AM I NEXT? NO LOVE -- LAYOFFS AT KROGER

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger, the largest supermarket chain by revenue, has announced the closure of its 190,000-square-foot building Columbus, Ohio bakery and the layoff of 411 workers.

The decision appears to have been based on an aging facility first opened in 1928.

A Kroger spokesperson noted, “After evaluation of the equipment and layout of the plant, it became clear that the outdated layout and age of the equipment were no longer sustainable for us to remain competitive.

Production at the plant will cease immediately and the process of decommissioning its operations is expected to take 60 – 90 days. To keep competitive with the markets nowadays, we have to make some tough decisions.

Workers will be paid for 60 days before receiving severance based on years of service per their collective bargaining agreement with the company.” The property will be sold and the work transitioned to other facilities or farmed out to third-party contract bakers.

There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

NO LOVE AT KROGER MARKETS (02/18/25)

FEBRUARY 18, 2025 — 200 HQ EMPLOYEES

Kroger announced that it is eliminating up to 200 positions across three office sites at its Cincinnati, Ohio, headquarters.

A Kroger spokesperson has confirmed the layoffs but provided no details about the restructuring, commenting, “As we continue delivering fresh, affordable food to our customers, we are focusing on key priority areas that support our go-to-market strategy. As part of this prioritization work, we announced team restructures and a small number of eliminated roles to improve efficiency.”

APRIL 7, 2024 — KRONGER EXITS TEXAS

The company has announced that it will shut down its delivery services in San Antonio, Texas, and Austin, Texas, by the end of May 25, 2024.

The closure of delivery hubs will impact 125 employees, including 73 employees in San Antonio, and 52 employees in Austin. 102 employees are said to be delivery drivers.

JUNE 15, 2018 — Original Post…

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger Markets, the largest U.S. supermarket chain by revenue, announced the company plans to exit the highly competitive Raleigh-Durham market in North Carolina with the sale of its 14 stores and the layoff of approximately 1,500 employees. Curiously, it is believed that eight of the stores will be sold to Matthews, North Carolina-based Harris Teeter Supermarkets, which was acquired by Kroger in 2014. 

According to Jerry Clontz, president of the Mid-Atlantic Division of Kroger, "We have decided to close our stores in the highly competitive Raleigh-Durham market. We have not been able to grow our business the way we would like in this market."

Competition in groceries and non-foods markets has been undergoing rapid change with the entry of Amazon and the availability of home delivery from larger players in an attempt to capture shoppers. The days when a large family would spend hundreds of dollars in a single-store bi-weekly or monthly shopping trip are over as consumer buying patterns appear to feature smaller purchases at multiple stores, and even higher-priced neighborhood convenience markets

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?