Kroger Picks Walmart Vet Greg Foran as New CEO

Foran took the job Monday (Feb. 9) and succeeds Ron Sargent, who had been acting as the company’s interim CEO since March, Kroger said in a Monday news release.

“Greg is a highly respected operator who knows how to run large-scale retail businesses, strengthen store execution and lead high-performing teams,” Sargent said in the release. “His leadership style, focus on the customer, commitment to associates, and disciplined approach to execution are the perfect fit for Kroger. The board is confident Greg is the right leader to guide Kroger into its next chapter.”

Foran served as CEO of Walmart U.S. from 2014 to 2019, overseeing the business’s turnaround and leading a digital overhaul that included the introduction of online ordering and pickup, according to the release. Most recently, he was the CEO of Air New Zealand.

“Kroger is one of the most dynamic companies in retail,” Foran said in the release. “The company is built on a strong foundation, supported by a talented leadership team and caring associates who are dedicated to the customers and communities they serve. At this moment in Kroger’s journey, I can honestly say this is the best job on the planet.”

Foran’s hiring was reported Sunday (Feb. 8) by The Wall Street Journal, which said his appointment followed the arrival of new chief executives for two other major retailers, Walmart and Target.

The report also pointed out that the new CEO is arriving as Kroger seeks ways to boost its brick-and-mortar footprint following the collapse of a $20 billion deal for rival Albertsons in 2024, and is working to deal with food inflation.

As PYMNTS wrote last month, grocery buying has emerged as one of the most obvious points where financial pressure is transforming consumer behavior.

“While grocery prices are often used as shorthand for inflation, grocery baskets themselves have not changed dramatically in size or composition,” the report said. “Instead, PYMNTS Intelligence finds that financial stress is creating a bifurcation in grocery shopping behavior, particularly in the shift toward online channels.”

Consumers experiencing high financial stress were 6 percentage points more likely to buy groceries online than lower-stress shoppers. The pattern did not indicate a general surge in online shopping, but a targeted shift toward grocery purchases that provide greater visibility into prices, discounts and budgets.