Kroger customers get deliciously good news
Tight-on-time Kroger shoppers got some good news this week, when the 143-year-old grocery retailer announced new additions to its Private Selection brand.
More than 20 new convenience meals, including frozen entrees, refrigerated deli items, and freshly-roasted chicken, will be hitting shelves at Kroger stores across the country this month, the company said in a statement on March 2. The new offerings will “deliver the bold flavor of restaurant classics without the restaurant prices.”
“The new Private Selection line brings high quality and convenience without the premium price tag or hours spent in the kitchen," Kroger Group Vice President of Our Brands Ann Reed said in the statement. "The meals provide an exceptional value that allows customers to enjoy exciting and flavorful dishes that are high quality and ready in minutes."
But a low price point doesn’t mean shoppers are compromising on ingredient quality or flavor.
“At Kroger, customers do not have to choose between a good meal and a good deal,” the company said. Standouts from the new range include Korean-inspired beef bulgogi, Chinese-inspired mandarin chicken, and ready-to-cook chicken parmesan.
Kroger’s renewed commitment to store brands
The additions to the Private Selection line are a part of Kroger’s (KR) larger strategy of focusing on its own brands.
During the company’s Q4 2026 earnings call earlier this month, chairman Ronald Sargent told investors that sales of Simple Truth and Private Selection played a major role in Kroger’s revenue growth.
“Our Brands had a solid quarter,” Sargent said. “Simple Truth and Private Selection again led our growth, with customers continuing to choose these products because they deliver high quality at an affordable price.”
The Private Selection story
Kroger launched its Private Selection label back in 2000. In all, the line has more than 3,600 unique products.
While there have certainly been some flops — earlier this month, the USDA recalled Kroger’s Chinese Inspirations Chicken Fried Rice thanks to potential glass contamination — there have also been some major hits.
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According to Kroger, top sellers include:
- Private Selection Croissant Loaf Bread
- Private Selection salad kits
- Private Selection Amaretto Cherry Cordial Ice Cream
- Private Selection cheesecakes
Fans of the grocery store’s own brands should keep their eyes peeled for even more additions over the next several months.
“Innovation continues to be a priority,” Sargent told investors during March’s call. The chairman noted that the company was particularly focused on adding health and wellness related items as it saw increased customer demand in those categories.
Store brands are having a moment
As inflation and tariffs drive grocery prices higher and higher, consumers are adding more private label items to their carts in an effort to save a dollar or two.
Data collected by consumer insights company Numerator found that 39% of consumers are regularly purchasing private label items in order to save money.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, millennials and Gen Zers are the primary generational drivers behind this trend. With less disposable income than older cohorts, millennials and Gen Zers account for 32% and 30% of total private label spend, respectively, Numerator said.
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The generations also tend to see private label products as better value than national brands. A full 50% of millennials think private label brands offer a better bang for your buck, and 46% of Gen Zers agree.
In light of these findings, and in an increasingly cost-conscious climate, “private label has become a key lever for margin growth,” Numerator said in a blog post.
Some retailers rely more heavily than others on their private label brands. Shoppers looking for those savings would do best to check out:
- Trader Joes: private label products account for 79% of all sales volume
- Aldi: private label products account for 77% of all sales volume
- Sam’s Club: private label products account for 33% of all sales volume
- Costco: private label products account for 32% of all sales volume
- Walmart: private label products account for 26% of all sales volume
- Kroger: private label products account for 25% of all sales volumes
Source: Numerator
Related: 143-year-old supermarket drops key service in dozens of stores
