Whole Foods comes to your front door

NEW YORK — Amazon is bringing its speedy delivery to Whole Foods.

The online retail giant plans to roll out twohour delivery at the organic grocer this year to those who pay for Amazon’s $99-a-year Prime membership. It is the company’s biggest move since it bought the organic grocer last year.

It’s also precisely the action rivals have been preparing for since the day Amazon — with the Prime program that’s been so successful in cementing customer loyalty — announced plans to buy Whole Foods.

Amazon shoppers can order meat, seafood and other Whole Foods grocery items through the Prime Now app and website. Deliveries started Thursday in Austin, Texas; Cincinnati; Dallas; and Virginia Beach, Virginia; and will expand nationwide this year.

One of the biggest hurdles for the growth of grocery delivery is that many people want to pick out their own eggs or fruit, said Darren Seifer, a food and beverage industry analyst at NPD Group.

“There are always going to be people who want their bananas a little green,” he said.

About 7 percent of U.S. households bought groceries online last year, according to NPD Group. Most of those — about three-quarters — get their orders delivered to their door; the rest pick it up at the store. NPD Group said it expects online grocery shopping to grow quickly, especially among young adults, who are more comfortable shopping online.