Get ready for Amazon milk and cereal, as company reportedly plans expansion into food products
According to the report, Amazon has already filed for paperwork to get trademark protection in more than 20 product categories, including milk, coffee, soup, pasta, and water, as well as household products such as razors and cleaners.
Amazon has also approached some private-label food companies, including TreeHouse Foods, according to the report which cited anonymous sources.
The new products would be an extension of Amazon's Elements brand, which launched in December, with two products, diapers and baby wipes, the latter of which shut down in January after lukewarm customer response. Elements products are only available to Amazon Prime members, who pay a $99 annual membership fee.
Since these are food products, Amazon could face more questions around the quality of its manufacturing process. But all Amazon Elements products reveal information about ingredients and when and where they were manufactured.
It's unclear why exactly Amazon is moving into this category now, but the WSJ report says it will help the company increase its profit margins because private label products generally cost less to advertise and distribute. Amazon lost $241 million on $89 billion in sales last year.
Amazon declined to comment on this article.
Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.