Kroger Family of Stores Hiring 10,000 Employees

PRESS RELEASE

CINCINNATI, Jan. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that its family of stores is hiring to fill an estimated 10,000 permanent positions in its supermarket divisions.

The company also announced that its total active workforce grew by more than 12,000 associates in 2016. Over the last eight years, Kroger has created more than 86,000 permanent, new jobs. 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 more than 443,000 associates.

"Kroger's growth trajectory continues to create opportunities for our people to advance their careers — and to do that in a fun, team environment with great benefits," said Tim Massa, Kroger's group vice president of human resources and labor relations. "We're looking for associates who are passionate about people and about food, and who want to make a difference for our customers, communities and each other."

"Kroger is a place where you can come for a job and stay for a career," he added, noting that about 70 percent of Kroger's store managers started as part-time clerks.

Kroger also hired more than 9,000 veterans in 2016, and has hired more than 44,000 veterans since 2009 as part of its commitment to active duty troops and the nation's 23 million veterans through "Honoring Our Heroes," a multi-faceted program the company designed to show the company's deep gratitude to military service men and women and their families. In addition, Kroger is proud to have helped the "100,000 Jobs Mission" surpass its original goal in January 2014, seven years early. The "100,000 Jobs Mission" is a coalition of more than 130 companies with the common goal of hiring more than 100,000 transitioning service members and military veterans by 2020.

Every day, the Kroger Family of Companies makes a difference in the lives of eight and a half million customers and 443,000 associates who shop or serve in 2,796 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Kroger and its subsidiaries operate an expanding ClickList offering — a personalized, order online, pick up at the store service – in addition to 2,253 pharmacies, 787 convenience stores, 324 fine jewelry stores, 1,439 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Kroger is recognized as one of America's most generous companies for its support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. A leader in supplier diversity, Kroger is a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable.