New Jersey’s Amazon Fresh era ends with barely a grocery cart used

You’ve heard me on The Judi & EJ Show talk about how much I love grocery shopping at Aldi — and I’ll say it again: I am an Aldi shopper through and through. Our coworker Kyle Forcini is too. We both love the tight selection of quality items, and for staples it’s the best value in Jersey. Of course, when I’m looking for specialty items, I still like to hit ShopRite, Giant, or Acme.

Why I kept driving past Amazon Fresh without stopping

Lately I’ve also been intrigued by the Amazon Fresh stores each time I drive by one. I suppose the intrigue comes from being an Amazon online shopper — you know, when I drive past and say, “oh cool, look at that Amazon supermarket.” But it seems I was just not curious enough to actually go inside. And now… I might not get the chance anyway.

Amazon announces closure of all Amazon Fresh grocery stores

Amazon just announced it’s closing all of its physical Fresh stores nationwide, which includes the ones we have right here in New Jersey. The company says it will continue Amazon Fresh as an online grocery brand, but the brick-and-mortar Fresh and cashier-less Go stores are shutting their doors because Amazon hasn’t been able to “create a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model” for expanding these stores.

New Jersey Amazon Fresh locations that are closing

In New Jersey, the Fresh locations that are slated to close include:
Eatontown – 137 NJ-25, Eatontown
Lodi – 2 Memorial Drive, Lodi
Paramus – 30 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Paramus
Woodland Park – 1510 Route 46, Woodland Park

Amazon hasn’t given a lot of details on exact closing dates here, but reports indicate most Fresh and Go stores are expected to be closed by early February 2026 as the company pivots toward other grocery formats.

Could Whole Foods replace Amazon Fresh stores in New Jersey?

Here’s an interesting twist: some of these Fresh stores could be converted into Whole Foods Markets, and Amazon plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods and related formats in the next few years.

So, while I’ll miss the drive-by curiosity, I’ll likely be sticking with my Aldi route and grabbing specialty items where they’re easiest to find. And who knows — maybe a Whole Foods in one of these spots will give me something new to explore!