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Amazon rekindles third-party grocery delivery in launch with Cardenas Markets

Partnership marks first with U.S. grocer since Prime Now’s integration into Amazon.com

Russell Redman

September 29, 2022

3 Min Read
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Amazon is Cardenas Market's fourth third-party grocery delivery partner, joining DoorDash, Shipt and Instacart.Cardenas Markets

A same-day delivery partnership with Latino grocer Cardenas Markets may be a sign that Amazon is resurrecting third-party online grocery delivery service.

Ontario, Calif.-based Cardenas said yesterday two-hour delivery via Amazon is now available at stores in Indio, Pomona, Murrieta and Pittsburgh, Calif., as well as Las Vegas, with plans to roll out the service to more stores next year.

To use the service, Cardenas customers who are Amazon Prime members and live in neighborhoods where same-day delivery is offered can shop online with the grocer at Amazon.com/cardenas or through the Amazon.com shopping app. Cardenas associates pick and pack the orders at the designated store, and Amazon delivers the groceries to customers using Amazon Flex drivers.  

Cardenas and Amazon are supporting the service launch with a promotion of 15% off a $50 purchase for new customers.

Cardenas Markets-Amazon online grocery storefront.png

Cardenas customers who are Prime members and live in areas where same-day delivery is offered can shop online with the grocer at Amazon.com/cardenas or through the Amazon.com shopping app.

“This new offering with Amazon demonstrates Cardenas Markets’ robust e-commerce efforts, and in the coming months this offering will be available in more locations throughout our geographical footprint,” Adam Salgado, chief marketing officer at Cardenas, said in a statement. “We are consistently looking for ways to make the Cardenas Markets shopping experience even more convenient and accessible for our customers.”

Related:Cardenas Markets to merge with Tony’s Fresh Market in Apollo acquisition

Overall, Cardenas operates 65 stores in California, Nevada and Arizona under the banners Cardenas Markets (51 locations), Los Altos Ranch Markets (seven), Rio Ranch Markets (five) and Cardenas Ranch Markets (one).

Cardenas said the two-hour Amazon delivery service carries a flat fee but didn’t disclose the fee. An Amazon spokesperson said the company works with each delivery partner to determine the fee to operate and fulfill delivery.

Amazon marks Cardenas’ fifth on-demand delivery partner. The grocer in March said it expanded Uber Eats delivery to all of its stores. Last October, Cardenas announced that it launched DoorDash delivery from all of its stores, which came a month after the chain unveiled a partnership with Target Corp.’s Shipt for same-day delivery service through all stores. The retailer also has offered Instacart delivery since December 2020.

According to the Amazon spokesperson, the delivery launch with Cardenas represents Amazon’s first U.S. grocery partner delivery offering since the Seattle-based company integrated its Prime Now program into Amazon.com in 2021.

“To date, depending on the customer’s location, we’ve offered delivery from a range of third-party retailers, including Bristol Farms, Bartell Drugs and Pet Food Express, who’ve all partnered with us for more than five years,” the Amazon spokesperson said in the e-mail.

Related:Cardenas Markets is first Hispanic grocer to accept EBT SNAP payments online

Additional delivery partnerships with retailers are in the offing. “I don’t have details to share on future plans today, but we look forward to working with more retailers to continue growing our third-party delivery efforts,” the spokesperson said.

Amazon had announced in May 2021 that it planned to retire the seven-year-old Prime Now same-day delivery program and fold the service, including online grocery delivery and pickup, into its mainline website and mobile app — a move that the company said would enhance the online shopping experience.

Prime Now was launched in December 2014 to provide Amazon Prime members one-hour delivery on tens of thousands of daily essential items — including food, groceries and nonfood items — through the Prime Now mobile app. The service was extended to groceries from Whole Foods, acquired by Amazon in August 2017, beginning in February 2018 and steadily expanded to more of the chain’s stores over the next year or so, providing free two-hour delivery (and later store pickup) for orders of $35 or more.

Then in late October 2019, Amazon Fresh perishables delivery became a free service under Prime customer benefits program. With the move, Amazon essentially made same-day, online grocery delivery a free service for Prime members placing orders of $35 or more. Amazon’s Prime Now and Prime Pantry programs had already offered members free delivery for that order minimum.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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