America's largest grocery retailer invites
local and regional growers and producers to apply for annual
accelerator program
CINCINNATI, May 4, 2022
/PRNewswire/ -- America's largest grocery retailer, The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR) today announced the second year of its groundbreaking Go
Fresh & Local Supplier Accelerator, a program designed to
enhance and accelerate the selection of local items sold in the
Kroger Family of Companies. The program provides a pathway to entry
for local businesses of all sizes by allowing American-based
growers and producers the chance to work directly with the
retailer. Through the Supplier Accelerator, Kroger is continuing to
expand its fresh departments – including produce, deli, bakery,
meat, seafood, dairy, specialty cheeses, and floral – and
commitment to being Fresh for Everyone™.
Starting today and through May 23,
2022 at 11:59 PM PDT,
suppliers can apply to be considered for the Go Fresh & Local
Supplier Accelerator, a two-day event held in Cincinnati in August. In collaboration with
ECRM and RangeMe, Kroger's category management and fresh director
team will review applications in multiple rounds, selecting 30
finalists to attend the event. Finalists will be given the
opportunity to show off their products and interact with category
managers, leaders and entrepreneurs at various stages throughout
the selection process. The Top 15 finalists will be invited to
present to a panel of Kroger executives where five winners will be
named. The prize package for those winners includes product
placement on shelf within Kroger's Family of Companies; recommended
partnerships with sponsors; and business development coaching from
Kroger merchandising and sales leaders.
"Kroger is fully committed to supporting a diverse group of
innovative, local suppliers who can bring a great assortment of
fresh products to our customers," said Stuart Aitken, Kroger's chief merchant and
marketing officer. "Kroger committed to investing $10 billion in diverse suppliers by 2030, and the
Go Fresh & Local Supplier Accelerator is a successful way to
catapult Kroger closer to that goal. We are excited to meet this
year's suppliers who will help us advance our commitment to fresh
in our nearly 2,800 stores."
Kroger welcomes growers and producers to apply to the relevant
categories below:
- Local:
-
- Small producers;
- Located in-state or the immediate market;
- Community-inspired and locally relevant items;
- Merchandised in less than approximately 100 stores.
- Regional:
-
- Larger producers;
- Cross state and division boundaries;
- Still locally relevant to customers;
- Merchandised in approximately 100 or more stores.
"Last year, the Go Fresh and Local cohort brought fresh ideas
and innovative new products to the table that blew our judges
away," said Dan De La Rosa, Kroger's
group vice president of fresh merchandising. "Every single one of
last year's cohort has now seen their products on Kroger shelves,
helping us bring the tastes and flavors our customers love straight
to local stores. We look forward to building on last year's success
and are excited to bring in new suppliers to participate in the
opportunity to join the Kroger family."
To apply and learn more about the Go Fresh & Local Supplier
Accelerator, visit TheKrogerCo.com/GoFreshLocal.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.