Doing Business with Kroger

There are two categories of business opportunities with Kroger:

• Supplying merchandise for sale in Kroger stores; and
• Supplying services and not for resale goods.
  

Retail Sales

The grocery business is highly competitive. Kroger earns less than a penny per $1 of sales in profit. These razor-sharp margins make the retail environment challenging for all suppliers.

Kroger stores typically carry 40,000-50,000 items. Competition for shelf space is intense. Customer acceptance as demonstrated by sales is used to measure product performance.

Our company has 17 retail divisions, which are organized on a geographic basis. Kroger’s Merchandising Group (“KMG”) in Cincinnati directs and coordinates most of the Company’s retail buying process by bringing together top merchants in almost every major category to develop strategies and direct merchandise selection.

While most of the Company’s merchandise selections are driven by KMG teams, local retail divisions round out their merchandise by directly buying items that reflect local preferences. This allows our retail divisions to tailor their stores’ offerings to meet local market demographics and regional preferences. These items are purchased by division buyers from suppliers that can offer quality and outstanding service at a competitive price.

Minority- and women-owned businesses with resale goods receive guidance and consultation from Kroger buyers and merchandisers both in Cincinnati and in the retail divisions to help them become Kroger suppliers. Whether or not they are able to supply our stores, Kroger’s goal is to help them develop their businesses.

Steps to Follow

1. Complete the Supplier Diversity Program registration form (Please click on link at bottom of this page).
2. Review the supplier questionnaire, which can be found by clicking on the link "Answering Key Questions," and be prepared to answer these questions.
3. Contact Kroger’s Supplier Diversity Manager, who can answer initial questions and refer prospective suppliers to appropriate buyers within our organization.
4. Follow up with key contacts provided. Each buyer is responsible for the final decision on whether to purchase a product.
   

Services and Not for Resale Goods and Supplies

It takes many services and products to support the day-to-day operation of more than 2,500 stores with 289,000 employees and 42 manufacturing plants. As a result, we seek companies that can provide goods and services that are high-quality, cost-effective and technologically advanced.

Not for Resale services and goods include:

• Facility construction and renovation
• Store supplies and services
• Distribution and transportation
• Information technology
• Financial services
  

Kroger’s Corporate Supplies Procurement Group in Cincinnati purchases the majority of the retail divisions’ operating supplies, including bags, cleaning supplies, and uniforms. Services such as laundry, inventory management, security, transportation, and technology also are procured and coordinated through Kroger’s headquarters in Cincinnati. Kroger’s equipment procurement group in Cincinnati oversees purchases of store equipment. The financial services group in Cincinnati is responsible for decisions about investments, cash handling, and financial services.

Kroger Manufacturing also uses a centralized purchasing group in Cincinnati. This group is responsible for buying the raw materials, supplies and services that we use in our plants.

Store construction and remodeling are handled in the retail division headquarters. The facilities engineering groups located in the retail division headquarters oversee the construction and remodeling of stores in their geographic region.

Steps to Follow

1. Complete the Supplier Diversity Program registration form (Please click on link at the bottom of this page).
2. Review the supplier questionnaire, which can be found by clicking on the link "Answering Key Questions," and be prepared to answer these questions.
3. Contact Kroger’s Supplier Diversity Manager, who can answer initial questions and refer prospective suppliers to appropriate buyers within Kroger.
4. Follow up with key contacts provided. Each buyer is responsible for the final decision on whether to purchase a product.
   

Established more than 25 years ago, Kroger’s Supplier Diversity Program has played an important role in helping Kroger, MBEs and WBEs grow and develop. Being prepared for the marketplace is a complex challenge. Kroger’s Supplier Diversity Program helps MBEs and WBEs analyze their business capabilities to determine whether their products or services fit within Kroger’s corporate strategies and the market as a whole.

As Kroger continues to grow, we are committed to doing our part to ensure that minority-owned and women-owned businesses are a part of the mainstream of our Company and our nation’s free enterprise system.

Printable Supplier Diversity Program Brochure
Printable Supplier Diversity Program Form

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Completed Supplier Diversity Program Forms should be sent to:
Ms. Denise Thomas
Director, Corporate Supplier Diversity - The Kroger Co.
1014 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202-1100.