BY THE NUMBERS: THE KROGER CO.
20,000 jobs available across a 34-state footprint
1,200 local job openings in the Cincinnati/Dayton division including Northern Kentucky and Springfield
$98 billion in sales last year, up about 4 percent from the year before
39,000 Ohio employees, the state's third largest employer
One of the nation’s largest players in the grocery business, The Kroger Co., announced Friday a major hiring push to fill 20,000 permanent jobs.
The operator of grocery stores, gas stations and convenience stores needs to fill thousands of jobs to accommodate its growth across a 34-state footprint.
“Kroger’s growth trajectory creates more job opportunities for current and future employees,” said Katy Barclay, Kroger’s senior vice president of human resources, in a statement.
Hiring plans include 1,200 available positions in Kroger’s Cincinnati/Dayton Division, stretching from Northern Kentucky to Springfield, said company spokeswoman Rachael Betzler. There are more than 100 Kroger stores employing approximately 20,000 people in the region.
Hiring starts immediately, and goals are to fill the jobs by the end of October, Betzler said. Jobs fairs will be held in October to collect resumes, and more information about dates and locations will be provided soon, she said.
All local openings are for various positions at Kroger supermarkets. Entry-level positions for cashiers and baggers start at minimum wage and can go up higher based on retail job experience, she said. Minimum wage in Ohio pays $7.95 per hour.
Job seekers can go online to www.kroger.com/careers where they can join Kroger’s talent network, sign up to receive job alerts and apply for jobs.
There’s no one driving factor behind the hiring plans, Kroger officials say. Recent acquisitions have expanded the $98 billion company’s reach online — in August Kroger sealed a deal to buy Vitacost.com Inc., a Web retailer of healthy living products. Earlier this year, Kroger extended its reach to new geographic markets when it closed a deal to buy Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc., a chain of grocery stores in the southeastern United States and Washington, D.C.
In addition to expansions, same-store sales grew 4.6 percent year-over-year in May, according to Kroger.
“Part of is the economy, but a bunch of it is the company has been gaining market share,” said Chuck Cerankosky, managing director and equity research analyst for Northcoast Research, an independent investment research firm in Cleveland. Cerankosky studies the food retail and consumer product industry sectors.
“We’ve seen the company cement its value message with shoppers. People trust the quality and the value with Krogers and they offer a good level of service,” Cerankosky said.
Total sales grew approximately 4 percent last year to $98.4 billion.
“I think the main thing is over the last 12 months they’ve stepped up their organic store opening program. More stores mean more jobs,” Cerankosky said “We’ve been expecting the company to announce a new market entrance somewhere and that will also require incremental hires.”
Kroger’s next new store opening in the region is in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Oakley next spring, according to Betzler.
Other driving factors behind the aggressive hiring plans include general business growth, internal promotions, and new apparel departments opening at Kroger stores in Liberty Twp., Middletown, Walton, Centerville and Beavercreek, Betzler said.
Kroger is always hiring, and some of the ramp-up on payroll will help absorb the upcoming seasonal rush, but approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are not the main force behind the announcement, Betzler said.
“We want to have the best customer service and we want to have products available for customers when they’re shopping,” she said.
Presently Kroger employs more than 375,000 full- and part-time employees ringing up grocery orders at 2,640 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 34 states and Washington, D.C. They work for various Kroger divisions including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s. Additionally, Cincinnati-based Kroger operates 786 convenience stores, 320 fine jewelry stores, 1,240 supermarket fuel centers and 37 food processing plants in the United States, according to the company.
The food and drug retailer is Ohio’s third largest employer of 39,000 people, according to Ohio Development Services Agency.
The Fortune 500 grocer says its created more than 40,000 new jobs in the last six years — including 7,000 in 2013 — and not including construction jobs or the 25,000 employees that work for Harris Teeter.
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