JOSEPH PICHLER RETIRES AS KROGER CHAIRMAN

CINCINNATI, OH, June 24, 2004 – Joseph A. Pichler, who helped guide The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) through a financial restructuring in 1988 and a decade later engineered the largest merger in Kroger’s history, today retired as Chairman of the Company after 24 years of service.

Mr. Pichler served as Chairman of the Company from 1990 to 2004 and as Chief Executive Officer from 1990 to 2003. Prior to that, he held a variety of executive positions at Kroger and Dillon Companies, which merged with Kroger in 1983. Under his leadership, Kroger grew from approximately 1,200 supermarkets and $20 billion in annual sales to one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains, with more than 2,500 stores, $54 billion in annual sales and 290,000 associates. Mr. Pichler also led Kroger through its 1999 merger with Fred Meyer, Inc.

As expected, the Board of Directors today elected David B. Dillon, Kroger’s chief executive officer, to the additional post of chairman.

“Joe devoted his career at Kroger to building on the organization’s strengths and positioning the Company for a bright, successful future,” said Mr. Dillon. “Joe led by example. He believed the trust and confidence of our customers, associates, investors and communities was something we had to earn every day.”

In other news from the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders today, the Board elected Jon C. Flora as an officer of the Company. Mr. Flora had been promoted to senior vice president earlier this month. As previously announced, Richard K. Davidson resigned from the Board.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2004, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,536 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, franchise agreements, or operating agreements) 794 convenience stores, 439 fine jewelry stores, 487 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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