Kroger Fills It Up

The Kroger Co. (Cincinnati) has opened its 300th supermarket fuel center in three and a half years, in League City, Texas.

The nation's largest supermarket chain began selling gasoline at its stores in late 1998, with a facility in Colorado. Today, it operates supermarket fuel centers in 25 states and every retail division except Food 4 Less (which plans to open its first gas site in a few weeks). Kroger expects to have more than 350 supermarket fuel centers open by the end of fiscal 2002.

“Supermarket fuel is a natural addition to [any retailer's] one-stop-shopping strategy,” said David Dillon, Kroger president and coo. “Our fuel centers . . . build on many years of experience selling gas through most of our convenience stores.”

Kroger operates 2429 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under the Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's, Fry's and Fry's Marketplace, Dillon, QFC and City Market banners. It also operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 780 convenience stores, plus 436 jewelry stores and 41 food processing plants.