The firm traces its origins to 1883 when Bernard H. (‘Barney’) Kroger invested his life savings of US$372 to found the Great Western Tea Company, a single store in downtown Cincinnati.

This store became an instant success, and in the following year, Kroger opened a second location.

By 1885, Kroger had four stores, and through shrewd buying during the financial crisis of 1893, he increased this number to 17.

Kroger was the first grocery store owner to advertise his company in daily newspapers, as well as mail-order catalogs. He also offered wagon delivery as an after-sale service.

In 1901, the company became the first grocer in the country to establish its own bakeries; an initial step toward the development of a modern supermarket.

In 1902, with 40 stores and a factory in Cincinnati, the firm was incorporated as the Kroger Grocery and Baking Company.

In 1904, Kroger made a significant move, acquiring Nagel Meat Markets and Packing House, and pioneering the concept of in-store meat departments.

The business established itself early on as a food manufacturer as well as a retailer, and was one of the first to embrace private label products.

In 1912, Kroger made his first long-distance expansion, buying 25 stores in St. Louis, Missouri.

To service the growing business, Kroger also bought a fleet of trucks, enabling rapid expansion to Detroit, Indianapolis, Springfield and Toledo in the following years.

Growth continued and, after 45 years of leadership, Barney Kroger sold his stake in the business in 1928, marking a new era for the company.

Following a period of rapid expansion, the company reached a peak in 1929, operating 5575 stores – more than ever before or since.

Kroger became the first supermarket chain to regularly monitor product quality and scientifically test foods, via the Kroger Food Foundation, which it launched in 1930.

The foundation established the Homemakers Reference Committee, comprising 750 homemakers who tested food samples in their own homes; an early example of Kroger’s commitment to customer satisfaction.

In the 1950s, the firm expanded across the US through the acquisition of rival supermarket chains, starting with Houston-based 26-store chain Henke & Pillot.

In 1963, Kroger acquired the 56-store chain Market Basket, gaining a foothold in the lucrative southern California market.

With approximately 10 percent market share, Kroger is one of the country’s largest supermarket operators by revenue, generating annual sales of US$147.1 billion in 2024.

In the three-year period to 2022, the firm increased net earnings at a compounded annual growth rate of 24.5 percent.

This remarkable growth saw the company generate operating profit of US$4.1 billion in 2022.

Kroger has also realized cost savings of over US$1 billion a year, achieving this feat five years in a row as of 2022.

In the fiscal year ending March 2025, it ranked 25th on the Fortune 500 list, with annual revenues in excess of US$147 billion.

Kroger operates more than 2750 grocery retail stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia under various banners and formats.

Through this network, the firm serves more than 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience.

Kroger has also invested heavily in its online presence, generating US$13 billion in 2024, including 11 percent growth in Q4 from digital sales.

The company is developing a comprehensive network of state-of-the-art fulfillment centers, located across the US, offering a highly automated service, including home delivery.

The firm also operates an extensive manufacturing network, comprising fourteen dairies, nine bakeries, two deli plants, five grocery product plants, two beverage plants and two cheese plants.

The three principles that guided Barney Kroger’s business model were food freshness, innovation and low prices, all of which remain key objectives for the company today.

Kroger founded the company with the simple motto: ‘Be particular. Never sell anything you would not want yourself.’ It has embraced his commitment to high-quality products ever since.

Today, the firm’s purpose is to Feed the Human Spirit – this encompasses providing everything fresh and seeking ‘to uplift every way, and improve every day.’

Kroger strives to build a more resilient and sustainable food system, and launched its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social and environmental impact plan in 2017.

Since then, it has invested US$2.3 billion to support local communities including US$1.5 billion to feed hungry families.

In 2022, as part of its environmental sustainability and social impact strategy, Kroger strengthened its commitments in areas including climate impact, sustainable packaging, human rights and animal welfare.

In 2025, in response to the Los Angeles wildfires, Kroger provided supplies and monetary donations to those affected.

Kroger was one of the first businesses to replace horse-drawn wagons for grocery deliveries, introducing faster Model T trucks in 1913.

The format of self-service stores was adopted by Kroger in 1916, with customers shopping for their own merchandise. This introduced consumers to the idea of comparison shopping.

In 2004 Kroger opened store formats called Marketplaces featuring multi-departments in stores with furniture, clothing and other hard goods, based on the format of its northwest chain Fred Meyer.

In 2019, Kroger launched its Fresh for Everyone brand campaign, embodying the company’s unwavering dedication to providing fresh, affordable and accessible food options to all customers.

The firm introduced the Smart Way product line in 2022, a simplified opening price point brand to help customers who need to stretch their budgets.

