# Why does Kroger have so many aliases?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 10, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995 "2021-06-10T19:09:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CorpusNeptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CorpusNeptune)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/1 "2021-06-10T19:09:22Z")
In my area (Wisconsin), Kroger is called Pick 'n Save. In other places, it’s called Pay Less Super Market, Fry’s Food Store, among other names. **Why do they do this, exactly?** It seems very meaningless to have 15-20 names for the same freaking store, so what’s the point?
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/2 "2021-06-10T19:13:13Z")
Most of those “aliases” are (or, at least, _were_) local or regional chains that Kroger bought.
In the case of Wisconsin, Pick 'n Save was owned by a Wisconsin company, Roundys, which also owned the Mariano’s chain in the Chicago area. Kroger bought Roundys in 2015, but kept the names of the stores unchanged, likely due to consumer familiarity with, and preference for, the existing store brands.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/3 "2021-06-10T19:16:07Z")
I think some of those were existing store chains that they acquired. They could rename them all to Kroger stores, but some people are loyal to the store they’ve always gone to, and so they’d lose some customers. Also, some chains are aimed at different markets; one is supposed to be the discount grocer, another is the premium, high-end retailer.
You see the same thing with hotel chains. Marriott and Hilton have a bunch of hotels under various brands targeting different guests.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/4 "2021-06-10T19:18:09Z")
We call them Smith’s out here. Not very convincing, is it?
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### Author:  [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/5 "2021-06-10T19:20:42Z")
When they bought Hiller’s in SE Michigan they rebranded them all Krogers. Maybe because they were closer to the home office in Dayton and already had a brand presence (stores) here. The Kroger stores in Dayton are awesome btw.
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/6 "2021-06-10T19:22:29Z")
Almost everything seems to be owned by either Albertsons or Kroger. They keep the subsidiary brand names, and perhaps some degree of distinct brand identity, but you see the same own-label products on the shelves.
Publix is large and separate, as is H-E-B, both privately held.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/7 "2021-06-10T19:22:31Z")
May also be to some extent so that people don’t realize how large a company Kroger is.
People talk quite a bit of negativity towards Wal-Mart and Amazon, but I never hear much about Kroger, even though it’s the largest supermarket and 4th largest employer in the US.
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### Author:  [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/8 "2021-06-10T20:12:29Z")
Ralph’s here in California is the local Kroger chain. I believe it was an independent grocer before being bought out by Kroger’s.
What’s fun is using my Ralph’s customer card when I’m back in Ohio. Some cashiers will say something about needing a Kroger’s card. I say try it, they scan it, and all it well.
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### Author:  [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/9 "2021-06-10T20:23:57Z")
What I found interesting here in North Carolina is that when Kroger bought the local Harris Teeter chain, all the local Krogers became Harris Teeter stores. Which was disappointing, because Kroger had some products that Harris Teeter does not, and its not like we didn’t already have lots of Harris Teeter stores.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/10 "2021-06-10T20:25:13Z")
As mentioned, in Arizona the Kroger’s food outlet is called Fry’s. In Colorado and Wyoming, Kroger operates King Soopers. It’s another case of Kroger acquiring an existing chain of stores. And the loyalty cards from one Kroger outlet can be used at the others.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/11 "2021-06-10T20:26:39Z")
What kind of superstore doesn’t have an alias?
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### Author:  [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/12 "2021-06-10T21:03:53Z")
In Oregon, another alias for Kroger is Fred Meyer.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/13 "2021-06-10T21:13:58Z")
> [@whitetho](#):
>
> What I found interesting here in North Carolina is that when Kroger bought the local Harris Teeter chain, all the local Krogers became Harris Teeter stores. Which was disappointing, because Kroger had some products that Harris Teeter does not, and its not like we didn’t already have lots of Harris Teeter stores.
You could tell the store manager the names of the Kroger products you miss; perhaps they can add them?
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/14 "2021-06-10T21:22:37Z")
> [@Riemann](#):
>
> Almost everything seems to be owned by either Albertsons or Kroger.
