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Kroger is preparing to make some noticeable changes to its supermarkets, and shoppers may soon find fewer apparel and general merchandise aisles and more ready-to-eat meals as part of the strategy.<\/p>\n
The grocery giant plans to open approximately 110 new stores by 2029, introducing three redesigned formats that prioritize fresh food, prepared meals and online grocery orders.<\/p>\n
The changes mark a shift away from the one-stop shopping experience offered by some of Kroger’s larger stores. Those stores traditionally carried everything from groceries to clothing and household merchandise, and now that will change.<\/p>\n
Kroger wants to make fresh food and convenient meal options the centerpiece of its supermarkets as shoppers increasingly look for ways to save time and money.<\/p>\n
During its Investor Day last week on October 20, Kroger CEO Greg Foran outlined the company’s plan to become what he calls “America’s favorite grocer.”<\/p>\n
“We are making value more visible and focusing resources closer to the customer where we see the highest returns,” Foran said. <\/p>\n
For shoppers, however, the biggest changes may come down to what they see, or rather no longer see, in grocery aisles.<\/p>\n
Kroger’s new stores will change how shoppers buy groceries<\/p>\n
Kroger’s redesigned stores will come in three sizes, each intended to serve different shopping needs and markets.<\/p>\n
According to the company’s Investor Day presentation, the formats include:<\/p>\n
99,000 square feet: A full-scale format designed for high-volume markets with strong customer demand.<\/p>\n
75,000 square feet: A flexible format intended to serve a broader range of markets.<\/p>\n
50,000 square feet: A smaller design that allows Kroger to expand into communities where a large store may not make sense.<\/p>\n
Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger’s executive vice president and chief merchant and marketing officer, said the redesigned locations will deliver a “food-first experience.”<\/p>\n
This means expanding spaces dedicated to fresh produce, meat, seafood, ready-to-cook meals and Kroger’s own private-label products.<\/p>\n
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At the same time, the company wants to reduce space allocated to general merchandise and apparel, categories it thinks are less important to its core grocery customers.<\/p>\n
The new layouts will be a departure from some of Kroger’s larger Marketplace stores, which have usually emphasized a broader selection of nonfood merchandise.<\/p>\n
Kroger is also planning to introduce the new designs in its existing stores by remodeling them––meaning the changes won’t be limited to newly opened supermarkets alone.<\/p>\n
The timing is apt, given the broader shift in how Americans approach meals.<\/p>\n
An October 2026 report by FMI The Food Industry Association found that 56% of households combine home-prepared food with food prepared outside the home for dinner at least once a week.<\/p>\n
The study, which surveyed 1,480 U.S. grocery shoppers, also highlighted interest in:<\/p>\n
Meal bundles – meaning complete meals<\/p>\n
Heat-and-eat side dishes<\/p>\n
Family-size prepared options.<\/p>\n
Kroger is responding by planning to introduce more than 100 ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meals over the next year. Its meal offerings are already available in more than 600 stores.<\/p>\n
During the Investor Day presentation, Foran said Kroger already offers prepared meals priced at around $6 to $10, as well as $20 family meals and sushi platters.<\/p>\n
The strategy positions Kroger to compete more directly with restaurants for customers looking for convenient dinner options without cooking from scratch.<\/p>\n
Kroger to introduce 3 formats, opening 110 new stores by 2029.<\/p>\n
jetcityimage \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
Kroger to lower everyday prices and change grocery pickup<\/p>\n
The new layouts aren’t Kroger’s only planned changes.<\/p>\n
The company is also redesigning areas used to fulfill online grocery orders, with additional capacity for pickup and delivery services.<\/p>\n
Kroger is investing in artificial intelligence, digital shelf labels and other technology to improve store operations.<\/p>\n
Digital shelf labels are already installed in approximately 1,100 stores, with Kroger planning to expand their use to more than 2,400 locations by 2029.<\/p>\n
But convenience alone may not be enough to win shoppers over.<\/p>\n
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery prices rose 1.8% over the 12 months ending September 2026, while prices for meals away from home increased 3.5%.<\/p>\n
With food costs continuing to rise, shoppers may need more than a convenient store layout to make Kroger their preferred grocery destination.<\/p>\n
Kroger says it is also planning to invest $5 billion in customer value through 2029, including lowering everyday prices and simplifying promotions.<\/p>\n
During the Investor Day presentation, Adcock acknowledged that some promotional offers had become unnecessarily complicated, requiring shoppers to navigate multiple prices and conditions to secure discounts.<\/p>\n
The company plans to gradually shift some of its promotional spending in order to lower everyday shelf prices, both online and in stores.<\/p>\n
Kroger isn’t eliminating coupons or promotions but wants customers to recognize savings without having to navigate as many complicated offers.<\/p>\n
The retailer is also expanding its budget-focused Smart Way private-label brand, with plans to introduce 1,000 additional items over the next three years.<\/p>\n
Early tests involving lower prices and simpler promotions have already produced encouraging results, the company says, with Kroger reporting increased customer visits and stronger sales at participating stores.<\/p>\n
With shoppers increasingly choosing private labels over national brands, Kroger might benefit from adding to its existing private-label offerings.<\/p>\n
However, those changes will take time to reach customers across its network.<\/p>\n
Kroger expects to roll out its revised everyday-pricing approach at approximately 250 stores by the end of 2026 and around 700 stores by the end of 2027, with broader deployment planned for 2028 and 2029.<\/p>\n
As for the 110 new stores, Kroger intends to prioritize markets where it sees growth opportunities, although it has not provided a complete list of locations or opening dates.<\/p>\n
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