Kroger Honored by Million-Dollar Club Selection
Company Recognized for Supporting Hispanic Suppliers

Cincinnati, Ohio, September 23, 2011- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) proudly announced today its membership in the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Million Dollar Club.

Introduced by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) in 2010, the USHCC Million Dollar Club recognizes corporations that are leaders in supplier diversity and integrating Hispanic Business Enterprises (HBEs) into their strategic sourcing and procurement process. Corporations qualify by spending between $25 million to over $500 million with Hispanic suppliers, in the previous year.

This is Kroger's second consecutive year of qualifying for membership. The company was inducted in the $250 to $500 million annual expenditure category.

“The success of our business is linked to our efforts to encourage diversity throughout Kroger,” said Reuben Shaffer, Kroger's chief diversity officer. “We are honored to receive this recognition and value our membership in the U.S. Hispanic Chamber's Million Dollar Club, which reflects our ongoing commitment to supplier diversity. We look forward to continuing our strong partnerships with Hispanic-owned businesses and their help carrying out our Customer 1st strategy.”

In addition to supplier diversity, Kroger is also committed to developing a workforce that reflects the communities we serve, and meeting and exceeding the shopper needs of the growing multicultural market. Kroger currently employs nearly 40,000 associates who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino. On September 15, Kroger kicked off its annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, during which customers are invited to celebrate the richness of Latin American culture through special promotions with vendor partners, in-store food sampling and demonstrations, Hispanic Heritage-themed reusable bag giveaways, special events with concert ticket giveaways and a Hispanic Heritage Month-themed direct coupon mailing. More information about Kroger's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month can be found at www.celebratetheamericas.com.

A Spanish-language version of this release can be found here.

About The Kroger Co.
Kroger, the nation's largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 338,000 associates who serve customers in 2,439 supermarkets and multi- department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's. The company also operates 788 convenience stores, 361 fine jewelry stores, 1,046 supermarket fuel centers and 40 food processing plants in the U.S. Kroger, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, focuses its charitable efforts on supporting hunger relief, health and wellness initiatives, and local organizations in the communities it serves. For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com.

About the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of nearly 3 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that combined generate in excess of $400 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.ushcc.com.

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Kroger Contacts:
Media: Keith Dailey (513) 762-1304
Investors: Cindy Holmes (513) 762-4969

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