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CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America’s favorite grocer, announced today the launch of Simple Truth® Emerge™: Plant Based Fresh Meats. An expansion of Simple Truth – America’s largest natural and organic brand – Simple Truth Emerge is a line that offers fresh burger patties and grinds at more affordable prices. Available exclusively at Kroger Family of Stores, Simple Truth Emerge joins the Simple Truth Plant Based collection introduced last year, offering vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, oat milk, sour cream, deli slices, sausage and other products.

The Simple Truth Plant Based collection was first announced, including a sneak peek of Simple Truth Emerge, last September at the Good Food Conference in San Francisco, where Gil Phipps, Kroger’s vice president of Our Brands, spoke on a panel alongside other industry experts about the importance of accelerating the marketplace for plant-based foods.
“Kroger continues to be at the intersection of plant-based curiosity and culinary innovation. As more of our customers explore and embrace a flexitarian lifestyle, Simple Truth Emerge is a fresh innovation that provides a flavorful meat alternative that cooks comparably,” said Phipps. “Kroger believes that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, affordable and delicious food, no matter who you are, how you shop or what you like to eat. And Simple Truth Emerge is an illustration of the commitment that Kroger has to providing our 11 million daily customers with new choices that fit their evolving eating styles and preferences.”
Simple Truth Emerge patties and grinds offer the same taste, texture and sizzle on the grill or in a pan as beef and are free of GMOs, dairy, gluten and soy. Simple Truth Emerge patties and grinds provide 20 grams of pea-based protein per serving and are located in the packaged traditional meat case.
To download pictures of Simple Truth Emerge and the Simple Truth Plant Based collection, visit here.
Kroger Tests Plant-Based Foods Merchandising Concept
Last month, Kroger launched a 16-week merchandising test with the Plant Based Foods Association in a combined 60 stores across two markets to measure the sales and engagement impact of adding plant-based meat sets within the traditional meat set. In addition to plant-based patties and sausages, the test includes deli slices, roasts, seitan and jackfruit. The test aims to produce actionable data and insights to inform merchandising plans and optimize plant-based food sales.
“Kroger is driving the growth of the plant-based category through our Simple Truth brand, valued supplier partnerships and industry-leading fresh merchandising strategies,” said Joe Grieshaber, Kroger’s senior vice president of merchandising. “Kroger anticipates interest in plant-based products to continue to grow in 2020, with the category being one of the key drivers of our natural and organic sales.”
Kroger to Expand Simple Truth Plant Based Collection in 2020
“Customers can find plant-based foods throughout Kroger grocery aisles that can be incorporated into one meal, or every meal,” continued Grieshaber. “And Kroger is excited to launch 50 additional Simple Truth Plant Based products this year, expanding the selection we offer to our customers and growing our Simple Truth brand, which exceeded $2.3 billion in sales last year.”
With new Simple Truth Plant Based products arriving in stores throughout the year, the collection includes easy-to-identify packaging, featuring a distinct plant-based icon that helps customers locate the items as they navigate through store aisles or when shopping on Kroger.com.
The entire Simple Truth portfolio includes more than 1,550 natural and organic products, with new items launching monthly. To learn more about the brand, visit SimpleTruth.com.
Kroger Launches Simple Truth Sales Promotion
Through Jan. 22, Kroger Family of Stores are hosting a natural and organic sales promotion, featuring Simple Truth products, 5x digital coupons offering more than $100 in customer savings and in-store food sampling events. During the promotion, customers can download coupons via Kroger.com or the Kroger app to receive 75 cents off Simple Truth Emerge patties and $1.50 off Simple Truth Emerge grinds.
About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) is offering customers a new way to shop, save and make a difference during its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste 5x digital event, celebrating the company’s social impact initiative’s two-year anniversary.

Now through September 17, customers can support Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, Kroger’s bold vision to end hunger in the communities it serves and eliminate waste across the company by 2025, by redeeming exclusive digital coupons from Kroger.com or the Kroger mobile app.

For every participating digital coupon redeemed during the event, the product manufacturer will donate 10 cents to The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation (the “Foundation”)—a public charity established to work with social enterprises, corporations and non-profits that are committed to creating communities free of hunger and waste. The Foundation hopes to secure more than $1 million in partner donations from the event.

“The Kroger Co. has a long history of serving our communities through food inspiration and uplift – and we know our customers want to shop with socially-conscious brands that have a positive influence on society. Last year alone, Kroger directed more than $192 million in food and funds to end hunger in local communities, supporting Zero Hunger | Zero Waste,” said Jessica Adelman, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs and chief social impact officer. “Through this exclusive digital promotion, Kroger customers can save money at checkout and be Zero Heroes by joining us on our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste journey. Each coupon redeemed gets us one step closer to our $1 million goal and supports important initiatives like the Foundation’s Innovation Fund, dedicated to ending hunger in our communities and eliminating food waste.”

The Zero Hunger | Zero Waste promotion includes more than 120 coupons, worth over $100 in potential savings for Kroger customers. All 5x digital coupons can be redeemed up to five times in one transaction.

To view the complete list of qualifying coupons and for more information about the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste 5x digital event, visit Kroger.com.

About The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation
The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation (the “Foundation”) is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2018. The Foundation was formed to support initiatives that create communities free of hunger and waste.

About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,761 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

The House of Commons Select Exiting the European Union Committee has published a report into the consequences of “no deal” for UK business. FDF’s Tim Rycroft gave evidence to the committee on the disastrous consequences of a no-deal exit for food and drink manufacturing.

Tim Rycroft, Chief Operating Officer for the Food and Drink Federation said:

“FDF welcomes the findings in the Committee’s report. A no-deal exit from the EU would be disastrous for the UK’s food and drink industry, as we said in our evidence to the Committee.

“Within weeks it is likely that shoppers would notice significant and adverse changes to the products available and random, selective shortages. Limited shelf life products would face the most immediate risk.

