https://www.vox.com/new-money/2017/6/16/15816500/whole-foods-amazon-acquisition

Amazon is buying Whole Foods in a deal valued at $13.7 billion. It’s a remarkable move for the e-commerce giant, which has traditionally been known for not owning brick-and-mortar stores and has traditionally preferred to build its own businesses organically rather than making big acquisitions.

But Amazon has been trying to conquer the grocery business for about a decade, with little to show for it. Amazon’s biggest rival, Walmart, has built a thriving grocery business, while startup Instacart has partnered with conventional grocery stores to enable same-day delivery. Buying a nationally known grocer gives Amazon a way to catch up.