KROGER NAMED ONE OF AMERICA'S "100 BEST CORPORATE CITIZENS"
BY BUSINESS ETHICS MAGAZINE FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

CINCINNATI, OH, March 28, 2001 - For the second consecutive year, The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) has been named one of America's "100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Business Ethics, a national publication that highlights corporate social responsibility.

Kroger ranked 57th on the list, which honors companies that do the best job of serving the following stakeholder groups: employees, stockholders, customers, the community and the environment. The magazine analyzed a variety of data, including volunteer and community activities, philanthropy, workforce diversity, and employee benefits and safety issues. Rankings were assigned by researchers at Boston College's Carroll School of Management, using social rankings compiled by Kinder, Lyndenberg, Domini & Co., a social research firm.

"It is an honor to be recognized among the most socially responsible companies in America for the second consecutive year," said Joseph A. Pichler, Kroger chairman and chief executive officer. "Kroger has always placed a strong emphasis on giving something back to our communities, whether through charitable giving; volunteer work by our associates; or our strong support of schools, civic causes and hunger relief programs."

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the fourth quarter, the Company operated 2,354 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under nearly two dozen banners, including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Smith's, King Soopers, Dillon, Fry's, City Market, Food 4 Less and Quality Food Centers. Kroger also operates 789 convenience stores, 398 fine jewelry stores, 77 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants.

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