“The run up to 31 October 2019 is particularly stark. Food and drink manufacturers will not be able to secure additional frozen and chilled warehousing space or logistics capacity for stockpiling, as the required space is already booked for the peak Christmas production period. Manufacturers will therefore have no spare production capacity or ability to store ingredients and finished products. UK food imports will climb from autumn onwards as fresh food stocks decline, so any ‘no deal’ disruption will have a major impact on availability.”

“Our industry employs 450,000 people and has a turnover of £104bn. Analysis released earlier this week by the UK Trade Policy Observatory found that no-deal would destroy £18.5bn of UK food and drink manufacturing, with grave consequences for UK consumers.”

Nestlé USA today announced that it will exit its company-owned frozen Direct-Store-Delivery (DSD) network for its Pizza and Ice Cream businesses and will transition to a warehouse model. This change will leverage the highly efficient warehouse network that Nestlé already uses for its frozen meals and snacks, which will enable the company to better meet the needs of retail customers and consumers. The phased transition will commence in the third quarter of 2019 and is expected to be complete early in the second quarter of 2020.

“Ice Cream and Pizza are growing categories in which we hold strong leadership positions” said Steve Presley, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé USA. “As we continue to focus on driving long-term profitable growth, leveraging a simpler route to market unlocks resources we can use to fuel our efforts in demand generation, such as product innovation and brand building.”

The food industry is facing unprecedented shifts in consumer behavior; how they eat, shop and engage with brands. At the same time, retail customers also are evolving how they do business. Nestlé is adapting to this new environment, and this transition is part of the company’s broader efforts to transform its organization to accelerate growth and win in the market.

“Moving to a warehouse model has numerous benefits for us and our retail customers,” said Presley. “By taking advantage of the unmatched breadth and depth of our existing frozen warehouse network, our retail customer partners can better leverage their existing networks. This change is a win-win for Nestlé and our customers.”

Presley added, “This decision came after careful consideration and, while critical to achieve our business goals, it will impact employees in our sales and supply chain teams, and will result in the closure of eight company-owned frozen distribution centers and our frozen inventory transfer points. These employees have worked incredibly hard to serve our customers. Treating them with respect through this process is a top priority for us, and we are committed to doing all we can to provide them information, resources and support.”

The transition from DSD is a critical building block of Nestlé’s business strategy and will be a key step towards its profitable growth agenda, which is focused on accelerating its value creation model, driving efficiency and building sustainable growth.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced Kroger Technology has been named to Computerworld magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT for 2019. For the third consecutive year, Kroger’s technology team has been recognized by the annual list for having an innovative, industry-leading workplace culture. This year, Kroger ranks 49th among big companies.

“It is an inspiring time to be a part of Kroger Technology, a team leading disruption and transformation to improve the customer experience,” said Yael Cosset, senior vice president and chief information officer. “In support of Restock Kroger, we are creating a seamless model to provide our customers with anything, anytime, anywhere powered by technology.”

The 100 Best Places to Work in IT list is an annual ranking of the top work environments for technology professionals by Computerworld. The list is developed based on categories like benefits, career development, training and retention. Computerworld also conducts surveys of IT workers, and their responses are a factor in determining the rankings.

For the complete Computerworld Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT list, view here.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) and Lindsay Goldberg, a private investment firm that focuses on partnering with families, founders and management teams seeking to actively build their businesses, today announced the formation of PearlRock Partners, a new platform that will identify, invest in and help grow the next generation of leading consumer product brands. PearlRock Partners will be one of the largest data-driven investment vehicles focused on consumer brands. The platform will be a part of Kroger’s alternative profit streams portfolio.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514006049/en/

To help emerging consumer brands reach new customers and grow their business, the new platform will leverage Kroger’s merchandising capabilities and predictive analytics along with Lindsay Goldberg’s deep consumer expertise and nearly 20-year track record of investing in and supporting family-owned and founder-led companies.

“We are excited to add PearlRock Partners to our portfolio of high-growth alternative profit businesses that generate additional value from our core grocery business. We are confident this partnership with Lindsay Goldberg will help discover and cultivate new brands that Kroger customers will love,” said Stuart Aitken, Kroger’s senior vice president of alternative business and CEO of 84.51°. “We are transforming from grocer to growth company by deploying our assets to serve even more customers and create margin-rich alternative profit streams.”

Brian Kelley, a Partner at Lindsay Goldberg who previously served as CEO of Keurig Green Mountain and President of Coca-Cola’s North American operations, added: “We are thrilled to partner with Kroger to help grow tomorrow’s most successful consumer brands alongside the entrepreneurs who built them. Backed by a state-of-the-art predictive data platform, real-world consumer product expertise and unparalleled merchandising resources, these next-gen brands will be poised for growth and offer Kroger’s broad customer base greater choice, convenience and innovation.”

Chris Laitala, a Partner at Lindsay Goldberg, stated: “Our partnership with Kroger creates an opportunity to invest in the consumer products industry with unique insights and a competitive edge. Consistent with our track record of making transformative investments with exceptional industry partners, this strategic relationship with Kroger will provide differentiated sourcing and visibility into evolving consumer preferences and brand performance.”

“We are excited about building a long-term partnership with Kroger,” said Eric Fry, a Partner at Lindsay Goldberg.

PearlRock Partners ladders to Restock Kroger, Kroger’s transformational plan to redefine the food and grocery customer experience in America. Through Restock Kroger, the company is leveraging its stores, logistics and data assets to create incremental new profit streams, which, in turn, drive investments to further redefine the customer experience. In this way, Kroger’s new growth model will be a virtuous cycle. The new platform will not only drive new alternate profit streams for Kroger, but will also contribute to the small brand ecosystem, helping emerging brands grow and thrive in Kroger’s stores.

