Walmart Announces Decision on Grocery Services
Walmart has long been a provider of groceries, and the retailer began selling groceries back in 1988 with the opening of its first Supercenter in Washington, Missouri, according to their official website.
Today, Walmart is the United States' largest grocery retailer, and the majority of its stores offer fresh groceries. Grocery accounted for nearly 60 percent of Walmart U.S.'s total net sales of $462 billion, according to a report from Grocery Drive. The company also operates more than 4,600 stores in the U.S.
A lot has changed since 1988, and that includes how Walmart gets those groceries to shoppers. Now, Walmart has made a decision about how shoppers who don't want to go to their stores will get their groceries delivered.
Walmart Makes a Move on Grocery Delivery
Walmart and Wing have announced plans to expand the retailer's drone delivery service to an added 150 Walmart stores in four major cities in 2026, dubbing it the "world's largest drone delivery expansion." In addition, Walmart also plans to expand its drone delivery service more in the next two years.
The retailer had already announced plans in 2025 to offer drone deliveries at another 100 stores, so the new announcement is an extension of that move.
Greg Cathey, senior vice president of digital fulfillment transformation at Walmart, said in a statement provided to Men's Journal that the expansion will make it easier for shoppers to get last-minute items. It also helps "Walmart meet customers' needs with speed and convenience," the statement says.
New Delivery Service is the 'Future of Convenience'
"Drone delivery plays an important role in our ability to deliver what customers want, exactly when they want it. Whether it’s a last-minute ingredient for dinner, a must-have charger for a phone, or a late-night essential for a busy family, the strong adoption we've seen confirms that this is the future of convenience," Cathey said.
Cathey added, "By expanding drone delivery to new major metro areas, we are helping more customers solve for their last-minute needs faster than ever before."
"We believe even the smallest package deserves the speed and reliability of a great delivery service," Adam Woodworth, Wing CEO, added in a statement. "Working with Walmart has allowed us to prove that delivering these critical, everyday items in minutes makes a significant difference for families. We are proud to bring that capability to more communities across the country."