Amazon Appoints Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel to Lead Grocery Division
The move consolidates Amazon's grocery operations as the company looks to strengthen its presence in both online and physical food retail.
Amazon has appointed Jason Buechel, CEO of Whole Foods, to lead its expanding grocery business, the company announced Monday.
In a memo shared with employees, Doug Herrington, Amazon’s worldwide retail chief, revealed that Buechel would now oversee the company’s entire grocery division while continuing his role at Whole Foods. This marks a major step in Amazon's ongoing efforts to integrate its various grocery operations. Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion, and since then, it has worked to combine its physical stores with its online services.
Buechel took over as CEO of Whole Foods in 2022 after co-founder John Mackey's retirement. Under his leadership, Whole Foods has seen record sales growth and expanded its footprint to more than 535 locations. In his new, expanded role, Buechel will now oversee all of Amazon's grocery initiatives, including its Fresh supermarkets, cashierless Go stores, and its online grocery service. He will succeed Tony Hoggett, who departed Amazon in October 2024 to join the food delivery startup Wondery, led by Marc Lore.
Amazon has been intent on becoming a key player in the grocery sector, and its acquisition of Whole Foods was a significant part of that strategy. The company launched its Fresh supermarket chain after the Whole Foods deal, making strides to unify its grocery operations both online and in physical stores. According to Herrington, the company is "incredibly energized" by the progress its grocery business has made.
“We’ve made significant strides in simplifying grocery shopping for customers, making it faster, more affordable, and more accessible," Herrington wrote in the memo. “With Jason’s leadership, we will continue to focus on integrating our grocery selection across our vast logistics network to provide a seamless experience for customers, especially Prime members.”
As part of broader cost-cutting measures, Amazon has adjusted its grocery division by closing some Fresh and Go locations and removing its high-tech cashierless checkout systems from Fresh stores. The company is now focusing on selling its “Just Walk Out” technology to third-party retailers.
Amazon has also worked to bring its Fresh and Whole Foods divisions closer together since the acquisition, testing new concepts such as a hybrid store outside Philadelphia. There, Amazon added an automated warehouse to a Whole Foods location, allowing shoppers to access products from brands not typically sold at the organic grocer.
With Buechel now leading the charge, Amazon aims to continue its push to dominate the grocery market in both physical and digital spaces.