For brands and other parties interested in learning more, please email inquiries@pearlrockpartners.com.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Lindsay Goldberg
Lindsay Goldberg is a private investment firm that focuses on partnering with families, founders and management teams seeking to actively build their businesses. Founded in 2001, Lindsay Goldberg’s relationship-driven approach is centered upon a collaborative investment model and supported by its global network of affiliate partners. For more information about Lindsay Goldberg, please visit www.lindsaygoldbergllc.com.

About 84.51°
84.51°, a Kroger company, knows customers, and we know how to connect you. Using a sophisticated, proprietary suite of tools and technology, we turn customer data into actionable knowledge. With unique customer data and predictive analytics capabilities, we deliver personalized marketing strategies and ensure the best experience for customers of Kroger and more than 300 consumer-packaged-goods companies. We put the customer at the center of everything we do, resulting in a more dynamic, informed and personal approach to driving customer loyalty.

CINCINNATI and AUSTIN, Texas — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced it has completed the sale of its Turkey Hill business to an affiliate of Peak Rock Capital.

Kroger’s sale of the Turkey Hill business was for total consideration of $215 million. Kroger intends to use the after-tax cash proceeds from the sale to reduce debt.

“We want to thank Turkey Hill’s associates for their dedication and their many contributions to the company,” said Erin Sharp, group vice president of Kroger Manufacturing. “We look forward to the continued success of the Turkey Hill brand.”

Kroger announced in August 2018 its intention to explore strategic options for its Turkey Hill business, including a potential sale. In March, Kroger and Peak Rock Capital announced a definitive agreement for the sale of Kroger’s Turkey Hill business to an affiliate of Peak Rock Capital.

As part of the agreement, the Peak Rock Capital affiliate will continue to operate the Turkey Hill business out of its Conestoga, PA, location with the nearly 800 full-time, part-time and seasonal associates and under the same recognizable brand. Turkey Hill produces a full line of popular ice cream products, iced teas, lemonades, fruit drinks and dairy products.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Kroger.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Peak Rock Capital
Peak Rock Capital is a leading middle-market private investment firm that makes equity and debt investments in companies in North America and Europe. Peak Rock focuses on investing in opportunities where it can support senior management in driving rapid growth and profit improvement through operational and strategic change. Peak Rock’s principals have deep expertise in complex situations, carve-outs, and cross border transactions, with the ability to provide tailored capital solutions and close transactions quickly where speed and certainty are priorities. For further information about Peak Rock Capital, please visit www.peakrockcapital.com.

HOUSTON — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America’s largest grocery retailer, and Nuro, the robotics company transforming local commerce, have launched their autonomous grocery delivery service in Houston, starting with the South Post Oak store and followed by the Buffalo Speedway store later this spring. Houston is the second market for Kroger and Nuro’s delivery service, and the first public use of Nuro’s self-driving fleet in the city.

The Kroger Co. Logo (PRNewsFoto/The Kroger Co.) (PRNewsFoto/The Kroger Co.)

Kroger and Nuro’s innovative service provides a new type of delivery service option for Houston residents. Like the first pilot market in Scottsdale, Arizona, Kroger and Nuro are starting the service with Nuro’s manual and self-driving Toyota Prius fleet, and will introduce the next generation of Nuro’s custom driverless vehicle later this year.

“Nuro’s initial application of transporting goods through self-driving technology has allowed us to build a real service and have immediate impact on communities,” said Nuro co-founder, Dave Ferguson. “We are excited to introduce Houston to our time-saving service that provides customers with their groceries quickly and safely.”

“We’re excited to launch our autonomous vehicle delivery pilot with Nuro in Houston, a leading city that embraces innovation and technology,” said Marlene Stewart, Kroger’s Houston division president. “Kroger continues to redefine the customer experience, and we’re thrilled to provide our customers with a new way to have their groceries delivered. We thank Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and the Houston community for being terrific partners and for supporting consumer-focused robotics.”

Delivery Service Details:

Where: Two Houston Kroger stores
Store One (available now): 10306 South Post Oak Road, Houston, TX, servicing 77401 and 77096
Store Two (spring 2019): 5150 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX, servicing 77005 and 77025
Customers across Greater Houston will continue to have access to the grocery delivery service currently offered by Kroger.
When: Customers can place orders for delivery 7 days a week. The service is currently available at the South Post Oak Road store and will commence at the Buffalo Speedway location this spring.
How: Customers shop via Kroger.com or the Kroger app and place orders based on slot availability.
What: Grocery orders can be scheduled for same-day or next-day delivery by Nuro’s fleet of manual and self-driving vehicles.
Price: $5.95 flat fee; no minimum order.
For photography and video of Nuro’s fleet, click here.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,779 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Nuro
Nuro combines software and hardware expertise to design and build products that accelerate the benefits of robotics for everyday life. Nuro’s first product is a self-driving service for local goods transportation. The company is led by world-renowned experts in robotics, artificial intelligence and computer vision. Privately held, Nuro powers partnerships with local businesses seeking new ways to cost effectively transport goods and create new experiences for their customers. For more information, visit www.nuro.ai. Follow Nuro on Twitter and LinkedIn.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America’s largest grocery retailer, and Ocado (LSE: OCDO), one of the world’s largest dedicated online grocery retailers, today announced Central Florida and Mid-Atlantic as the newly-named regions for America’s next two customer fulfillment centers (CFC).

Kroger’s first customer fulfillment center – an automated warehouse facility with digital and robotic capabilities, also known as a “shed” – will be constructed in Monroe, OH, a suburb north of Cincinnati. (PRNewsfoto/The Kroger Co.)

“Kroger is excited to partner with Ocado—one of the most innovative, advanced companies in the world—to redefine the grocery shopping experience for customers along the East Coast,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “We are incredibly excited to introduce customer fulfillment centers in this region to deliver on our Restock Kroger vision to serve America through food inspiration and uplift.”

