The Kroger Company is the 80th largest corporation in the world, with revenues of nearly $80 billion in 2008. The company operates in 31 states, with 2,486 food stores, 782 convenience stores and 412 jewelry stores, totaling more than 2.5 billion square feet. Kroger also has 42 manufacturing plants. The manufacturing plants produce much of the private label product sold in Kroger stores. Kroger operates in 44 major metropolitan markets. Kroger Central Division, based in Indianapolis, has 151 food stores, 123 pharmacies and 56 fuel centers operating under five banners; Kroger, Scott's, Owen's, Hilander and Pay Less, with locations primarily in Indiana and Illinois, in addition to five stores in Missouri and one each one in Michigan and Ohio. The Central Division employs more than 15,000 associates with 7,000 located in Central Indiana.

"Success isn't measured by how much merchandise you sell. Real success is found in the development of, and opportunities you provide for the people who are selling it." ~ Barney Kroger (1860 - 1938). Kroger was founded in Cincinnati in 1883 by German immigrant Bernard H. "Barney" Kroger with $122 in cash. Kroger became the first grocer in the country to run his own bakery in 1901, was the first grocer to combine butcher shops and groceries under one roof, the first grocer to launch a fleet of delivery vehicles with 75 Ford Model T's in 1912, was among the first to advertise groceries in the newspaper and tested the first checkout scanner in 1972 with RCA.