Kroger seeks sales boost from current customers

6/24/2011

CINCINNATI — Kroger Co.’s chief executive says the nation’s largest grocery store operator is focused more on increasing sales from its existing customers than entering new markets or buying out competitors.

David Dillon said after a shareholder meeting Thursday that the company’s strategy is to keep getting loyalty-card customers to come in more often and to keep increasing revenue in the stores Kroger already has. He said expansion is not a major part of the company’s growth plan. It operates in 31 states.

Kroger says 85 percent of the households in its markets now have a Kroger loyalty card, which the company promotes by offering discounts, gas rewards, and special coupons for items they buy regularly.