Kroger has committed to building 20 CFCs, powered by Ocado, to accelerate its ability to provide customers with anything, anytime and anywhere. The CFC model – an automated warehouse facility with digital and robotic capabilities, also known as a “shed” – will be replicated to serve customers across America. In November 2018, Kroger announced its first CFC will be constructed in Monroe, OH, a suburb north of Cincinnati.

“Kroger is developing the retail model of the future through our exciting partnership with Ocado, a UK-based company with global ties,” said Alex Tosolini, Kroger’s senior vice president of new business development. “We will co-innovate with Ocado to develop the best possible experiences for our customers, leveraging advanced robotics technology and creative solutions.”

“This announcement marks another important step toward combining Kroger’s long-standing dedication to innovative and world-class grocery services with Ocado’s unique, industry-leading technology,” said Luke Jensen, CEO of Ocado Solutions. “As the U.S. retail landscape continues to change, these CFCs will play a crucial role in helping Kroger offer its customers a superior online shopping experience in these two major markets.”

To view video and photography of a CFC, visit here.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Ocado
Ocado is a UK based company admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange (Ticker OCDO). It comprises one of the world’s largest dedicated online grocery retailers, operating its own grocery and general merchandise retail businesses under Ocado.com and other specialist shop banners, together with its Solutions division.

About Ocado Solutions
Ocado Solutions is responsible for corporate partnering, which began with its agreement to operate the online business of Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc in the UK, and more recently with agreements with Groupe Casino, Sobeys and ICA Group to develop their online businesses in France, Canada and Sweden respectively. The agreement with Kroger to provide it with the OSP suite of products to massively expand its online grocery business in the USA is Ocado Solutions’ largest and most recent partnership transaction.

OSP is an enabling platform provided as a service to retailers. It comprises access to Ocado’s physical infrastructure solutions to run highly efficient warehouse operations for the single pick of products, together with the entire end-to-end proprietary software applications required to operate an online grocery business – from user interfaces, through warehouse operating and control systems, to logistics, route planning and optimization. It is underpinned by Ocado’s expertise and experience as a dedicated online grocery operator in the UK.

OSP provides multiple advantages to retailers wishing to operate online including:

enables retailers to own, control and operate their own online businesses
based on proven systems and infrastructure which Ocado uses in its own retail business
both modular (size flexible) and scalable (can start smaller and scale up on short lead times), and supports a large range
significant operational cost benefits
entire seamless proprietary software provision updated alongside Ocado’s own development program, providing “best in class” service for customers
flexible agreement terms with low entry cost and ongoing fees linked to installed capacity
Ocado does not compete with grocery retailers outside of the UK

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen provided his outlook on the future of retail at the NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show in New York City during a dynamic keynote presentation themed Restocking the future: Kroger’s insatiable appetite to play and win the long game. CNBC “Squawk on the Street” and “Closing Bell” Anchor Sara Eisen moderated the 30-minute conversation on Sunday.

Kroger Co. Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen delivers a keynote presentation moderated by CNBC Anchor Sara Eisen in New York City at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show.

Here are Mr. McMullen’s five predictions for the future of retail. You can view the full-length keynote presentation here.

Retail Won’t Go Away
The industry experiences disruption and transformation every few years, but it’s happening at a more rapid speed than ever before. Leaders in the industry must be willing to not only accept and react to change, but also transform their growth model.
Retail Will be Digital and Physical
Technology and digital are already mainstays of today’s retail; however, in the future of retail, customers will not spend meaningful time thinking about physical vs. digital. Customers will always choose the shopping modality – whether physical or digital – that will deliver anything, anytime and anywhere.
Retail will Offer New Solutions to Customers
Retailers will create solutions on customers’ terms. That is why Kroger is building an ecosystem that offers a variety of modalities, including brick and mortar, delivery, pick up and ship.
Retail will be Purpose-Driven
Retail will solve problems not only for customers, but also for communities and the planet. Stakeholders are increasingly deciding which businesses to support based on shared values and clarity of purpose. Because of Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitments by 2025, the company decided to phase out use-once, throw-it-away plastic bags and transition to reusable bags in its stores on the same timeline.
Retail will Disrupt the Ad Industry
Advertisers spend $100 billion annually today, and retailers are uniquely positioned to know how customers behave and react to those marketing messages. That is why Kroger introduced Kroger Precision Marketing, powered by 84.51°. Kroger Precision Marketing provides consumer packaged goods (CPG) advertisers the ability to reach Kroger’s more than 60 million customers through its ecosystem more precisely with measurable results.
While on stage, Mr. McMullen also emphasized Kroger’s Our Brands portfolio, which continues to perform exceptionally well with customers and is one of the most profitable parts of its supermarket business. Kroger recognizes there is an appetite for its Our Brands products like Simple Truth® in markets where the retailer doesn’t have a physical footprint, illustrations include its relationships with Alibaba and Walgreens. Six years ago, Simple Truth didn’t exist, and it’s now the largest natural and organic brand in the country, topping more than $2 billion in sales annually. The retailer’s latest Simple Truth television commercial is now airing in major U.S. media markets.

Mr. McMullen also discussed how the company is at the forefront of shaping the national discussion around the disparity between food waste and hunger in America through Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, Kroger’s ambitious social impact plan designed to end hunger in its communities and to eliminate waste across the entire company by 2025. He acknowledged achieving Zero Hunger | Zero Waste requires partnerships, creative ideas and scalable solutions to help change the food system. He announced Kroger has established a public charity to encourage this kind of innovative thinking. In February, the retailer will issue its inaugural open call and will award up $1 million to for-profit and non-profit innovators developing solutions for food waste prevention to test and scale solutions.

NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show is a three-day retail event that attracts more than 35,000 attendees. Its 2019 focus is traditional retailers that need non-traditional solutions, online sellers that need a physical presence, and tech start-ups that need scale. With three full-day workshops and 50 exhibitor sessions, it’s the largest retail conference in the world.

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., — Nuro and The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced the launch of the first-ever unmanned delivery service available to the general public.

