REPORTED: The plan comes from an internal memo by Kroger CEO Greg Foran, seen by Reuters and shared with Grocery Dive. Bloomberg News reported it first. Which roles will go has not been announced.
Kroger plans to cut “roughly 3,000 corporate roles over the next three years, CEO Greg Foran told staff in a memo”, Reuters reported on 12 October [1]. According to Reuters, the cuts “would affect about 37% of its 8,200 corporate employees”, and details “would be shared in the coming months” [1].
Grocery Dive, which says Kroger shared the memo with it, reported that “Decisions about impacted roles will be communicated starting in the coming months” [2]. It said Foran “didn’t provide a specific timeline for layoffs or say which company departments will be impacted” [2].
Why, in Foran’s words
Foran wrote that the company has “more layers, more handoffs and more overhead than we need,” according to Grocery Dive [2].
“We have the opportunity to make changes that will create broader roles and faster decision making,” he wrote. “This lets us move vital resources closer to the customer to lower prices, invest in our associates and create a better shopping experience” [2].
Where AI comes in
Reuters links the cuts to AI, reporting that they come “as the grocer integrates AI into its workflow” [1]. Foran’s own reported wording is more general. Reuters says he wrote that Kroger “should reduce duplicative work and adapt with technology” [1], and Grocery Dive says he noted the company “will take advantage of technology that can boost efficiency and reduce duplicative work” [2]. In the quotes published by both outlets, Foran does not say the jobs are being replaced by AI.
Reuters also notes that last month Kroger “outlined the company’s AI strategy, including the use of models to manage workflows” [1], and Grocery Dive says Kroger recently named “a chief data and AI officer” [2].
Context
- Foran took over as CEO in February [1][2].
- “In June last year, the company cut about 1,000 corporate roles,” Reuters reported [1].
- Reuters says Kroger lowered its annual identical sales target and is seeking to cut prices to compete with rivals such as Walmart and Aldi [1].
Sources
- Reuters via Investing.com, “Kroger plans to eliminate 3,000 corporate roles, memo shows, as it expands AI use”, 12 October 2026. https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/kroger-plans-to-cut-about-a-third-of-corporate-roles-over-the-next-three-years-bloomberg-news-reports-4945221
- Grocery Dive (Jeff Wells), “Kroger to cut 3K corporate jobs over the next 3 years”, 12 October 2026. https://www.grocerydive.com/news/kroger-corporate-layoffs-3000-employees/832811/
