Kroger sees opportunity for growth in apparel

Kroger Co. said Friday it would introduce a new private label “modern lifestyle” apparel line in 300 of its large-format superstores next fall.

The new line will include activewear items for children, young men, juniors, men and women. The brand will be “playful, simple and uplifting,” the retailer said.

“Our current customers alone present a huge opportunity for growth in apparel,” said Kari Armbruster, a spokeswoman for the Cincinnati-based company. “Designing a new brand will give Kroger a chance to inspire and connect with our customers around apparel in a new way.”

She said the name of the new line would be introduced in the coming months. Kroger currently offers more than a dozen private label clothing brands, including Indigo by Great Northwest, GNW, Kids Korner, Curfew and others.

Growing private brands is a key element of the company’s Restock Kroger Plan, announced last month, which also involves extensive store resets and other initiatives.

“This new offering is on-trend, convenient, and right in line with our customers' needs,” said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior VP of merchandising, in a statement.

The brand, launching in the company’s Fred Meyer stores in the Pacific Northwest and its Marketplace stores in other regions around the country, will provide “an immense opportunity for growth in sales, share and loyalty," Clark added.