News Summary:

  • Kroger CEO Greg Foran said during the company's first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call on Thursday that the company wants to make the shopping experience "faster, simpler, and more consistent" to attract customers who are "more budget-conscious" in their spending.
  • Foran noted that every aspect of the experience, from in-store checkout to digital order delivery, needs to be faster. Additionally, promotions need to become more consistent and easier to understand. Foran officially assumed the CEO role in February.
  • "We have to be more competitive, more consistent, and easier for customers to understand," Foran said. "When customers decide where to shop, we want more people to choose Kroger more often because the value is clear, the experience is excellent, and trust is solid."

In-Depth Analysis:

Kroger wants to deliver a consistent experience regardless of where and how customers shop, and the key to executing this strategy will rely on store employees.

According to Foran, the experience gap between Kroger's best stores and other locations urgently needs improvement, and this effort represents one of the chain's biggest short-term opportunities. The overall strategy includes making the entire chain faster and friendlier.

"Customers are busy," Foran said. "When we have out-of-stocks, slow checkout, or overly complex promotions, these all cost us sales."

Kroger is not the only company pursuing a consistent experience. Several companies, including Starbucks and Target, have also announced plans to improve consistency, with employees playing a key role.

"Exceptional customer experience begins with a motivated, engaged, and well-supported team, so we continue to invest in our employees," Foran said. In the first quarter, the retailer increased store hours, strengthened training, and introduced new uniforms to make employees easier for customers to identify.

Kroger is also investing in technology that helps employees work efficiently, allowing them "to spend more time on value-added activities that matter most to customers," Foran said. "These investments not only strengthen the experience we deliver in stores and online, but also enhance productivity and support long-term business growth."

These efforts helped Kroger achieve modestly positive quarterly results. According to the earnings report, same-store sales excluding fuel increased 1% year over year in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. Total sales increased 2.2% year over year to $46.1 billion.

E-commerce was a bright spot for Kroger, with first-quarter e-commerce sales up 19% year over year. According to Foran, Kroger's e-commerce business, including its media business, was profitable during the period.