Kroger Plans 3000 Corporate Job Cuts Over Three Years

Cincinnati based grocery chain Kroger plans to cut about 3,000 corporate jobs over the next three years as the company reduces its corporate workforce, according to reports from Local 12, Bloomberg and Grocery Dive.

Kroger has about 8,200 corporate workers, and the planned reductions would affect the company’s corporate staff as it seeks to simplify operations, reduce prices and invest in frontline employees, according to Bloomberg.

Local 12 reported that Kroger CEO Greg Foran sent a memo to employees outlining the workforce reduction plan. Bloomberg reported the company also plans to increase its use of artificial intelligence.

"As a company, we have made great progress on many fronts with our customers. We started reducing prices and improving our customer experience in stores and online, and we made investments in simplifying our associates’ lives through technology. Our business is becoming leaner, more focused and more competitive. We are working to be more agile; more precise in our execution; and deliver benefits to our customers, associates and our shareholders," said Greg Foran, CEO.

Foran became Kroger CEO in February after previously working as a Walmart executive. Bloomberg reported the planned cuts are among the largest in Kroger’s 143-year history.

The memo did not provide a specific timeline for the layoffs, according to Grocery Dive. The company previously eliminated about 1,000 corporate positions last year.

Kroger operates more than 2,700 stores under multiple banner names. In July, the company announced a $1.65 billion purchase of regional grocery chain Giant Eagle, according to the source report.

The Giant Eagle transaction is expected to close in 2027 pending regulatory approval. Giant Eagle will continue operating under its name as a Kroger division, with 197 supermarkets and 11 pharmacies across five states, including locations in Northeast Ohio.