Spencer Platt
Whole Foods announced Monday that it will up the ante in supermarket competition by launching a national grocery-delivery service. In response to Amazon’s endeavors to break into the world of supermarkets, Whole Foods is partnering with online grocery-delivery service Instacart to provide pickup and delivery options at locations in 15 cities. Instacart has already partnered with more affordable supermarkets, including Costco, but Whole Foods will be the first to offer both delivery and in-store pickup. The new delivery and pickup service may provide a much-needed boost for the upscale grocer, which has recently seen disappointing earnings and lower stock prices. “While the current environment is very dynamic and competitive, we are managing and growing our business for the long term,” said Whole Foods CEO Walter Robb in an earnings call this summer.