KROGER CAMPAIGN WILL RAISE $4 MILLION FOR AMERICA’S SECOND HARVEST

“Bringing Hope to the Table” drive will provide food and cash donations to more than 85 food banks nationwide

CINCINNATI, OH, May 24, 2006 – As part of its continuing leadership in the fight against hunger, The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) is launching “Bringing Hope to the Table,” a two-week campaign beginning in late May to support America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.

With the help of several vendor partners, the campaign will raise $3 million in cash and $1 million in food donations to assist more than 85 local food banks serving communities where the Company’s customers and associates live and work. Each time customers purchase participating items during the campaign, they will be supporting food banks in the local community. Eligible items will be marked with pink “Bringing Hope to the Table” shelf tags and include products made by Kellogg®, Coca-Cola®, ConAgra®, Nestle®, Edy’s/Dreyers® and brands represented by Acosta Sales and Marketing.

“Kroger has a longstanding tradition of giving back to the communities we serve,” said David B. Dillon, Kroger chairman and chief executive officer. “As one of the largest retail grocers in the country, we are committed to the fight against hunger, and we’ve timed ‘Bringing Hope to the Table’ to draw attention to this important issue as we approach Hunger Awareness Day on June 6.

“We at Kroger also thank the manufacturers who have joined with us to make this drive possible,” Dillon added.

The $4 million in total donations will be shared by 86 neighborhood food banks. Kroger banner stores across the Company will participate in the campaign, including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Dillons, King Soopers, City Market, Fry’s, QFC, Food 4 Less and Smith’s.

Kroger has been helping lead the fight against hunger in the United States for more than 25 years. In the past five years, the Company has donated more than 135 million pounds of food and groceries, valued at more than $200 million, to Second Harvest.

"Kroger's ‘Bringing Hope to the Table’ promotion is the largest promotion of its kind for our network,” said Vicki B. Escarra, president and chief executive officer of America’s Second Harvest. “It brings together retailer and manufacturing partners to help end hunger in local communities. Kroger, the participating manufacturers and Acosta Sales and Marketing

agency are to be commended for their efforts to feed the nation's hungry. We're extremely grateful for the commitment to hunger relief that is demonstrated by this donation."

America's Second Harvest is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the country with a network of more than 200 member food banks and food-rescue organizations serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The America's Second Harvest network secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually.

In 2005, the Second Harvest network helped feed 25 million Americans, including 9 million children and 3 million senior citizens. More than 35% of the households seeking assistance had at least one employed adult, and roughly 40% of those who received help reported having to choose between purchasing food and paying for other basic necessities – such as rent, utilities and medicines. To learn more about the scope of hunger in America, visit www.secondharvest.org.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of fiscal 2005, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,507 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith’s and Smith’s Marketplace, Fry’s and Fry’s Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operated (either directly or through subsidiaries, franchise agreements, or operating agreements) 791 convenience stores, 428 fine jewelry stores, 579 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at http://www.kroger.com.

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