Whole Foods grows foodservice business through delivery

Whole Foods Market is expanding its mobile app to help customers order fresh, prepared food with ease. The Whole Foods app now enables shoppers to order hot pizza, salads, sushi, soup, sandwiches, sides, and other exclusive prepared items for pickup or delivery with a dedicated meal delivery tab.

The ease of ordering online expects to further push how retailers are elevating their exclusive prepared meals and challenge restaurants. The app expansion comes as more grocery chains have started to see more consumers enjoy foodservice options, too.

A recent report from FMI found that 55% of those surveyed note a desire for hybrid meal options — or foods that include a mix of semi-and-fully-prepared items, and 64% of consumers who typically prepare hybrid meals say they plan their dinners a few days at a time. This shift provides a greater market for chains like Whole Foods to provide expanded prepared foods options.

To order in the app, consumers navigate to the order tab, choose pickup or delivery, browse the menu and customize items, and then can checkout with Amazon Pay. Recently, Whole Foods released a list of top product trends for 2022, which could find their way into the chain's foodservice items.

The article featured items like a "reducetarianism" trend, which includes an add-on of plant-based items, sustainable grains and more.

The lunch and dinner to-go option is currently available for iOS users in select locations, with the service expected to be expanded.