Kroger enjoys growth across all banners in Q1

Kroger and its largest banners — Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Harris Teeter, Smith’s, Fry’s, King Soopers, and Food 4 Less — increased foot traffic year over year in early 2024, according to data analytics firm Placer.ai.

The data group said in a recent blog post that the grocery chain’s eponymous banner accounts for nearly half of all visits (47.4%) to its large roster of store brands. 

Fred Meyer drew the second largest number of shoppers at 7.6%, followed by Ralphs at 6.3%, Harris Teeter at 6.3%, Smith’s Food and Drug at 6.2%, Fry’s Food Stores at 5.9%, King Soopers at 5.2%, and Food 4 Less at 4.8%.

The analysis by Placer.ai shows that the Kroger Co.’s chains serve different regions of the country. The Kroger banner is dominant in the Midwest and South, while Harris Teeter primarily operates in Maryland, Florida, and the Carolinas. 

Banners Fred Meyer, Smith’s, Ralphs, Fry’s, and King Soopers serve shoppers in the Western states, and the company’s smaller banners operate mainly in the Midwest. 

The Kroger Co.’s presence is felt throughout most of the country except the Northeast, according to the analysis. 

The Kroger Co’s largest banners, which operate 100 stores or more, experienced year-over-year growth in visits in the first quarter of 2024, and Smith’s and King Soopers, which operate in the Mountain region, saw the biggest gains. 

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Smith’s enjoyed an 8.3% year-over-year bump in Q1, and King Soopers was up 6.7% over the same period. Food 4 Less visits increased 5.7%, Harris Teeter 5.6%, Fry’s 5%, Ralphs 3.4%, Kroger 3.6%, and Fred Meyer 1.7%.

The Placer.ai blog post noted that the Kroger Co. leverages its various banners to serve different shopper demographics. 

“Virginia, for example, is served by two Kroger Co. banners — Kroger and Harris Teeter,” the blog post noted. “And while the former draws shoppers from areas with a median HHI below the statewide baseline of $87,200, the latter — with somewhat more upscale, pricier offerings — attracts a much more affluent audience. Similar differences can be observed in Wisconsin — where Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market serve different demographics.”