whole Foods at around 4,800 to 5,000 square feet versus roughly 40,000 square feet for a typical location. The smaller size allows it to slot into high-traffic corridors and serve as a quick-shop option, prioritizing grab-and-go meals, snacks, prepared foods, produce, meat and seafood, bakery items, alcohol, everyday essentials, and health-and-wellness products. Whole Foods’ 365 private-label line will also have a strong presence at the store.
“Opening our first store in Hoboken is an exciting milestone, and we’re grateful for the warm welcome from the neighborhood,” stated Victor Luciano, Store Team Leader for Whole Foods Market Daily Shop. “We look forward to providing the community with great service, grocery essentials that meet our high quality standards, and quick grab-and-go meals to make their lives easier,” added Luciano.
Strategically, the store acts as an infill complement to nearby full-size Whole Foods locations in Jersey City and Weehawken, extending the banner’s reach without the capital intensity or footprint requirements of a traditional supermarket. Importantly, Whole Foods is not treating Hoboken as a one-off pilot of the concept. Instead, Daily Shop is expected to be part of a deliberate multi-unit rollout. The Hoboken location follows several Daily Shop openings in Manhattan and is described as the fifth store under the new banner.
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 545 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Amazon (AMZN) acquired Whole Foods Market in 2017 for $13.7 billion.
Whole Foods Market has the highest degree of customer overlap with Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM), and The Fresh Market, as well as larger grocery chains owned by Kroger (KR) and Albertsons’ (ACI).