#Who makes the psst brand free

Kroger was founded in 1883 by Bernard “Barney” Kroger, who also began the retailer’s private brands. Kroger also owns 38 manufacturing plants, where it makes 40 percent of the products that comprise Our Brands (see sidebar on page 24). Kroger-owned supermarket banners also include Matthews, N.C.-based Harris Teeter, Milwaukee-based Roundy’s and Compton, Calif.-based Ralphs. Kroger operates about 2,800 stores in 35 states and Washington, D.C. KROGER IS THE nation’s largest supermarket chain and second-largest retailer behind Walmart with annual sales of $115.37 billion. That was evident in January when Kroger said it was launching its largest-ever Our Brands customer-sales promotion.īehind Phipps, Kroger has achieved one of the top private brands programs in the country - the reason Kroger is our 2018 Retailer of the Year. The plan calls for Our Brands to play a pivotal role in the strategy.

#Who makes the psst brand free

In October, Kroger announced Restock Kroger, a plan to “redefine the food and grocery customer experience.” Restock Kroger will be fueled by capital investments, cost savings and free cash flow.

From 2011 to 2017, Kroger’s Our Brands grew from $15 billion to $20.5 billion in annual sales. In Kroger’s 2017 third quarter, Our Brands made up 28.2 percent of unit sales and 25.6 percent of sales dollars, figures that exceed the national average. “If that’s our driving principle, people will embrace what we do.” “From a consumer standpoint, we want to improve people’s lives,” Phipps says. Phipps and his team are determined to bring not just the best store brands possible to the Kroger customer base, but store brands that customers can’t find anywhere else. The enthusiasm that Phipps brings to his job is contagious and has caught on with other members of the Our Brands team.

But the pressure is a motivator Phipps feeds on it like he would a bowl of Kroger-made Private Selection Pecan Pie Ice Cream. There’s pressure, but it comes with the territory of leading one of the nation’s largest grocery programs in private brands. “It’s the most fun thing you could do,” Phipps says of his role, which he has held for nearly six years. The inventive and enterprising Phipps gets down to business on concepts and strategies for Kroger’s Our Brands, the grocer’s impressive store brands program. ’ s vice president of Our Brands, enjoys his job too much for that kind of contrary thinking.įor Phipps the fun begins every morning around 8 o’clock when he shows up for work at the supermarket chain’s skyscraper headquarters in downtown Cincinnati. You’ll never catch Gil Phipps muttering to himself during the workday that it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.