Kroger-owned companies (full list of companies)
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Due to its large number of subsidiaries, Kroger is the largest supermarket chain in the United States and the second largest general retailer after Walmart. While some companies like Fred Meyer and Fry’s are well known, you may find some subsidiaries surprising.
Having said that, here are 15 of Kroger’s largest subsidiaries in the country. Each of these stores offers different products and services. However, most of them operate almost similar products, which makes it easier to integrate operations for the growing Kroger!
Best-known companies owned by Kroger in 2022
Since its founding in 1883, Kroger has been acquiring some of the top grocery and retail stores as part of its expansion plans. Kroger’s family of companies includes multi-sector stores, supermarkets and market stores in 2022. This list includes Fred Meyer, Dillons, Fry’s and many others.
If you’re curious about how big Kroger is, especially the subsidiaries it manages, I’ve put together a list of all the companies, read on to learn more!
1. Fred Meyer
Fred Meyer was Kroger’s largest merger in 1999, as Fred Meyer also owned Food 4 Less, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s at the time.
Fred Meyer is a one-stop shop for a variety of products including fresh fruit and vegetables, beverages, dairy, electronics, cleaning products and other household items.
Additionally, Fred Meyer has a pharmacy and wellness section where customers can get health and wellness, beauty and personal care products, as well as vitamins and supplements.
On average, Fred Meyer stores are over 165,000 square feet and stock more than 225,000 products under one roof.
The $13 billion merger with Fred Meyer creates a supermarket chain with the broadest format and widest geographic reach.
2. Dillon
Kroger bought Dillons, a grocery store in Kansas, in 1983 in exchange for stock worth about $750 million.
The merger played a key role in the growth of the Kroger brand.
Thanks to the Dillon deal, Kroger became a coast-to-coast operator specializing in food, medicine and convenience stores.
As a division of Kroger, Dillon offers to operate grocery stores in various states, including Kansas, Manhattan, Wichita and Topeka.
Since the merger, Dillon has operated like the Kroger supermarket chain and offers different types of products.
The Dillon merger also brought other retailers into the Kroger family.
3. Fry
Fry’s and Kroger were linked in 1983 when Kroger merged with the US grocery chain Dillons.
Fry’s was sold to Dillons in 1972; thus, when Dillon merged with Kroger, it automatically became part of the Kroger Group. However, despite the merger, Fry’s retained its brand name.
Part of the Kroger family of companies, Frye is the dominant brand in Arizona.
In fact, Kroger renamed most of Smith’s food and drug centers to Fry. Currently, Fry’s has more than 120 locations in the United States, most of which are located in Arizona.
4. Ralphs
Ralphs is a division of the supermarket chain Kroger. One of Kroger’s largest subsidiaries, it was acquired as part of a merger with Fred Meyer.
Fred Meyer acquired Ralphs in 1997 as part of its expansion plans. As a result, Kroger became owner of Ralph after it merged with Fred Meyer in 1998.
As of March 2022, there were 189 Ralph locations in the U.S., with the majority located in California.
This merger with Roundy expands Kroger’s reach into the northern Midwest and mid-Atlantic states of the United States.
5. Food 4 less
Similar to Fry’s, Food 4 Less was also acquired by Kroger as part of a merger with Ralphs. Food 4 Less merged with Ralphs in 1995 to offer customers a wider variety of products.
By adding Food 4 Less to its corporate portfolio, Kroger has expanded its reach and opened more stores in different U.S. locations
Through the website, customers can access Food 4 Less services such as online shopping, access to coupons, store locator and online food orders.
6. Harris wobbles
Kroger bought Harris Teeter, which owns 212 supermarket chains, for about $2.5 billion.
In addition, Kroger assumed about $100 million of Harris Teeter’s outstanding debt during the acquisition.
According to Kroger’s CEO, the 2014 acquisition happened because the company foresaw Amazon’s foray into the grocery business.
So Kroger made the move before Amazon bought Whole Foods in 2017.
Harris Teeter also has more than 200 locations, contributing to Kroger’s overall growth.
7. Smith Foods and Drugs
Smith’s is a supermarket chain that was founded in 1911 and became a subsidiary of Kroger in 1997 through Fred Meyer’s $700 million stock deal.
Therefore, when Fred Meyer merged with Kroger, Smith’s automatically became a division of Kroger.
8. Round
Roundy’s Supermarkets has been a Kroger subsidiary since 2015.
As the leading grocer in the Midwest, Roundy’s operates approximately 150 retail grocery stores as part of the Kroger brand.
Most of Roundy’s stores operate under different flags in Illinois and Wisconsin. They include Pick ‘n Save, Metro Market and Mariano’s.
9. QFC
Quality Food Centers (QFC) is a supermarket chain with locations in Washington, Oregon and Portland.
A subsidiary of Kroger, QFC was sold to Fred Meyer in 1997 before merging with Kroger in 1998.
Like other Kroger stores, QFC stocks everything from food to furniture and toiletries.
10. King Suppers
King Soopers is a supermarket brand headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The supermarket became part of Kroger through Dillon.
The Dillon Company acquired King Soopers in 1957; therefore, when the company was acquired by Kroger, King Soopers automatically became part of Kroger.
5 lesser-known companies owned by Kroger
While most of the brands mentioned are well known, there are other smaller companies that remain part of the Kroger family of companies, such as:
1. City Market
Urban Market represents Kroger’s brand in the Rocky Mountains. The supermarket chain is headquartered in Colorado.
In 1969, the Dillon Company acquired City Market; thus, after Kroger merged with Dillon, it became part of the Kroger family of companies.
2. Gebbs
Gerbes Supermarket was founded in Tipton, Missouri in 1933 by Frank J. Gerbes. Years later, Gerebs merged with the Dillon Companies to become the larger supermarket chain.
As a result of the Dillon-Kroger merger in 1983, Gerbes became part of the Kroger family.
3. Mariano’s
Mariano’s is a grocery chain operating in the Midwest. Like other supermarket and grocery chains, Mariano sells a variety of food and beverages.
Additionally, you can buy kitchen and dining supplies, furniture and groceries. Customers can shop online and get free shipping and gas credits.
4. Subway Market
Metro Market is one of the retail brands of Roundy’s, a subsidiary of Kroger. Launched in 2004, this smaller store concept is prominent in areas like Milwaukee and Madison.
The retailer competes with the likes of Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s.
5. Select ‘n save
Similar to Metro Market, Pick ‘n Save stores are also under the Roundy brand. The stores started operating using the warehouse food store concept.
Today, however, they have grown into traditional supermarket chains where customers can buy different types of products.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on Kroger competitors, Kroger SWOT analysis, and what Kroger is.
in conclusion
Since its founding 140 years ago, The Kroger Company has continued to innovate and acquire brands to expand its U.S. presence
As the largest grocer in the United States, Kroger now has about 2,800 stores in 35 states, operating under various names.
These stores provide customers with a one-stop shopping experience as they have everything from organic vegetables, basic grocery staples, hot meals, whole foods, in-store pharmacies and fuel centers in various locations.