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Kroger’s Natural and Organic Foods Growing in Mid-Atlantic Division

 
Kroger’s share of the market for natural and organic foods is growing faster than the national average.

     â€śThere is high demand for natural foods throughout our region,” said David Wilson, natural foods specialist for the Mid-Atlantic region. “We attribute our growth to being responsive to changing tastes of customers and to expanding our selection.”

     For the past two years, Kroger has been increasing space for natural and organic foods in the stores in the region. “If a store has the space, we will expand the selection,” said Wilson. So far, space has been expanded in about 60 stores. He cited one store in which a four foot case of milk products has increased to 20 feet.

     In addition to the expanded space, Kroger is changing shelf tags to point out product attributes such as USDA Organic or gluten-free.

     â€śWe have observed that our customers now are looking at the list of ingredients, and they want it to be easy to understand.” added Wilson. “The list should contain short and simple words that can be pronounced easily.” In the past, customers often looked at the nutritional panel to see if a product was good for them, and that was all. Today, they are seeking more information.”

     Kroger’s research indicates that two of every five households buy natural foods today. “Our goal is to provide the selection that meets their preferences,” said Wilson.

     Kroger’s natural and organic brand, Simple Truth, is growing at an amazing rate, according to Wilson. Simple Truth has grown by 30 percent in unit sales during the first half of this fiscal year with much of the increase due to new items.

“Customers are trying to manage their health through proper nutrition, and they want simplicity in the selection process,” said Wilson. “That’s one of the reasons for the explosive growth of the Simple Truth brand.”

The Simple Truth brand was introduced two years ago by Kroger.
 
 
 

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