Whole Foods built its empire on organic kale and squeaky-clean labels.
But now, inside its Plymouth Meeting store in Pennsylvania, the health-food giant has made room for the unthinkable: a tucked away robotic shop where customers can snag Doritos and other junk food staples as part of their weekly shop.
The secret 10,000sq ft tech hub hidden out of sight packs over 12,000 Whole Foods and Amazon products, including some of America's favorite guilty pleasure snacks.
Shoppers can place orders online or scan QR codes throughout the store, with everything ready for pickup within minutes.
Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel said in a press release: 'We've always taken pride in offering a wide selection of natural and organic products, but we understand our customers appreciate the convenience of one-stop shopping.'
The company insists the bold new setup lets shoppers grab everything in one swoop - one trip, one click - without sacrificing the high-end halo the brand is built on.
'We're making grocery shopping more convenient for customers by thoughtfully blending our grocery offerings and leveraging new fulfillment capabilities in creative ways,' Buechel added.
In November, Amazon, which took over Whole Foods in 2017, announced plans for its micro-fulfillment center in its Plymouth Meeting store - a move that hints at a potential evolution of the brand's identity.
The chain has been testing the concept in recent months, which Kevin Ryan, CEO of Malachite Strategy and Research, described as essentially a high-tech back-room inventory.
'The idea is that a large portion of the store operates as a dark area,' Ryan told Supermarket News.
'It functions as a warehouse section where consumers shop,' he added.
More than 3,000 365 by Whole Foods Market products still line the shelves, alongside the nutritious, wellness-driven products that have shaped its reputation.
But plastered across the aisles are QR codes, luring shoppers to pull out their phones and dive straight into a custom Amazon storefront with a single scan.
From there, customers can head to a discreet pickup area at the back of the store where they can collect orders for items beyond the shelves - free of charge.
From Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Cheddar Crackers to Tide Pods, the store has added a slate of big-name brands along with Nestlé Drumstick cones, Johnson's Baby Shampoo and Swiffer refills.
'Many people who shop at Whole Foods also need items that are not organic or Whole Foods-approved,' Ryan told Supermarket News.
The store has added a slate of big-name brands that are now available at the store at the click of a button.
A video shared by Amazon revealed a futuristic warehouse. White robotic boxes whisk products like Pop-Tarts to waiting workers to handover to customers.
CEO of Malachite Strategy and Research Kevin Ryan (pictured) said: 'The idea is that a large portion of the store operates as a dark area.'
More than 3,000 365 by Whole Foods Market products like this tomato basil pasta sauce will still line the shelves.
'Amazon sees that tension,' he added. 'The company is asking, 'How do we stay true to our value proposition while giving customers what they want and keeping them in our ecosystem?''
A video shared by Amazon revealed a futuristic warehouse: white robotic boxes whisk products like Pop-Tarts to waiting workers, who quickly pack and seal them for delivery.
The experiment is made possible by technology from Fulfil, a Silicon Valley robotics company built specifically for grocery operations.
'The system uses autonomous ShopBots to sort, retrieve and stage products across all temperature zones - keeping fulfillment activities behind the scenes to minimize disruption to the in-store experience,' Amazon said in a statement.
Products are no longer trapped in one aisle, shattering a merchandising model that's lasted for decades, according to Ryan.
'For years, that aisle defined how you developed products,' he told Supermarket News.'
'If this concept takes hold, that model could change dramatically. It is a radical shift that many people have yet to recognize.'
On Tuesday, Facebook user Dave Gambrill shared a post about his recent inside-look of the facility, writing, 'The tour was amazing. Truly.'
The experiment is made possible by technology from Fulfil, a Silicon Valley robotics company built specifically for grocery operations.
In November, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy (pictured) said the company plans to expand the store over the coming years, including launching smaller versions designed for urban locations.
The pickup counter inside the Plymouth Meeting store where customers can collect items that are not on the shelves.
'First reaction: wow,' Gambrill wrote. 'The scale, the systems, the robotics, the way everything ties together with data, analytics, and AWS. It's honestly impressive to see how tightly engineered the whole thing is.'
'They said this particular facility has 26 miles of conveyor systems running through it. Twenty-six miles. Inside one building,' he added.
'Then you've got these little robotic drive units zipping around the floor carrying stacks of inventory pods. Everything is ergonomically designed, optimized, and measured.'
The operation runs 22 hours straight, he claimed, with just a two-hour window for engineers and mechanics to 'inspect conveyors, maintain robots and keep the system humming.'
The move comes as Amazon seeks to expand its footprint in the grocery sector and chip away at market share long dominated by companies like Walmart.
However, the company has already made inroads into the grocery market with other physical store ventures, including Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go convenience stores.
Amazon has claimed a spot among the largest grocers in the United States, generating over $100 billion in gross sales - not including figures from Whole Foods Market or Amazon Fresh, according to the press release.
In November, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said the company plans to expand the store over the coming years, including launching smaller versions designed for urban locations.
'We have three that we've launched that are off to very good starts that you should expect to see more of as well,' he said, according to Seattle Times.'
Amazon stressed that pickup options won't change: shoppers can continue to choose curbside service for loading help or come inside to collect their packed grocery bags.
Shoppers can also opt for delivery, with Amazon Prime members charged a $9.95 service fee per order.
Prime members can also pay $9.95 a month for unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $25 - from Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh to local specialty stores - all through Amazon.com.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Buechel, Ryan and Whole Foods for further comment.