BY DAVID MALONEY, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
THE DC VELOCITY Q&A
thoughtleaders
Supermarket chain Kroger continues to innovate as it responds to the challenges of the
evolving retail grocery market. Kevin Condon is at the center of that transformation.
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INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN CONDON
SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1883 IN CINCINNATI, THE
Kroger Co. has a long history of being at the forefront of
retail grocery operations. Today, Kroger is a $115 billion
company operating in 35 states. Kroger has been an innovator throughout its storied history. In 1901, it was the
nation’s first grocer to open its own bakeries. It was also the
first to sell both meats and groceries within the same store.
That spirit of innovation continues today. The company
owns 38 manufacturing facilities that produce about 40
percent of the private-label brands sold in Kroger stores.
Recently, it established automated microfulfillment centers
to expedite the processing of e-commerce orders and is
testing the use of autonomous vehicles for home delivery.
At the center of the innovation is Kevin Condon, Kroger’s
senior director of engineering and supply chain network
strategy. He recently talked with DC VELOCITY Editorial
Director David Maloney about some of the programs under
way at the grocery chain, including “Restock Kroger,” the
company’s initiative to “redefine the food and grocery cus-
tomer experience in America.”
Bringing home
the groceries