Kroger and Nuro Launch First-Ever Unmanned Delivery Service.

Since August, the companies have operated a self-driving grocery delivery service in Scottsdale, AZ with an autonomous Prius fleet accompanied by vehicle operators. The autonomous vehicles have completed nearly one thousand deliveries to the general public.

With today’s launch, the fleet is expanding to include Nuro’s custom unmanned vehicle known as the R1. The R1 travels on public roads and has no driver, no passengers and only transports goods. Nuro has been developing the R1 since 2016, and announced its partnership with Kroger, America’s largest supermarket retailer, in June.

“Nuro envisions a world without errands, where everything is on-demand and can be delivered affordably. Operating a delivery service using our custom unmanned vehicles is an important first step toward that goal,” explained Nuro President and co-founder Dave Ferguson.

“Kroger customers are looking for new, convenient ways to feed their families and purchase the products they need quickly through services like pickup and delivery,” said Yael Cosset, Kroger’s chief digital officer. “Our autonomous delivery pilot with Nuro over the past few months continues to prove the benefit of the flexible and reliable technology. Through this exciting and innovative partnership, we are delivering a great customer experience and advancing Kroger’s commitment to redefine the grocery experience by creating an ecosystem that offers our customers anything, anytime, and anywhere.”

Kroger experienced 60 percent digital sales growth in the third quarter, and its seamless coverage area now reaches more than 90 percent of customer households.

Delivery service details:

Where: Fry’s Food Stores (single location): 7770 East McDowell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
When: Customers can place delivery orders immediately, for delivery 7 days a week
How: Customers shop via frysfood.com or the Fry’s Food Stores mobile app and place their order based on slot availability
What: Grocery orders can be scheduled for same-day or next-day delivery by Nuro’s fleet of self-driving vehicles, now featuring the custom unmanned R1 as well as self-driving Prius vehicles
Price: $5.95 flat fee; no minimum order
For photography and video of the R1 unmanned vehicle, click here.

About Nuro
Nuro combines software and hardware expertise to design and build products that accelerate the benefits of robotics for everyday life. Nuro’s first product is a self-driving service for local goods transportation. The company is led by world-renowned experts in robotics, artificial intelligence and computer vision. Privately held, Nuro powers partnerships with local businesses seeking new ways to cost effectively transport goods and create new experiences for their customers. For more information, visit www.nuro.ai. Follow Nuro on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human SpiritTM. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,779 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

ATLANTA, Nov. 1, 2018 — Kroger is pleased to announce a significant New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation to support the construction of a 345,000-square-foot food warehouse and distribution center for the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB).

Logo: Zero Hunger | Zero Waste (PRNewsfoto/The Kroger Co.)

The $15 million NMTC allocation aligns with The Kroger Co.’s national Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative. Through the social impact plan, Kroger has set a vision to end hunger in the places it calls home and to eliminate waste – especially food waste – in the company by 2025.

“Kroger is committed to living our purpose to change the world,” said Tim Brown, president of Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “Our purpose is to Feed the Human Spirit™ – to uplift families, communities and one another. This partnership is a clear step in our mission to end hunger in our communities. We are excited to align with the Atlanta Community Food Bank in its initiative to close the food meal gap by 2025. By working together, this project will enable us to significantly impact the metro-Atlanta community through more balanced meals and greater access to healthier foods.”

Plans for the new warehouse and distribution center include approximately 70,000 square feet of cooler and freezer space, which will allow ACFB to place greater emphasis on fresh food rather than canned or dry goods. This design decision will allow ACFB to move nearly 50 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables annually from the warehouse to partner organizations by 2025, approximately quadrupling its distribution of fresh produce.

“We are incredibly honored to receive Kroger’s significant support and continued commitment to our mission,” said Kyle Waide, CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “This allocation is a comprehensive, once in a generation, transformational investment in the capacity of the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the larger emergency food system we support. It will allow for us to mobilize the food, people and ideas, so that no one is hungry in our community.”

The new facility will also create around 85 new jobs.

“Across the United States, 42 million Americans struggle with hunger, while more than 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. each year goes unconsumed,” said Brown. “Kroger is committed to changing that statistic by taking measurable actions, just like today’s ACFB investment.”

This is the first time Kroger’s Community Development Entity is supporting a non-profit through its NMTC allocation to the ACFB.

The NMTC program is a prospective source of funding for the construction or major improvement of a commercial building in qualified census tracts, specifically where the poverty rate is at least 20 percent of the community.

NMTC incentivizes businesses and real estate companies to invest in low-income communities through a federal tax credit. The program is directed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund and allocated by local Community Development Entities (CDEs) across the United States.

To learn more about Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, visit www.thekrogerco.com. Follow the journey at #ZeroHungerZeroWaste.

About the Kroger Atlanta Division
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. The company focuses its charitable efforts on hunger relief, K-12 education, women’s health initiatives and local organizations in the communities it serves. Kroger’s Atlanta Division is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., and is one of the Southeast’s largest retail grocery chains with more than 183 stores, covering Georgia, Eastern Alabama and South Carolina.

About Atlanta Community Food Bank
The Atlanta Community Food Bank works to end hunger with the food, people and big ideas needed to ensure our neighbors have the nourishment to lead healthy and productive lives. Far too many people in our own community experience hunger every day, including children, seniors and working families.

Through more than 600 nonprofit partners, we help more than 755,000 people get healthy food every year. Our goal is that, by 2025, all hungry people across metro Atlanta and North Georgia will have access to the nutritious meals they need when they need them. It takes the power of our whole community to make that possible. Join us at ACFB.org.

ATLANTA, Aug. 31, 2018 – The Coca-Cola Company today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Costa Limited, which was founded in London in 1971 and has grown to become a major coffee brand across the world.

