Kroger to lay off thousands, its largest cut in 143 years: what the CEO told staff

America's oldest retail chain Kroger Co plans to eliminate roughly 3,000 corporate positions over the next three years, marking a sweeping workforce reduction as new Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran moves to overhaul the grocer’s management structure. The cuts represent more than one-third of Kroger’s approximately 8,200 corporate staff, making the restructuring one of the largest corporate employees' reductions in the supermarket chain’s 143-year history.Foran, a former Walmart executive, who joined the retailer in February this year, detailed the turnaround strategy in a memo to employees following a companywide meeting on Monday, October 12. The restructuring comes as America's largest traditional grocer contends with slowing top-line growth, fierce retail competition, and persistent inflationary pressures impacting consumer spending. The memo outlined plans to eliminate redundant functions across departments while modernizing daily operations.