KROGER PROMOTES BOEHM TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND DOUGHERTY TO GROUP VICE PRESIDENT

CINCINNATI, OH, May 11, 2004 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that William T. Boehm has been promoted to senior vice president of the Company and president of Kroger Manufacturing. He succeeds Geoffrey J. Covert, senior vice president, who is on special assignment in retail operations and remains an officer of the Company.

Mr. Boehm previously served as group vice president of logistics, a position he had held since 2001. In his new position, he is responsible for overseeing all of the Company’s food processing operations. Mr. Boehm joined Kroger in 1981 as director of economic research and commodity analysis. In 1986, he was promoted to vice president of corporate planning and research. Three years later, Mr. Boehm was appointed vice president of grocery procurement. In 1994, he was promoted to vice president of logistics.

In addition, Kevin M. Dougherty has been promoted to group vice president of logistics. In his new role, he is responsible for Kroger's nationwide logistics network and supply chain operations, including distribution resources, transportation operations, capital management, facility planning, and supply chain technology. Mr. Dougherty joined Kroger in 2001 as vice president, supply chain operations. Prior to that, he had an independent consulting practice focusing on logistics and operational performance and held a number of key positions in logistics and information technology, including as U.S. president of an international logistics technology and automation company.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of fiscal 2003, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,532 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, Fry’s Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operated (either directly, through its subsidiaries or franchise agreements) 802 convenience stores, 440 fine jewelry stores, 466 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.

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