The acquisition of Costa from parent company Whitbread PLC is valued at $5.1 billion and will give Coca-Cola a strong coffee platform across parts of Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, with the opportunity for additional expansion. Costa operations include a leading brand, nearly 4,000 retail outlets with highly trained baristas, a coffee vending operation, for-home coffee formats and Costa’s state-of-the-art roastery.

For Coca-Cola, the expected acquisition adds a scalable coffee platform with critical know-how and expertise in a fast-growing, on-trend category. Costa ranks as the leading coffee company in the United Kingdom and has a growing footprint in China, among other markets. Costa has a solid presence with Costa Express, which offers barista-quality coffee in a variety of on-the-go locations, including gas stations, movie theaters and travel hubs. Costa, in various formats, has the potential for further expansion with customers across the Coca-Cola system.

The acquisition will expand the existing Coca-Cola coffee lineup by adding another leading brand and platform. The portfolio already includes the market-leading Georgia brand in Japan, plus coffee products in many other countries.

Costa also provides Coca-Cola with strong expertise across the coffee supply chain, including sourcing, vending and distribution. This will be a complement to existing capabilities within the Coca-Cola system.

“Costa gives Coca-Cola new capabilities and expertise in coffee, and our system can create opportunities to grow the Costa brand worldwide,” said Coca-Cola President and CEO James Quincey. “Hot beverages is one of the few segments of the total beverage landscape where Coca-Cola does not have a global brand. Costa gives us access to this market with a strong coffee platform.” Read Quincey’s commentary on the announcement.

Coffee is a significant and growing segment of the global beverage business. Worldwide, coffee remains a largely fragmented market, and no single company operates across all formats on a global basis.

“The Costa team and I are extremely excited to be joining The Coca-Cola Company,” said Costa Managing Director Dominic Paul. “Costa is a fantastic business with committed and passionate associates, a great track record and enormous global potential. Being part of the Coca-Cola system will enable us to grow the business farther and faster. I would like to say a huge thank you to our customers and to everyone in the Costa team who have helped us build the business to this position, and I look forward to the next exciting chapter in Costa’s vision of Inspiring the World to Love Great Coffee.”

Transaction details
The purchase price is £3.9 billion. This translates to approximately $5.1 billion. Upon the closing, The Coca-Cola Company will acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Costa Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Whitbread. This subsidiary contains all of the existing operating businesses of Costa.

Whitbread will be seeking shareholder approval for the transaction, which is expected to take place by mid-October. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, including antitrust approvals in the European Union and China. It is expected to close in the first half of 2019.

Coca-Cola expects the transaction to be slightly accretive in the first full year, not taking into account any impact from purchase accounting. For the fiscal year 2018 (ending March 1, 2018), Costa generated revenue and EBITDA of £1.3 billion and £238 million GBP, respectively. This equates to roughly $1.7 billion in revenue and $312 million in EBITDA.

Because Coca-Cola expects the transaction to close in the first half of 2019, there is no change to 2018 guidance. The company’s long-term targets also remain unchanged. Coca-Cola will provide additional information as part of comprehensive guidance provided during the fourth quarter 2018 earnings call.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories. In addition to the company’s Coca-Cola brands, our portfolio includes some of the world’s most valuable beverage brands, such as AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea, Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta, Georgia coffee, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, innocent smoothies and juices, Minute Maid juices, Powerade sports drinks, Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater and ZICO coconut water. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

CINCINNATI and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 16, 2018 — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and Nuro today announced Scottsdale, Arizona as the city for their self-driving grocery delivery pilot.

Kroger and Nuro Launch Pilot in Scottsdale, AZ.

Earlier this summer, Kroger, America’s largest supermarket retailer, and Nuro, maker of the world’s first driverless delivery vehicle, announced a partnership to begin testing grocery delivery using Nuro’s robots. Through the new self-driving delivery vehicles, customers will receive their groceries at their curb – safely and quickly.

Pilot Details:

Where: Fry’s Food Stores (single location): 7770 East McDowell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

When: Customers can place delivery orders starting Thursday, August 16

How: Customers shop via frysfood.com or the Fry’s Food Stores mobile app and place their order based on slot availability

What: Grocery orders can be scheduled for same-day or next-day delivery by Nuro’s fleet of self-driving vehicles

Price: $5.95 flat fee; no minimum order

“Scottsdale is proud to be the home of Kroger and Nuro’s partnership,” said Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane. “We welcome innovative technology that can benefit the lives of Scottsdale residents. We feel this partnership holds tremendous potential and promise, and offers our residents real, not-yet-experienced convenience for everyday routines.”

“We’re excited to launch our autonomous vehicle delivery pilot with Fry’s in Scottsdale,” said Kroger Chief Digital Officer Yael Cosset. “Kroger wants to bring more customers the convenience of affordable grocery delivery, and our pilot with Nuro will help us test and learn to understand customer acceptance of autonomous vehicles in our seamless offering. We thank Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane, and the Scottsdale community for being terrific partners and for supporting customer-focused innovation.”

“Arizona is home to some of the most innovative autonomous vehicle testing,” said Nuro Co-Founder Dave Ferguson. “We’re proud to contribute and turn our vision for local commerce into a real, accessible service that residents of Scottsdale can use immediately. Our goal is to save people time, while operating safely and learning how we can further improve the experience.”

Nuro will begin the pilot using its self-driving Toyota Prius fleet and will introduce its custom R1 driverless vehicle this fall.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human SpiritTM. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,779 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Nuro
Nuro combines software and hardware expertise to design and build products that accelerate the benefits of robotics for everyday life. Nuro’s first product is a self-driving vehicle designed for local goods transportation. The company is led by world-renowned experts in robotics, artificial intelligence and computer vision. Privately held, Nuro powers partnerships with local businesses seeking new ways to cost effectively transport goods and create new experiences for their customers. For more information, visit https://nuro.ai/arizona.

Can crop irrigation affect the clouds that form high above farm fields? Indeed it can, say atmospheric scientists.

