Amazon reportedly to launch supermarket business; Philly in the mix

Amazon plans to launch a new retail grocery business, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The report stated that Amazon already plans to open a grocery store in Los Angeles - possibly before the end of this year - and has signed leases to open two more in early 2020.

In addition, the company is in discussions to open grocery stores at shopping centers in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Washington, D.C. The Journal also reports that Amazon is considering potential acquisitions of existing small-to-medium size grocery chains.

"I would speculate this is a traditional grocery play that leverages the best of Amazon technology and shopper insight," said Danny Silverman, CMO at Edge by Ascential. "As Amazon continues to look for ways to capture the last mile through physical retail, they need to test and find propositions that speak to different shopper segments. Whole Foods is a relatively narrow proposition, (Amazon) Go is small footprint and (Amazon) Fresh is delivery-only. A more traditional grocery play would cover critical gaps in their current model."

Aldi to add Instacart online shopping in select markets

Aldi announced Monday that it would begin offering online ordering and delivery later this month via Instacart in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles, with "potential for future expansion."

Instacart currently serves nearly 40 markets in 25 states, and provides online ordering and delivery for companies like Whole Foods, Wegmans, Giant, and others.