Amazon’s grocery delivery service is coming to New York City

Amazon is preparing to start its Fresh grocery delivery business in New York City as early as next month, according to two people who have been briefed on the plans, as the online retailer takes more aggressive steps toward making its same-day delivery service national. The company has been building up its food inventory in a warehouse in Avenel, N.J., with the goal of launching its grocery delivery business in New York City as early as October, one of these people said. The warehouse is located about 20 to 25 miles from Manhattan, in a part of New Jersey near Staten Island, New York. Re/code previously reported that Amazon was prepping this facility for grocery delivery, but it wasn’t clear at the time whether it would be used to launch the delivery business in New York City or New Jersey. Amazon may eventually launch its grocery delivery business in Philadelphia as well, using food stored in the Avenel facility, this person said. Rumors of launches in other east coast and midwestern cities have intensified in recent months in grocery industry circles.