文章基本信息

标题：Kroger at work on 2005 business plan
作者：Monegain, Bernie
期刊名称：Gourmet News
印刷版ISSN：1052-4630
出版年度：2005
卷号：Feb 2005
出版社：United Publications, Inc.

Kroger at work on 2005 business plan

Monegain, Bernie

CINCINNATI-Kroger, one of the nation's largest grocery retailers, opened, expanded, relocated or acquired 30 food stores; remodeled 33 stores; and closed 20 stores January through October 2004.

Of the new stores opened and remodeled, Kroger executives did not specify how many were traditional supermarkets and how many were Kroger's new, upscale grocery format called Fresh Fare.

The Fresh Fare stores, geared to higher income neighborhoods, offer a more diverse product selection that include organic, vegetarian, gourmet and international foods and, usually, a Starbucks coffee station.

Today, Kroger has approximately 20 Fresh Fare stores in California, Michigan and Colorado.

Gourmet News was unable to contact a Kroger spokesperson before press time.

In a Dec. 7 call with analysts, Kroger executives said they were at work on the 2005 business plan that they planned to release at the time of Kroger's fourth-quarter report. Whether the chain plans to open Fresh Fare stores in new markets is likely to be revealed in an earnings call in March.

The Fresh Fare concept calls for smaller stores-25,000 square feet compared with Kroger's average supermarket of 55,000 square feet. Among the features are instore chefs that prepare take-out foods such as chicken cacciatore.

According to Kroger, Fresh Fare stores typically carry 600 types of produce, 74 varieties of mustard and 134 different olive oils.

The Fresh Fare format, introduced five years ago in California, is being inifstroduced in markets Kroger has identified as having a higher disposable income. Kroger and other traditional supermarkets face increasing competition from gourmet grocery stores, such as Trader Joe's, Westborn markets, Whole Foods and Wal-Mart.

Kroger operates 2,531 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under two dozen banners including Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's, Fry's, Fry's Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market.