Kroger is an American retailer that is known for combining a plethora of services into one store to meet all of their customers needs in one trip. The company was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio during 1883 and started out as a simple grocery store, but has now evolved into a nationwide brand that can offer groceries, jewelry, and more. Here are five things you didn’t know about Kroger.
5. They offer personal finance
In 2007, Kroger presented their newest service of personal finance to help with mortgages, home equity loans, pet, renter’s and home insurance as well as identity theft protection and wireless services. Customers can get store credit or debit cards through Visa that function like normal cards but the financials are handled by Kroger.
4. i-Wireless
The company offers i-wireless within their stores; a private wireless service provider that operate through the Kroger stores. i-Wireless even offers their customers points for using their phone and data that can be used for tons of purchases within the Kroger stores. It functions on the Spring network and customers have the option to set up a monthly, pay per use, or unlimited plan with the market’s most popular smart phones.
3. Seafood Stability Controversy
In 2008, Kroger dealt with some ongoing controversy from Greenpeace, who had started observing and documenting the seafood sustainability practices by all of America’s supermarkets. Many fish species are being harmed from overfishing and Kroger was listed as selling 17 of 22 “red list” fish species in 2013.
2. They have acquired a large amount of companies
Kroger has been around since 1883, and since then they have not stopped growing. As the company expanded to include other areas of service, they continued to acquire companies that would provide them with the tools to incorporate the business into Kroger. Since their beginning, Kroger has acquired 42 companies including Baker’s Supermarkets, Fred Meyer Jewelers, and Turkey Hill Minit Markets to name a few.
1. They compete with America’s top retailers
Kroger offers so many services that they are considered an American retailer. This puts them into the same category as stores like Walmart, SuperTarget, Super Kmart, and more, which is very competitive. While their market cap, which is curently $25.47 billion, is slightly lower compared to competitors, they have still been able to deliver the products and services necessary to be one of the country’s top retailers.
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