Kroger to open digital headquarters in Cincinnati

Kroger will open a second headquarters in downtown Cincinnati to house its growing digital team.

The second headquarters will be in the Atrium Two building in downtown Cincinnati. At first, the headquarters will house 600 digital associates, but the team is expected to grow to over 1,000 within three years, according to a release.

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Kroger plans to redefine the customer experience, so the company is investing in digital and technology infrastructure, said Kroger’s chief digital officer Yael Cosset, highlighting that the future of retail includes digital and physical experiences.

Kroger will begin moving 500 existing digital jobs from Blue Ash and 100 from its general offices in Cincinnati to the Atrium in July.

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“Kroger is a phenomenal corporate partner to the city,” said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. “Bringing these jobs to the urban core will enable our city and region to grow as a hub for digital technology. Kroger continues to double-down on its commitment to the future of Cincinnati.”

Kroger recently made strides in its digital business when it announced a partnership with Ocado, an online grocery supermarket. The retailer also merged with Home Chef, a meal kit delivery service.

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Kroger reported its first quarter digital sales grew by 66 percent last week and it’s coverage area now reaches more than 75 percent of customers including its ClickList locations and stores offering home delivery through Instacart and other partners.

“We believe growing our digital team here will support Cincinnati becoming a destination for digital and tech talent,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO, in a release.

Kroger has 44 supermarkets, 12 locations with ClickList services and another 10 locations with Starbucks services in the region. The popular grocer employs more than 8,100 associates in the Dayton region.

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