Kroger Breaks Tradition With a New CEO: Kroger is getting a boss. The company is really big. Lots of people shop at Kroger. They have stores over the United States. Kroger is based in Cincinnati. Now they have chosen Greg Foran to be in charge. He used to work at Walmart. This is a change, for Kroger. The company has had a year with many people leaving and new people coming in to lead. Kroger has had to deal with a lot of business problems.
Foran is sixty four years old. He has a lot of experience running big companies. The thing that makes his appointment really interesting is that he is the CEO of Kroger who did not start his career at Kroger. Kroger always picked its leaders from people who already worked at Kroger. This is a change for Kroger because Foran is the first CEO who came from outside the company. Kroger is trying something, with Foran as the CEO of Kroger.
The company has not yet made a formal announcement, but reports say the decision could be shared publicly very soon.
Who Is Greg Foran and Why Does He Matter
Greg Foran is really well known in the business world because of the time he spent at Walmart, which’s the biggest retailer in the world. He was in charge of Walmarts stores in the United States from 2014 to 2019. Walmarts stores did well during those five years they just kept getting better and better. Greg Foran was a part of Walmarts success during that time and Walmarts stores kept growing strong, under his leadership.
Foran did a great job of making sure the stores that were already open were running well. He did not just focus on opening stores. Because of the way he led the company Walmart had sales growth for 20 quarters in a row. This is a deal for a retail company, like Walmart. Foran really helped Walmart have a lot of success.
After leaving Walmart, Foran became the CEO of Air New Zealand, where he led the airline through extremely tough times, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlines around the world struggled during this period, but Foran dealt with aircraft shortages, grounded planes, and rising costs while keeping the company moving forward.
Why Kroger Needed a New CEO
Kroger’s leadership troubles began in March 2025, when longtime CEO Rodney McMullen suddenly resigned. His departure followed an internal investigation that found his personal conduct did not match company policies.
McMullen had been Kroger’s CEO for about 11 years, and during his time in charge, the company’s stock value more than tripled. However, his final years were rocky.
One major blow came when Kroger failed to complete a $25 billion deal to buy Albertsons, a smaller grocery rival. The deal was meant to help Kroger compete better on prices, especially against Walmart, but it fell apart after two years of effort.
After McMullen left, the board appointed Ronald Sargent, a former Staples CEO, as interim leader to steady the company.
What Challenges Foran Will Face at Kroger
Greg Foran is stepping into the role at a very challenging time. Many shoppers are spending less money, even on everyday items like groceries. Prices are high, and competition is fierce.
Kroger is also feeling pressure from rivals such as Walmart, which continues to attract customers with low prices and fast delivery options. Analysts believe Foran’s experience at Walmart gives him instant credibility.
One analyst said Foran’s track record shows he knows how to fix large retail businesses and make stores work better for customers.
What Comes Next for Kroger
Ronald Sargent is going to stay on as the chairman of the board to help the company get through this change in leadership. The company Kroger also said they are keeping their plans for the year 2025 the same. This news really helped because the stock price of Kroger went up by 6 percent when people first heard about it.
Foran is the leader of Kroger. This could be a new start for Kroger. Kroger is trying to get people to trust them again. They want to make a plan and get shoppers to come back to Kroger. Foran and Kroger are working hard to make this happen. Kroger needs to do this so they can be a store, for shoppers again.
The big question now is whether someone from outside the company, who has a lot of experience in retail can help Kroger get through these times and compete with other grocery stores in a world that is changing very fast. Kroger is facing a lot of challenges. It needs someone who can lead it in the right direction. The grocery world is changing quickly and Kroger needs to keep up if it wants to stay ahead of the competition. Can someone, with a retail background really help Kroger succeed?
Why This Leadership Shift Is Being Closely Watched
Beyond the headlines, this leadership change highlights a broader trend in the retail industry. Large grocery chains are no longer relying only on internal promotion as competition tightens and margins shrink. By choosing an external leader with experience across retail and transportation, Kroger appears focused on operational discipline, efficiency, and execution rather than sweeping promises. For business observers, the real signal isn’t just who Kroger hired, but what that choice says about how legacy retailers are adapting in a fast-changing consumer economy.
News in Brief : Kroger Breaks Tradition With a New CEO
Kroger is preparing for a major leadership shift by selecting Greg Foran as its next CEO, marking the first time the company has chosen an outsider to lead the grocery giant. Based in Cincinnati, Kroger operates thousands of stores across the United States and has traditionally promoted CEOs from within its own ranks.
Foran brings extensive experience from Walmart, where he led U.S. store operations during a period of sustained sales growth, and later from Air New Zealand, where he guided the airline through the COVID-19 crisis. His appointment comes after a turbulent year for Kroger, following the resignation of longtime CEO Rodney McMullen and the collapse of the company’s planned Albertsons acquisition.
With shoppers cutting back, prices remaining high, and competition from Walmart intensifying, Kroger faces mounting pressure to stabilize operations and regain consumer trust. Foran’s background in large-scale retail management positions him as a potentially transformative leader at a critical moment, as Kroger looks to adapt to a rapidly changing grocery landscape.
Do you think Greg Foran is the right person to lead Kroger into the future, or should the company have chosen an insider instead? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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