PERRY PROMOTED TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF KROGER

CINCINNATI, OH, July 15, 2003 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that M. Marnette Perry has been promoted to senior vice president, with responsibility for several retail operating divisions.

Since March, Ms. Perry served as group vice president of perishables merchandising and procurement. Prior to that, she was president of Kroger's former Columbus division, which earlier this year was consolidated with Kroger's Michigan division and renamed the Great Lakes division. She had held that position since 2000.

Ms. Perry joined Kroger in 1972 as a part-time cashier in Portsmouth, Ohio, while attending Ohio University. Ms. Perry has held a variety of management positions during her 31-year career at Kroger. In the 1980s, she helped develop Kroger's natural foods and floral programs, and later became director of produce merchandising and procurement. In that role, she coordinated the operation of Kroger's Wesco produce buying operation, one of the largest in the nation. She also served as vice president of merchandising in Kroger's Delta division, based in Memphis. In 1997, Ms. Perry was promoted to president of Kroger's Michigan division.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains. At the end of fiscal 2002, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,488 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under approximately 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 or through its subsidiaries) 784 convenience stores, 441 fine jewelry stores, 376 supermarket fuel centers and 41 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.

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