Does Kroger Own Publix? (Not What You Think)

Kroger is one of the biggest supermarket and retail stores in America and owns multiple store brands, so it’s unsurprising that many wonder if Kroger is owned by Publix?

So, does Kroger own Publix? If you’d like to find out, keep reading below to learn what I’ve discovered!

Does Kroger Own Publix In [currentyear]?

Kroger does not own Publix, and they are both independent grocery stores that operate within the United States in [currentyeaar]. Furthermore, Publix is employee-owned and operates over 1,100 locations throughout the Southern United States and Kroger operates more than 2,800 stores throughout America and earns more revenue than any other supermarket.

Do you want to know additional details about Kroger, such as which companies Kroger owns? Well, keep reading, as I’ll get into that topic and so many useful details!

What Companies Are Owned by Kroger?

Kroger owns several companies that you’ve probably heard of or shopped at before, including:

  • Baker’s
  • King Soopers
  • Fred Meyer
  • City Market
  • Gerbes
  • Dillons
  • Fry’s
  • Metro Market
  • Foods Co
  • Mariano’s
  • Food 4 Less
  • Ralphs
  • Pay-Less Supermarket
  • Ruler
  • Pick’n Save
  • Smith’s Food and Drug
  • QFC

Is Kroger Bigger Than Publix?

Kroger is bigger than Publix in terms of locations, revenue, and employees, including the fact that Kroger earned over $122 billion in revenue in 2019, whereas Publix earned $38.1 billion.

Furthermore, Kroger operates more than 2,800 stores throughout the United States, and in contrast, Publix operates mostly in the South and has just over 1,100 locations.

That being said, both Kroger and Publix are great places to shop and offer high-quality products including fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, quality meat, deli items, and home goods.

On top of that, both companies are on the 2021 Fortune 500 list, but Kroger is ranked number 17 and Publix is ranked down at number 69.

Kroger also has more than 460,000 employees in comparison to Publix which has 227,000 employees, so Kroger is nearly double in the number of employees too.

Why Doesn’t Kroger Own Publix?

Why Doesn’t Kroger Own Publix?

Kroger does not own Publix because it operates in two different ways, since Publix is an employee-owned company and it prides itself on being customer and employee-oriented.

Additionally, Kroger is a publicly-traded company that has amassed a fortune and operates more commercially.

Kroger has never expressed interest in owning Publix, and if anything, they are direct competitors to one another, especially in southern states like Florida.

Will Kroger Buy Publix?

Currently, there is no indication that Kroger will buy Publix, and there has been no written or verbal indication from either company that a deal is imminent or even being looked into.

Since Publix has more than 227,000 employees and is fairly big on its own, it would be difficult to merge Publix into Kroger, which already has more than 465,000 employees.

That said, we cannot speculate about the future of Publix or Kroger, so anything is possible, although it seems unlikely to see Publix fold and be acquired by a conglomerate like Kroger.

What Company Owns Publix?

Publix is owned by both current and former Publix employees and is also owned in part by the family of the founder, George W. Jenkins.

What Similar Items Do Kroger and Publix Sell?

Kroger and Publix sell very similar items and both have high-quality products at competitive prices, including the following products and services:

  • Pet Supplies
  • Deli
  • Bakery
  • Meat
  • Health products
  • Produce
  • Seafood
  • Floral
  • Home goods
  • Beer & Wine
  • Paper & Plastic household items
  • Liquor
  • Nutritional products
  • Tobacco
  • Plant-based products
  • Greeting cards
  • Gift Bags
  • Balloons
  • Wrapping paper
  • Frozen foods
  • Dairy items
  • Baby food
  • Baby products
  • Personal care
  • Pharmacy services
  • Hygiene items
  • Movies
  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Automotive items
  • Cleaning products
  • Meal Kits and more!

Is Kroger Better Than Publix?

Kroger can be better than Publix when it comes to price, as it’s a well-known fact that Publix is often more expensive than other supermarkets such as Kroger.

In contrast, the employees at Publix will treat you better and are more friendly than most of the staff at Kroger, although that can depend on your location.

Additionally, Kroger has a much bigger selection than Publix and offers better quality produce compared to Publix.

However, both Kroger and Publix are highly rated among customers and are among the most popular grocery stores within the United States.

Can Publix Compete with Kroger?

Publix does compete with Kroger in the states that offer both Kroger and Publix to customers, and some customers prefer to shop at Publix over Kroger.

However, Publix could compete better with Kroger if Publix expanded into more states, but until Publix does that, it cannot compete with Kroger, especially in terms of revenue.

Furthermore, Publix is often more expensive than Kroger, so those money-conscious shoppers will likely choose Kroger instead of Publix unless Publix lowers a lot of its prices.

To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Meijer owns Kroger, what is Kroger, and Kroger competitors.

Conclusion

Kroger does not own Publix and they are owned and operated independently of one another, although both sell similar products and are highly-rated among customers in America.

Additionally, Kroger makes substantially more money in revenue than Publix and operates over 1,600 more locations since Publix is mostly a Southern state grocery store.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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