KROGER’S HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS WILL EXCEED $6 MILLION

CINCINNATI, OH, September 22, 2005 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today said it expects to provide more than $6 million for hurricane relief efforts.

On September 1, Kroger began accepting customer donations at all of the Company’s 3,300+ supermarkets, multi-department stores and convenience stores. The Company’s 289,000 associates were also offered the opportunity to help, and the company’s charitable foundations pledged to match associates’ donations up to a total of $500,000.

In the first 17 days, customers and employees contributed more than $4.5 million, including the Company’s match. The funds will be forwarded directly to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts.

“I am tremendously proud of the way our customers and associates across the country have responded to this tragedy,” said David B. Dillon, Kroger chairman and chief executive officer.

In addition, Kroger last week made available up to $1.5 million in aid, based upon local needs. Kroger division presidents in Memphis and Houston reached out to the governors of Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee to offer assistance as those states work to feed and shelter many thousands of evacuees displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

As a part of the Company’s aid, Kroger’s Southwest division in Texas has provided $50,000 to the Houston Katrina Relief Fund and donated $250,000 in gift cards to be distributed to evacuees currently living in Dallas and Houston. Kroger pharmacists are assisting people displaced by the storm and have donated more than $180,000 in prescription medicines to victims in Texas and Louisiana. With the help of Kroger manufacturing plants and vendor partners, the Company delivered 30 truckloads of food, water and other products to feed residents at the Houston Astrodome, and donated $50,000 to the North Texas Food Bank in Dallas. Kroger operates 215 stores in Texas and Louisiana.

While Kroger stores in Mississippi suffered only minor damage and loss of power in the storm, the Company’s Delta division, based in Memphis, mobilized quickly to reopen those stores and begin sending truckloads of water, food and other products to coastal communities battered by Katrina. The division has donated 55 truckloads of product to shelters and food bank operations in the affected region.

Kroger reached out with donations of $50,000 to governmental relief funds established by Mississippi and Arkansas to assist rebuilding efforts and evacuees. Additional donations of $50,000 were provided to similar organizations created by Jackson, Mississippi and Memphis. Earlier this week, the Company donated $200,000 in school supplies to local school districts in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee that have enrolled children displaced by Katrina. Kroger operates 189 stores in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Kroger stores and associates across the Company have been actively involved in assisting Hurricane Katrina’s victims. Nearly 70 truckloads of food, water, baby food and personal care items have been collected through outreach projects in local stores. During a 10-day relief drive in Kansas, nearly 40 truckloads of food and other products were collected at three of Kroger’s Dillon Stores locations, which served as the drop-off points for the regional event. Product donations are being directed to America’s Second Harvest food banks, to be distributed in the communities assisting evacuees.

Individual stores around the country are partnering with smaller relief agencies at the local level to assist evacuees who have been moved to those areas. Company associates volunteered at shelters and food banks, collected food, clothing, toys and household items for families moving into the local community, and gathered school supplies and clothing for displaced children starting school in new locations.

The Company’s stores will continue to accept donations for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund through the end of the month. The Company remains in close contact with the Red Cross and other community organizations, especially Second Harvest food banks, and stands ready to provide assistance as needed.

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 or through 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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