KROGER ANNOUNCES JOSEPH PICHLER WILL RETIRE AS CHAIRMAN
David B. Dillon to be appointed Chairman at Shareholder’s Meeting in June

CINCINNATI, OH, February 9, 2004 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that Joseph A. Pichler, Chairman of the Board, will retire from Kroger and its Board on June 24, 2004, the date of the company’s annual shareholders meeting. As previously announced, the Board of Directors plans to elect David B. Dillon, Kroger’s Chief Executive Officer, to the additional position of Chairman, upon Mr. Pichler’s retirement. Mr. Pichler, 64, served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from 1990 until 2003, when Mr. Dillon, 52, was appointed CEO.

Mr. Pichler said, “This will complete the orderly succession process that was announced last year. The Board and I are very pleased with the leadership of Dave Dillon and his team. Kroger’s future is in good hands.”

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2003, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,530 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under 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 operated (either directly, through its subsidiaries or franchise agreements) 798 convenience stores, 445 fine jewelry stores, 442 supermarket fuel centers and 41 food processing plants. The Company contributed $106 million to local communities and non-profit organizations in 2002. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.

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