Amazon Expands Fresh to Los Angeles

Amazon.com Inc. on Wednesday began offering fresh grocery delivery in Los Angeles -- its first major market outside of Seattle, where it began its fresh service in 2007.

According to published reports, the Los Angeles move is part of a broader expansion into other major cities this year.

The fresh program includes offerings such as organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables, dairy products, ice cream, meat and fish. Customers can have the products delivered the next day during a one-hour time slot of their choosing.

Unlike its traditional non-fresh delivery service, which relies on courier services and the U.S. Mail, Amazon Fresh uses its own refrigerated trucks to deliver goods directly to the doors of customers.

Some say this expansion could be a challenge in some cities like New York, which already has established retailers that have been delivering fresh products for years, like FreshDirect, Peapod and Whole Foods Market.

According to reports, Amazon’s new larger warehouses in California and Texas could be a signal that urban cities such as San Francisco and Dallas are likely candidates for expansion of the service. In October, the company opened a distribution center in San Bernardino, Calif., just east of Los Angeles. Two additional distribution centers are being constructed near San Francisco and slated to open this year.