Kroger and Murray’s Cheese Expand Partnership

Murray's Cheese, and The Kroger Co. expand their existing partnership and announce that they will open 50 Murray's Cheese cut-and-wrap specialty cheese departments in Kroger supermarkets over the next three years. This unique program affords both parties the opportunity to leverage their strengths - buying power and expertise, respectively - to introduce better cheese to more people.

Kroger currently operates three Murray's Cheese departments in the Cincinnati area - Hyde Park, Liberty Township, and Kenwood Towne Place - as well as one location in Dayton - Kettering - and plans to open additional locations within the Cincinnati division by the end of 2010.

The existing Murray's Cheese departments - as well as those debuting over the next three years -- look and feel much like the Murray's Cheese flagship store in New York City's Greenwich Village, and carry more than 500 items, including many of the same cheeses, crackers, dried fruits, and olives as the Bleecker Street original. Kroger staffs each location with employees who have received extensive cheese service training from Murray's, with many employees traveling to New York City for the first time to visit Murray's Cheese main location.

Murray's will continue to consult Kroger on product selection, training and development, Murray's merchandising, and aggressive promotions -- including contests, point of sale materials, and educational programs - under the direction of Murray's Cheese Vice President, Liz Thorpe.

"Expanding our relationship with Murray's Cheese will allow Kroger's family of stores to build on their expertise as we expand our cheese offerings for our customers," said Jeff Burt, Vice President of Deli Bakery Merchandising for Kroger. Rob Kaufelt, the owner of Murray's Cheese, notes, "Working with Kroger brings us closer to our goal of providing good food for all. We welcome the opportunity to bring our brand to a larger market and share the pleasures of great cheese with Kroger customers, while bringing them unique products and customer service experiences that they are not be able to find elsewhere."