In 1991, Kroger introduced fresh sushi in their first location. Bringing restaurant-quality, chef-made products to customers at a value, they’ve now become the nation’s largest sushi retailer, selling more than 40 million rolls per year.

The company introduced its Kroger Plus loyalty program in 1997, offering members personalized promotions and discounts, digital offers and more. Over 60 million households are now enrolled.

With a wholly owned data science and analytics subsidiary, Kroger is a leader in the use of advanced data analytics to provide personalized product recommendations and drive return customers.

In 2022, the company launched Boost by Kroger, an expansion of Kroger Plus, offering benefits including unlimited free grocery delivery on orders of US$35 or more.

Boost by Kroger Plus as the industry’s most affordable paid membership program, making grocery delivery accessible to more customers while providing exclusive offers and fuel savings to members. In its inaugural year, Boost by Kroger Plus members saved more than $115 million.

Through the Fuel Points program, Kroger customers can earn discounts from participating fuel centers for every dollar they spend in store.

Kroger’s loyalty program topped the Grocery & Drug sector in The Loyalty Report 2022 by Bond Brand Loyalty and featured in Newsweek’s ranking of America’s Best Loyalty Programs.

In 1999, Kroger undertook the biggest merger in its history, when it entered a US$13 billion deal with Fred Meyer, which owned chains including Smiths, Ralphs and QFC.

Today, Kroger has launched successful collaborations with DoorDash, Instacart and UberEats, which, alongside its own Pickup and Delivery options, allow it to serve the needs of its customers anywhere at anytime.

Since 2018, Kroger has partnered with UK company Ocado, to deliver automated customer fulfilment centers, with two additional sites earmarked for fiscal year 2026.

Through a collaboration with online grocery platform Instacart, Kroger is now able to offer 30-minute grocery delivery and pickup services across the country.

In 1987, the Kroger Co. Foundation was established to lift up our associates, customers and communities through philanthropic giving.

The foundation established the Racial Equity Fund in 2020, which had provided more than US$5.7 million by 2023 to non-profit organizations working to build more equitable and inclusive communities.

Kroger launched its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan in 2017, with a commitment to donating 3 billion meals by 2025; this goal was accomplished by the first quarter of 2023.

Since 2009, the firm has partnered with WWF to develop a framework for sustainable seafood and commit to new standards for sourcing.

Through the Kroger Community Rewards program, the company makes fundraising easier by enabling customers to donate directly to local organizations by swiping their Shopper’s Card in store.

In 2022, Kroger was named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek for the fourth year in a row.

The firm launched a food waste program in 2024 as part of its Home Chef program, partnering with local non-profits at its four facilities to redirect surplus food.

The firm was the first grocery retailer in America to test an electronic scanner when it trialed the technology in a suburban Cincinnati store in 1972.

Kroger has developed QueVision, utilizing infrared sensors and predictive analytics to reduce customer waiting time at checkouts; another US first when it was introduced in 2010.

Today, the Kroger App is visited by millions of shoppers who in 2022 “clipped” nearly 3 billion digital coupons.

Kroger owns and operates a portfolio of around 24 well-known banner names, providing value across the retail spectrum.

In 2018, Kroger completed a merger with Home Chef, the country’s largest private meal-kit company, strengthening its position in this fast-growing market offering convenient meal solutions to customers.

Kroger’s Our Brands private-label portfolio offers shoppers more value at competitive price points across a number of categories and includes four billion-dollar brands; Kroger, Private Selection, Simple Truth and Home Chef.

In 2012, Kroger introduced its Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic ranges, creating one of the most successful private brand launches in the history of the grocery industry.

Kroger’s private labels (collectively known as Our Brands) offer over 13,000 items, generating around US$30 billion per year.

In 2024, Kroger added Australian beauty brand, MCoBeauty to its portfolio, introducing products from their beauty and skincare range to its stores and online.

Approximately 17 percent of Kroger’s new hires were under 18 years old in 2022, demonstrating the company’s commitment to the next generation.

Since 2019, Kroger has invested US$2.7 billion in wages and comprehensive benefits, including raising its average hourly rate to more than US$19, or US$25 an hour with benefits factored in.

Kroger offers its associates world-class educational benefits, investing over US$64 million in grants of up to US$21,000 toward continuing education opportunities.

In 2020, Kroger launched a ‘Framework for Action’ to promote its core values of diversity and inclusion in the company and its communities, with ten immediate action points, to accelerate and promote greater change in the workplace.

The Kroger Scholars Program, launched in 2008, provides educational opportunities for children of Kroger associates, and has awarded more than US$5 million in scholarship funds since its inception.

Kroger was recognized by Computerworld as one of the Best Places to Work in IT in its 2025 ranking, receiving this accolade for the seventh consecutive year.