Kroger announces employee layoffs amid strategic restructuring
Supermarket giant Kroger is laying off an unspecified number of employees.
Based in downtown Cincinnati, Kroger employs 414,000 workers nationwide, including roughly 20,000 in Greater Cincinnati. The job cuts were not disclosed in any filings with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the state of Ohio.
Store and store division officials won't be affected. Kroger operates 76 stores in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky employing 14,500 associates.
"We are focusing on key priority areas that support our go-to-market strategy. As part of this prioritization work, we announced team restructures and a small number of eliminated roles to improve efficiency," Kroger said in a statement.
Cuts come after failed Albertsons merger
A story by the Cincinnati Business Courier said the cuts were "a couple hundred jobs," mostly consultants on projects being discontinued, citing unnamed sources.
The move comes almost two months after Kroger's $25 billion proposed takeover of Albertsons was called off by the Boise, Idaho-headquartered retailer, which also sued Kroger for allegedly botching the regulatory approval. Last month, Albertsons disclosed it was cutting several hundred jobs.
Kroger operates more than 2,700 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia. It operates stores under the Kroger banner name as well as Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Harris Teeter, Pick ‘n Save, Dillons, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Fry’s, QFC and others.
This story was updated to add a video.