I went to the latest version of Amazon Fresh and can’t see what sets it apart from other grocery stores

• Amazon Fresh appears to be opening new stores again.
• Amazon said it was making changes to some stores last year after pausing new openings.
• I visited a recently opened Fresh store to see whether shopping there is better than a year ago.

Amazon’s push to build its own chain of grocery stores seems to be gaining some new momentum lately.

Amazon has opened new Fresh locations over the past few months and now has 50 locations around the US, according to its website. In August, for instance, Amazon opened Fresh stores in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Roseville, California.

It’s a reversal from 2023 when it closed some Fresh locations, and CEO Andy Jassy said that Amazon was holding off on opening new Fresh stores “until we have that equation with differentiation and economic value that we like.” The move cast doubts on the success of its Fresh store strategy (Amazon also owns the Whole Foods chain) and its ability to compete effectively against other more established grocery chains.

Amazon told Bloomberg last year that it would also change several aspects of Fresh stores: It promised a revamped color scheme and self-checkout kiosks, among other additions.

Just over a year ago, I visited an Amazon Fresh store, where I found lots of deals but left without a clear reason to shop for groceries there regularly.

Now, with Amazon opening new Fresh stores again, I decided to visit another location to see if the changes have made the chain a more attractive place for grocery runs. Here’s what I found.

Do you work at Amazon Fresh or another part of Amazon’s grocery business and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com