U.S. grocery chain Whole Foods Market is set to deploy Square's mPOS technology at food venues within a number of its stores. The deployment means that Whole Foods Market shoppers will be able to skip the main checkout lines in these stores, Square said in a press release.

Square's deal with Whole Foods is its first partnership with a nationwide U.S. grocery chain. In August 2013, Square signed up Starbucks to use its mPOS technology.

Whole Foods Market's in-store venues — including sandwich counters, juice and coffee bars, pizzerias, and beer and wine bars — will use Square Register, Square's tablet-based mPOS solution, and Square Stand, Square's suite of software and hardware tools for businesses. At select venues, Whole Foods Market will offer customers the option to use their mobile device to pay using Square Wallet, Square's payer application, and avoid front-end checkout lines. Square Wallet also enables customers to browse venue items and prices, discover discounts and track purchases, the press release said.

As of mid-February, seven Whole Foods Market venues already use Square Stand, including stores in Austin, Texas; New York City; Florida; and the San Francisco Bay Area.

"Together with Square, we'll deliver options to expedite checkouts, and we look forward to developing new concepts to further simplify and improve grocery shopping," Walter Robb, Whole Foods Market's co-CEO, said in a statement.

Several Whole Foods Market locations will serve as "lab stores," testing additional innovations designed to enhance customer service and cater to the changing needs of shoppers.

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