That changed on June 16 when Amazon announced its intention to acquire Whole Foods, the upscale supermarket chain that played a pivotal role in taking organic and natural foods mainstream. Whole Foods (WFM) itself may have been under duress, pressured by an activist investor and softening sales, but the healthy-food movement and the meticulously curated store experience that it pioneered is alive and well. "Amazon is placing its bet on the future of the food industry," says Errol Schweizer, a former Whole Foods executive who is now an industry adviser, "and they see Whole Foods as the leadership." Most Amazon watchers are focused on the some 450 stores the e-commerce behemoth scoops up in the deal. These brick-and-mortar locations instantly give it a national ­physical presence, as well as a network of mini distribution centers for fresh produce—by far the most challenging part of the grocery delivery business because of spoilage and the fragility of fruits and vegetables.