SEATTLE AREA EMPLOYEES RATIFY NEW LABOR CONTRACTS

CINCINNATI, OH, August 27, 2004 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that grocery and meat employees who are members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 367 in Tacoma, Washington have ratified a new three-year contract. It is the same contract that was ratified August 15 by employees who are members of UFCW Locals 1105, 81, 381 and 44, and Teamsters Local 38 in the Puget Sound area.

The new agreements provide wages and benefits that will allow Fred Meyer and Quality Food Centers to compete with other retailers in the Puget Sound area.

With new contracts now in place in the Pacific Northwest, Kroger this year has reached major new labor agreements in Arizona, Memphis, Indianapolis, Houston, Detroit, Louisville and Nashville without a work stoppage.

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, and 42 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.

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