Amazon sets deadline for aligning Whole Foods workers’ benefits

As Amazon continues to unify its grocery operations, the e-tailer confirmed in a Wednesday email that it will bring corporate Whole Foods Market employees under the same benefits program as Amazon corporate workers by December 2026.

The transition will last a full year, beginning in December, when Whole Foods Market corporate workers receive a discount code for 10% off Amazon merchandise, capped at $100 per year. The specialty grocer’s corporate employees will also gain access to the Amazon Extras online portal, which includes nearly 3,000 deals, including discounts on car insurance, phone plans, travel and entertainment available to Amazon’s U.S. employees. 

Whole Foods’ administrative staffers will lose their store discount when the transition ends in December 2026, according to Amazon, but the company noted that the discount will remain in place for the specialty grocer’s store and facility workers. 

“We’re excited to bring our grocery teams closer together to make it even easier to collaborate and innovate on behalf of our customers,” Amazon spokesperson Lauren Snyder said in an emailed statement. 

Amazon announced its intention to migrate Whole Foods corporate employees to the same system as its other workers for benefits, compensation structure and more in June, when it also named a restructured leadership team for its Worldwide Grocery division.

The reorganized division includes top executives from Whole Foods and marked the first major changes since Jason Buechel was appointed CEO of Amazon’s grocery division earlier this year after helming Whole Foods for three years. 

Amazon continues to make grocery a priority as it finds ways to scale operations and offerings. Earlier this month, Amazon added fresh groceries to its same-day delivery service in more than 1,000 cities and towns across the U.S., with plans to further expand perishables delivery.