Agricultural irrigation to meet a growing demand for food is adding significant amounts of water to the land surface and altering regional land use and land cover. These changes affect lower atmosphere circulation, potentially influencing cloud development and precipitation.

To further understand how irrigation may be affecting precipitation, scientists from several institutions have teamed up for a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project known as the Great Plains Irrigation Experiment, or GRAINEX.

“Prior studies have found that the Great Plains is a hotspot where soil moisture plays an important role in cloud formation and precipitation,” said Nick Anderson, a program director in NSF’s Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, which funded the research. “Changes in land use and irrigation for agricultural activities could be important in land-atmosphere interactions in this region. The results from this study will be valuable to our understanding of the link between irrigation and precipitation.”

Scientists from six partner institutions — the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), Western Kentucky University (WKU), University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH), University of Colorado at Boulder (CU), National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the Center for Severe Weather Research — began collecting data in late May across a 3,600-square-mile area in southeastern Nebraska. The data collection will continue through the end of July.

The results of the study will eventually help agricultural planning and weather forecasting in the United States and other parts of the world, the researchers said.

Rezaul Mahmood, director of the High Plains Regional Climate Center at UNL, is leading the project. Other co-leaders are Udaysankar Nair of UAH, Eric Rappin of WKU, and Roger Pielke Sr. of CU.

“We designed this research project to take place over a two-month period to allow us to understand the impacts of irrigation right when it begins, and during its maximum application in mid- to late July,” Mahmood said.

“The study includes the transition region between extensively irrigated areas and dry land or non-irrigated areas. The experiment’s setting offers a unique opportunity to investigate the influence of these different land surface and land cover regions side by side.”

The project includes deployment of 80 meteorological stations and several different methods to collect data:

Measurements of fluxes of water and energy from six irrigated and six non-irrigated locations.
Radar observations of the lower atmosphere from three locations.
Weather balloon-based observations of the atmosphere from five locations.
Two surface locations with a series of instruments that collect data on the lower atmosphere.
These data will be analyzed and used, along with model applications, to determine the impacts of irrigation on precipitation in the Great Plains. The team will use NCAR’s supercomputing facility, in addition to computational facilities at WKU, UAH and UNL, for the modeling.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2018, its budget is $7.8 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 50,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards.

(Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced new procedures for the release of market-affecting crop and livestock reports from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) to ensure that all members of the public have access to the information at the same time. Under current “Lockup” procedures, information is released to the public at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern), though the news media are allowed access approximately 90 minutes early, with their reports embargoed until the noon release time. Prompted by inquiries from the public, USDA examined the procedures and determined that technological advancements have afforded recipients of customized media reports a market advantage not enjoyed by members of the general public. The USDA also sought analytical assistance from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to help inform a policy update to the lockup procedures. As a result, beginning August 1, 2018, USDA will provide media the same access to the NASS and WAOB reports as the public, with the information becoming available to all at 12:00 p.m. on days the reports are released.

“These reports are greatly anticipated each time they are released, and they can have significant market impacts,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “Everyone who has interest in the USDA reports should have the same access as anyone else. Modern technology and current trading tactics have made microseconds a factor. This change addresses the ‘head start’ of a few microseconds that can amount to a market advantage. The new procedures will level the playing field and make the issuance of the reports fair to everyone involved.”

Background: Current Process
USDA produces a number of reports with significant market impacts, such as commodity futures sold on the Chicago Board of Trade. Those reports are prepared by NASS and WAOB staff under special “lockup” conditions at USDA: no electronic transmission devices are permitted into lockup (such as cellular telephones) and once people enter the lockup they cannot leave until the reports are sent out to the public at 12:00 p.m.

The public is allowed to enter lockup at 10:30 a.m. to hear about the lockup facility and to sit in on the data briefing that occurs at approximately 11:45 a.m. Again, no transmission devices are allowed into lockup and the public is not allowed to leave until 12:00 p.m.

Lockup is open to any media outlet that meets a set of strict standards. Currently, six news services participate in lockup and are given pre-access to reports: Associated Press, Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal, Thompson Reuters, Market News Int’l/Deutsche Boerse, Bloomberg News, and DTN/Progressive Farmer.

The media are provided an electronic copy of the report at 10:30 a.m.
The media write their articles and other custom reports between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
The media transmit their information at 12:00 p.m.
It takes USDA data roughly 2 seconds to be transmitted and posted for the public to read. Meanwhile, press organizations have access to high-speed fiber optic lines out of the USDA lockup and advertise paid services to clients that offer ‘ultra-low latency’ data transmission speed. They have approximately 90 minutes to distill the reports down to their clients’ needs.

There is evidence to suggest that there is significant trading activity worth millions of dollars that occurs in the one to two second period immediately following 12:00 p.m., which could not be based on the public reading of USDA data. The inference is that private agents are paying the news agencies for faster data transmission to get a jump on the market.

What is USDA doing to fix this?
USDA is requiring the media to participate in lockup in the same way as the public. Media will no longer receive the reports in advance nor can they utilize high-speed transmission cables from within USDA’s lockup facility.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

WASHINGTON, – Today, the Technology Modernization Fund Board (Board) awarded funding to support the development of USDA’s Farmers.gov customer experience portal, which helps better connect America’s farmers, ranchers, conservationists, and private foresters with vital USDA resources and programs. The Board is chaired by the Federal Chief Information Officer for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Following the funding announcement from OMB, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey said, “Farmers.gov will provide a user-friendly portal for connecting agricultural producers to the USDA services and programs they need. This new resource also will reduce the time farmers need to take away from their fields today to fill out paperwork. We are very pleased that Farmers.gov is receiving funding to continue its development so USDA can improve the way we deliver services to our customers.”

Farmers.gov is mobile device-friendly and can identify for farmers the most convenient USDA office locations. Additional functions will be added to the site, including an interactive calendar, an online appointment feature, digital forms, and a business data dashboard. Additionally, when the 2018 Farm Bill is signed into law, there will be plain language program descriptions and a tool to determine eligibility.

