Dive Brief:
- Kroger has named Greg Foran as its next CEO, effective immediately, the grocery company announced Monday morning.
- Foran, a former Walmart U.S. head credited with boosting that company’s grocery business, replaces interim CEO Ron Sargent, who assumed leadership of Kroger in March 2025 following the abrupt departure of longtime Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen.
- Foran’s top orders of business include reinvigorating Kroger’s value proposition with shoppers and satisfying investors who have driven down the company’s stock price over the past year.
Dive Insight:
Foran is arriving at Kroger as the nation’s largest conventional supermarket chain confronts the steep challenge of reinventing its pitch to shoppers in an era when other types of retailers, including Walmart, Costco and discounters like Aldi, have seized momentum in the grocery industry.
Foran formerly served as CEO of Air New Zealand, a role he held from February 2020 through October of last year.
A native of New Zealand, Foran was president and CEO of Walmart U.S. from 2014 to 2019 following stints serving in that role at Walmart Asia and Walmart China. He previously served in multiple roles at Australian retailer Woolworths, where he managed a supermarket by the time he was 20, according to his biography.
“Kroger is one of the most dynamic companies in retail,” Foran said in a statement. “The company is built on a strong foundation, supported by a talented leadership team, and caring associates who are dedicated to the customers and communities they serve. At this moment in Kroger's journey, I can honestly say this is the best job on the planet.”
Like other traditional grocers, Kroger faces the reality that the promotions-based strategy that has long served as the foundation of its pitch to shoppers no longer resonates with many consumers, according to research conducted last year by AlixPartners, a management consulting firm.
“Taking the company from the murky middle ground to a more distinct proposition will not be easy,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote in an email. “But Greg Foran has the skills and experience required for this task. He also has a very strong operational mindset, which will be helpful for rebuilding the ecommerce and logistics side of the chain — both of which have been neglected.”
After its merger with Albertsons fell through, Kroger reorganized its leadership team, brought on a new CFO, and launched a cost-cutting drive that included laying off corporate workers as well as closing dozens of underperforming locations. The retailer has also announced plans to add stores, with a focus on its Harris Teeter and Kroger Marketplace banners.
Foran’s appointment as Kroger’s next permanent chief executive comes nearly a year after Sargent stepped in as the grocer’s temporary leader following McMullen’s departure after more than a decade as chairman and CEO. With Sargent at the helm, Kroger amped up its focus on stores after years of placing heavy — and costly — emphasis on automation and other technology under McMullen.
Late last year, Kroger announced that it would dial back its dependence on the robotic fulfillment center network it developed with Ocado under McMullen in favor of using individual stores to assemble online orders.
Investors signaled approval of Kroger’s decision to hire Foran, driving up the the company’s stock by about 7% on Monday morning.
Sargent will remain with Kroger as chairman of the board, a position he has held since March 2025, when he was named Kroger’s interim CEO.
