KROGER AND HORMEL FOODS DONATED GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR 12,000 HAMS TO FEED THE HUNGRY DURING HOLIDAYS

CINCINNATI, OH, January 13, 2003 -- With the help of customers across the country, The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and Hormel Foods donated gift certificates for 12,000 Hormel® CURE 81 hams to nonprofit organizations nationwide during the recent holiday season.

The donation, valued at $144,000, was based on the volume of qualifying Hormel Foods products purchased by shoppers at Kroger-owned stores since October, as part of the 13th annual HORMEL® Hams for the Holidays™ hunger-relief campaign. Eleven Company divisions that participated in the campaign distributed gift certificates for hams to various nonprofit organizations. The total donation of 36,000 pounds of ham was enough to feed approximately 140,000 people.

"This annual holiday promotion is another opportunity for Kroger and Hormel Foods to give something back to the communities which we serve," said Don McGeorge, Kroger executive vice president.

The HORMEL® Hams for the Holidays™ program has fed more than 16 million people since it began in 1989.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2002, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,461 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under approximately two dozen banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's, Fry's and Fry's Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 783 convenience stores, 441 fine jewelry stores, 341 supermarket fuel centers and 41 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.

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