Amazon invests over $230 million in Whole Foods worker pay and benefits
Amazon announced late last week that it will invest more than $230 million to raise pay and expand benefits for Whole Foods Market employees. Hourly workers will see pay increases beginning Sept. 28, with predictable raises each year, while full-time staff gain access to Amazon’s comprehensive benefits starting Jan. 1, 2027.
The average total compensation for Whole Foods store workers will rise to more than $29 an hour when the new benefits are factored in, and the value of benefits for full-time employees will increase by over 75%. Nearly 20,000 part-time employees will gain access to dental and vision coverage and receive free basic life insurance. Every hourly Whole Foods employee will also receive a free Amazon Prime membership, low‑cost prescriptions through Amazon Pharmacy, and keep the existing 20% in‑store discount. Career Choice tuition‑prepayment will be made available to Whole Foods staff starting next year, and automatic company‑paid short‑ and long‑term disability insurance will come with fertility, family‑building, cancer care navigation and up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing parents. Eligible plans also include a One Medical membership offering same‑day and virtual doctor visits at no added cost.
Since mid‑2025 Amazon has been aligning Whole Foods leadership and benefits with its own operations. In June 2025 it restructured the Worldwide Grocery division to add Whole Foods executives and later set a December 2026 deadline to extend Amazon’s corporate pay and benefits to Whole Foods corporate staff.
What we know
Amazon is investing more than $230 million to provide Whole Foods Market team members with higher pay, expanded benefits and new programs supporting their health and families, the company announced late last week.
Beginning Sept. 28, hourly workers will get compensation increases “with predictable [pay] increases each year,” the company said.
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, the specialty grocer’s workers will gain access to Amazon’s comprehensive benefits.
Amazon said the average total compensation for Whole Foods’ store workers is increasing to more than $29 an hour when factoring in the new benefits, and that the total value of benefits for full-time employees is increasing by more than 75%.
Nearly 20,000 part-time employees will gain access to dental and vision coverage and free basic life insurance.