To learn about the Farmers.gov vision, USDA’s farmer-centered design principles, and roadmap for the website, visit the Farmers.gov playbook at www.farmers.gov/playbook.

CINCINNATI, The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) is uplifting #StopFoodWasteDay by celebrating its social impact plan Zero Hunger | Zero Waste—the retailer’s commitment to end hunger in the communities it calls home and eliminate waste across the company by 2025.

“Since launching Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative last September, we’ve taken big steps to advance our plan to end hunger in our communities and eliminate waste across the company by 2025,” said Jessica Adelman, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs. “Through our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program and charitable giving to end hunger company-wide, we provided 325 million meals in 2017 for food-insecure families across America.”

Kroger directed a total of $181 million in food and funds to end hunger in local communities and rescued 91.2 million pounds of safe nutritious food that could no longer be sold from its retail stores, or shipped from its distribution centers and manufacturing plants, for Feeding America® food banks last year alone. Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program started 10 years ago as its Perishable Donation Partnership.

“Zero Hunger | Zero Waste addresses a fundamental absurdity in our food system: 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. is thrown away, yet 1 in 8 Americans experiences hunger. As America’s grocer, we believe we should – and more importantly – we can do something to create positive change,” added Ms. Adelman. “We are intently focused on reducing food waste throughout our operations.”

Kroger is working with long-standing partner World Wildlife Fund (WWF), conducting a comprehensive food waste analysis to identify where the company stands today in its journey to zero food waste, and establish a framework for measuring and reporting food waste reduction going forward.

“You can’t improve what you don’t measure,” said Pete Pearson, Director of Food Loss and Waste for WWF. “Many businesses don’t understand how much waste they create and its tremendous environmental impact. Kroger’s zero waste goal comes at a critical time, and we hope more businesses follow their lead.”

Starting today, customers can visit the Kroger Facebook page to engage with the #ZeroHunger video by sharing an idea or photo that expresses ways shoppers can reduce food waste in their everyday lives. For each engagement, Kroger will donate $5 to WWF, up to $100,000.

Kroger recently introduced a blog series featuring easy tips and suggestions from the company’s chefs and sustainability leaders, like 10 Ways to Cut Down on Food Waste, to help customers become a part of the solution.

Kroger continues its work with valued partners Feeding America, WWF and ReFED to help the company achieve its vision.

To follow Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste journey, customers can sign up here for updates.

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

CINCINNATI, The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that its family of stores is hiring to fill an estimated 11,000 positions in its supermarket divisions, including nearly 2,000 management positions.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply at jobs.kroger.com.

The Kroger family of stores created 10,000 new jobs in 2017 and 12,000 in 2016. These figures do not include jobs created as a result of capital investment, such as temporary construction jobs, nor do they include increases due to the company’s mergers. Kroger and its subsidiaries today employ nearly half a million associates.

“Over the last decade, Kroger has added 100,000 new jobs in communities across America,” said Tim Massa, Kroger’s group vice president of human resources and labor relations. “In addition to fueling the U.S. economy, many of our supermarket jobs are an opportunity for associates to grow and advance their careers.”

In addition to job creation, Kroger is investing an incremental $500 million in associate wages, training and development over the next three years, as part of Restock Kroger. Last month in Cincinnati, for example, Kroger associates ratified a labor agreement with the UFCW 75 that set the stage for starting wage and overall wage increases in multiple markets across the country. The agreement raised starting wages to at least $10 per hour, and accelerated wage progressions to $11 an hour after one year of service, for associates in the Cincinnati/Dayton division.

Kroger has also committed to invest a significant portion of the tax benefit it received from the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in associates’ future, which the company plans to announce in detail this month.

“Kroger is a place where you can come for a job and stay for a career,” Mr. Massa added. “We are committed to creating great entry-level jobs and investing in our associates so they can reach their full potential.”

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

CINCINNATI,The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced it is expanding its partnership with Instacart to increase its customer delivery coverage area in 2018.

“As part of Restock Kroger, we are investing in redefining our customers’ grocery shopping experience by bringing online and offline seamlessly together,” said Yael Cosset, Kroger’s Chief Digital Officer. “Having grown our digital sales in 2017 by 90 percent, we continue to accelerate our digital roadmap in 2018 to make shopping with Kroger simpler and more personalized.”

Kroger currently delivers from more than 872 stores across the country, and it offers 1,091 curbside pickup locations with plans to add 500 new locations in 2018.

“When you look at Kroger’s customer coverage area for seamless shopping, two-thirds of our customers – more than 40 million households – have access to curbside pickup and/or delivery,” added Mr. Cosset. “Our goal is for these convenient services to be available to every customer.”

Kroger will continue to expand its seamless coverage area and enhance its digital shopping experience to provide customers with quicker and easier access to personalized products, recipes, digital coupons, weekly ads, smart shopping lists, and more. Kroger customers can experience the seamless experience by shopping on the company’s website or app.

“With the expansion of our Instacart partnership, it provides Kroger the opportunity to increase our delivery offerings even further and when you combine it with our successful curbside service, it will help us accelerate our ecommerce reach significantly,” continued Mr. Cosset.

“We are thrilled to work with Kroger and share the same vision of bringing same-day grocery delivery to more American households and cities every day,” said Nilam Ganenthiran, Instacart’s Chief Business Officer. “When an admired household brand such as Kroger unites with a leading technology platform in Instacart, it is our customers who ultimately win.”

Kroger now offers home delivery in 45 markets through Instacart and other delivery partners representing the following divisions: Atlanta; Central; Cincinnati; Columbus; Dallas; Dillons; Fred Meyer; Fry’s; Harris Teeter; Houston; King Soopers; Louisville; Mariano’s; Metro Market; Michigan; Mid-Atlantic; Nashville; Pic ‘n Save; Ralphs; QFC; and Smith’s.

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.