Kroger is a U.S.-based retail company with operations in about 2,800 locations; some are owned directly, while the rest are subsidiaries. It operates under several brand names in the country and is the largest supermarket chain.
On the other hand, Whole Foods was launched in 1978 as a standalone market but was acquired by Amazon in 2017. So how different or similar are these stores? Here’s all you need to know!
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods, Which Is Better In [currentyear]?
Kroger and Whole Foods are similar because they are the leading grocery stores in the U.S. as of [currentyear]. However, while Kroger also sells non-food products, Whole Foods is focused on selling organic or natural products. Therefore, Whole Foods sells its products at a higher cost than the Kroger supermarket chain and other grocery stores.
Read on for more information about how Kroger and Whole Foods stack up against each other in the retail market!
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: Stores & Locations
Whole Foods was established in 1978 in Austin, Texas, and slowly expanded to other states in the U.S.
Currently, Whole Foods has more than 500 retail and non-retail stores in the U.S., Canada, and the UK.
As the number of stores increased, the size of the supermarkets also increased. While its earlier stores were about 36,000 sq. ft. in 2008, Whole Foods now has stores at 70,000 sq. ft.
On the other hand, Kroger has about 2,800 grocery retail stores operating under its family of companies.
Furthermore, Kroger Stores are distributed across 35 states, and a majority of them are located in the Southern and Midwest states.
Unlike Whole Foods, which has stores in the UK and Canada, Kroger is yet to expand to other countries in the world.
However, Kroger stores are over 165,000 sq. ft., enabling them to hold more stock than Whole Foods.
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: What Are They Known For?
Kroger is well known for its superstores and subsidiaries.
Additionally, several supermarket chains and brands operate under the Kroger brand offering a wide range of products and services.
On the other hand, Whole Foods is well known for its focus on organic produce.
Although the store is quite pricey, it’s a good choice for shoppers looking for quality and organic foods.
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: Products
Kroger and Whole Foods are different in the types of products they stock, but they both operate as supermarket chains.
Kroger offers more than 225,000 products, including general merchandise, food, and apparel. In addition, the Kroger website offers about 70,000 different products in 16 categories.
Therefore, customers can buy food and non-food items from this store.
Whereas, Whole Foods is more specialized in food items.
There, shoppers can get a wide range of food products, including dairy & eggs, prepared foods, bakery items, desserts, meat, and pantry essentials.
Unlike Kroger, which stocks all types of food products, Whole Food stores are also limited to organic products. Therefore, Whole Foods is ideal for shoppers looking for natural foods.
Additionally, the Whole Foods website doesn’t stock or accept products with high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, artificial sweeteners, and some preservatives.
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: Services
Whole Foods has stores that customers can visit to shop for items and a website for online orders for clients who prefer to shop online.
Furthermore, they have a grocery delivery service for orders to make it easier for customers.
Additionally, Whole Foods products now have Prime stickers on produce and meat as they are now integrated with Amazon’s Now grocery delivery service.
On the other hand, Kroger operates both in-store locations and has a website for online deliveries.
Since Kroger is the largest supermarket chain, they have marketplace stores, multi-department stores, and supermarkets operating under several banners.
Additionally, Kroger also has private brands, pharmacies, and chains of jewelry stores.
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: Prices
If you compare Kroger and Whole Foods, Kroger is relatively cheaper in most of its products.
Furthermore, Whole Foods has earned the nickname “Whole Paycheck” for its high grocery prices compared to other supermarket chains.
Over the past years, Whole Food prices have been 10%-20% more than its competitors.
However, since the acquisition by Amazon in 2017, the prices have slightly reduced, but the difference with other retailers like Kroger is still there.
Whole Foods have high prices because of the high quality. Therefore, if you are looking to purchase grocery items at a lower cost, Kroger might be the better alternative.
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: Subsidiaries
Whole Foods is a subsidiary of Amazon; therefore, it operates as a division of the retail giant in the grocery section.
However, Whole Foods has branches operating under the same name in the U.S., Canada, and the UK.
On the other hand, Kroger has several divisions and subsidiaries operating under the family of companies.
Additionally, all the subsidiaries are located in America; therefore, the company does not have an international presence.
Kroger owns supermarket chains and multi-departmental stores like Ralphs, Smiths, Metro Market, Fred Meyer, Dillons, Fry’s, Food 4 Less, Harris Teeter, Roundy’s, and more.
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: Return Policy
If you buy an item from Kroger and need to return it for a refund or exchange, you can do so within 30 days from the day of purchase or delivery.
Furthermore, according to the Kroger return policy, you should have an original receipt and have the product in its original condition.
However, if you don’t have a receipt, they will offer a merchandise gift card instead of a cash refund.
When you purchase groceries from Whole Foods, you can return them 90 days from the date of purchase.
Additionally, you also need to have a receipt; however, the retailer can still refund you with a gift card if you don’t have one.
Kroger Vs. Whole Foods: Revenue
As the largest supermarket chain in the U.S., Kroger generates a high revenue due to its subsidiaries.
Therefore, in 2021, Kroger made more than billion in revenue through the sale of non-perishable products.
However, Whole Foods had net sales amounting to more than million in 2021, increasing from 7.8 million in 2020.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on what is Kroger Boost, what is Kroger, and does Kroger own Food Lion.
Conclusion
Kroger and Whole Foods are similar because they are the leading grocery stores in the U.S. However, while Kroger also sells non-food products, Whole Foods is focused on selling organic or natural products.
Furthermore, Whole Foods sells its products at a higher cost than the Kroger supermarket chain and other grocery stores. Additionally, Whole Foods is usually 10%-20% more than other retailers.
