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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
“We are making value more visible and focusing resources closer to the customer where we see the highest returns,” Foran said.
For shoppers, however, the biggest changes may come down to what they see, or rather no longer see, in grocery aisles.
Kroger’s new stores will change how shoppers buy groceries
Kroger’s redesigned stores will come in three sizes, each intended to serve different shopping needs and markets.
According to the company’s Investor Day presentation, the formats include:
- 99,000 square feet: A full-scale format designed for high-volume markets with strong customer demand.
- 75,000 square feet: A flexible format intended to serve a broader range of markets.
- 50,000 square feet: A smaller design that allows Kroger to expand into communities where a large store may not make sense.
Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger’s executive vice president and chief merchant and marketing officer, said the redesigned locations will deliver a “food-first experience.”
This means expanding spaces dedicated to fresh produce, meat, seafood, ready-to-cook meals and Kroger’s own private-label products.
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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.
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.
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.
The timing is apt, given the broader shift in how Americans approach meals.
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.
The study, which surveyed 1,480 U.S. grocery shoppers, also highlighted interest in:
- Meal bundles – meaning complete meals
- Heat-and-eat side dishes
- Family-size prepared options.
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.
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.
The strategy positions Kroger to compete more directly with restaurants for customers looking for convenient dinner options without cooking from scratch.
Kroger to lower everyday prices and change grocery pickup
The new layouts aren’t Kroger’s only planned changes.
The company is also redesigning areas used to fulfill online grocery orders, with additional capacity for pickup and delivery services.
Kroger is investing in artificial intelligence, digital shelf labels and other technology to improve store operations.
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.
But convenience alone may not be enough to win shoppers over.
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%.
With food costs continuing to rise, shoppers may need more than a convenient store layout to make Kroger their preferred grocery destination.
Kroger says it is also planning to invest $5 billion in customer value through 2029, including lowering everyday prices and simplifying promotions.
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.
The company plans to gradually shift some of its promotional spending in order to lower everyday shelf prices, both online and in stores.
Kroger isn’t eliminating coupons or promotions but wants customers to recognize savings without having to navigate as many complicated offers.
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.
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.
With shoppers increasingly choosing private labels over national brands, Kroger might benefit from adding to its existing private-label offerings.
However, those changes will take time to reach customers across its network.
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.
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.
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