KROGER AND UFCW LOCAL 1059 REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON NEW CONTRACT COVERING 10,000 ASSOCIATES IN CENTRAL OHIO

CINCINNATI, OH, November 16, 2005 – The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today said it has reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 1059 in Columbus, Ohio.

The tentative agreement covers approximately 10,000 Kroger associates at 82 stores in central Ohio. The UFCW will present the tentative agreement to its members for ratification Friday. Kroger has been told by the UFCW that the union will recommend ratification to its membership. Details of the settlement are not being released at this time.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2005, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,515 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 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, 431 fine jewelry stores, 559 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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