Amazon invests $230 million in greater pay and advantages for 100,000 Whole Foods staff

The $2.73 trillion tech giant recently announced that it’s pouring $230 million into higher pay and expanded benefits for more than 100,000 U.S. Whole Foods employees. Starting September 28, hourly workers will receive a pay raise that puts the average store wage to more than $21 an hour.

Amazon, which acquired the upscale grocery chain in 2017, said that this is one of “the most significant investments” in its U.S. Whole Foods workers ever—and their benefits are getting a huge boost, including expanded health coverage and family-building benefits. New perks for workers will increase average total compensation to around $29 hourly.

“Every year, my leadership team and I visit Whole Foods Market stores across the country to hear directly from team members about what’s on their minds,” Jason Buechel, VP of Amazon Worldwide Grocery, said in the press release. 

“Those conversations matter deeply to me, and I leave each visit with a list of ways we can make things better—from improving a process to making bigger investments in team members’ growth and happiness.”

Fortune reached out to Amazon for comment.

U.S. Whole Foods workers are getting college perks and Amazon Prime

Beyond cold hard cash, Amazon is revamping the perks of working at the grocery store giant. And with all the new investments, the total value of benefits available to full-time team members is rising more than 75%. 

“They want a clearer path for their pay to grow, more comprehensive health coverage, and expanded benefits for part-time roles,” Buechel explained.

Starting January 1 2027, U.S. Whole Foods staff will have access to comprehensive health plan options starting at just $5 a week, with access to primary care and behavior health providers with just a $5 copay. Around 20,000 employees working 20 hours or more weekly will get dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Amazon also added that its own health plans “generally have lower deductibles” and out-of-pocket costs. In the benefit overhaul, it will introduce fertility and speciality care perks that many Whole Foods plans don’t currently have. 

In addition to healthcare, Amazon is also expanding access to education benefits. Amazon’s Career Choice perk will roll out to Whole Foods workers next year, which prepays tuition for college, skills training, and certifications. It’s a program that’s been around since 2012, and more than 300,000 Amazon workers have already participated. Plus, every hourly worker will get access to an Amazon Prime membership valued at $139 annually.

Whole Foods is investing in career paths like fishmongering and butchery

Buechel said that employee feedback has driven benefit changes over the years—including creating apprenticeship programs back in 2023. 

Since its launch, more than 2,150 team members have been trained in artisan skills like fishmongering, meat butchering, bakery decorating, and pizza making. Each quarter, the company welcomes up to 300 staffers to join its upskilling program, giving them a chance to swap working in the corporate head office or behind a till, for becoming a cheese mongerer. The shorter apprenticeships like pizza-making last 12 to 13 weeks, while more intensive training, like meat butchering, spans anywhere from six to 12 months. 

Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief merchandising and marketing officer at Whole Foods, told Fortune last year that employees’ wages increased when they joined the program—unlocking not only specialized skills, but a stronger career pathway. Plus, it could be a way for workers to even AI-proof themselves; tech can’t taste, touch, or smell the quality of artisanal cheeses, but certified cheese professionals can.

“Many of our alumni go on to advance their careers within the company, using their apprenticeship as a springboard,” Oblisk said. “This is more than training—it’s a career accelerator.”