Kroger is the quiet category killer in groceries, with strong customer loyalty, tantalizing variety and sweet-spot pricing. Within 24 months, Kroger will pass the more renowned Whole Foods Market as the #1 purveyor of organic and natural foods in the US, according to JP Morgan. Kroger has reported 45 straight quarters of positive comparable-store sales.
Increasing its focus on organic and natural products to meet customer demand, Kroger has an advantage over Whole Foods due to its sheer size. Kroger has 2,000+ locations while Whole Foods currently has 287, according to Business Insider. Kroger’s 2014 sales were $108.5 billion. Kroger’s own organic/natural brand, Simple Truth, accounted for $1 billion of it. Both companies are expanding retail operations.