There’s also [Ahold Delhaize, which is international.](https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/brands/)
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### Author:  [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/15 "2021-06-11T00:21:58Z")
> [@Pleonast](#):
>
> Ralph’s here in California is the local Kroger chain. I believe it was an independent grocer before being bought out by Kroger’s.
The Ralphs corporate history is kinda complicated — several mergers and acquisitions.
> **[Ralphs | History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralphs#History)**
>
> Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 in Los Angeles by George Albert Ralphs and his brother, Walter Benjamin Ralphs. Ralphs teamed with S. A. Francis in 1873 to open the Ralphs & Francis store at 5th and Hill – an area which would become the Historic Core of the city in the early 20th century, but was then a mostly residential area with many single-family houses. In 1875, Ralphs’s brother Walter bought out Francis’s share, and the business became the Ralphs Bros. Grocers, specializing in In...
_(“‘Alpha Beta’ — now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.”)_
Kroger also owns the SoCal discount grocery chain Food 4 Less. In Long Beach, they closed one of those, and a Ralphs, after the city passed a temporary COVID wage premium for grocery workers.
> **[Kroger to close a Ralphs and Food 4 Less in Long Beach after city's 'hero...](https://lbpost.com/news/kroger-to-close-a-ralphs-and-food-4-less-in-long-beach-after-citys-hero-pay-mandate/)**
>
> The national grocery giant is closing one of its Ralphs stores, located at 3380 N. Los Coyotes Diagonal, and one Food 4 Less store, located at 2185 E. South St.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2021, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/16 "2021-06-11T12:26:47Z")
**The Kroger Co. Family of Stores includes:**
- Baker’s
- City Market
- Dillons
- Food 4 Less
- Foods Co
- Fred Meyer
- Fry’s
- Gerbes
- Harris Teeter
- King Soopers
- Jay C Food Store
- Kroger
- Pay-Less Super Markets
- QFC
- Ralphs
- Smith’s Food and Drug
> **[Kroger](https://www.kroger.com/i/kroger-family-of-companies)**
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/17 "2021-06-11T13:04:02Z")
And for completeness, the Albertson’s brands:
- Acme
- Albertsons
- Amigos
- Andronico’s
- Balducci’s
- Carrs
- Haggen
- Jewel Osco
- Kings
- Lucky
- Market Street
- Pavilions
- Randalls
- Safeway
- Shaws
- Star
- Tom Thumb
- United and United Express
- Vons
[https://www.albertsonscompanies.com/about-us.html](https://www.albertsonscompanies.com/about-us.html)
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### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2021, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/18 "2021-06-11T13:21:29Z")
@kenobi_65 nailed in in the first response. Many of the names are former independent chains that were acquired. People know the \_\_\_ store in their town but might be hesitant to shop in the brand new Kroger that took over their favorite \_\_\_ store.
Hotels have different nameplates, TJX owns TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Home Goods, & a few others. In 2005, the then Federated Dept stores renamed all of the local chains that they had acquired over the years to Macy’s; not everyone liked the loss of their Filene’s or Field’s or \_\_\_. Supposedly this was to help w/ national advertising; they were able to advertise one national brand instead of a dozen or so regional ones.
> [@Pleonast](#):
>
> What’s fun is using my Ralph’s customer card when I’m back in Ohio. Some cashiers will say something about needing a Kroger’s card. I say try it, they scan it, and all it well.
I find Jenny shops _everywhere_. Enter the local area code & her phone # & you’ll get whatever member discounts are applicable. If you don’t know Jenny’s #, I got it on the [wall](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WTdTwcmxyo).
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### Author:  [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/19 "2021-06-11T13:56:32Z")
There was a regional chain in Indiana and a bit of Ohio called Marsh Supermarkets. They went bankrupt in 2017. Kroger bought most of their old stores.
What’s interesting is that in my city, Muncie, Indiana, they re-opened the two former Marsh locations under the Pay-Less name, not the Kroger name. Pay-Less had never had any presence in Muncie before, so it couldn’t be because of brand loyalty. I’m still not sure why they chose that branding. Whenever I buy anything there, the purchase shows up on my credit card receipts as “Kroger.”
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### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2021, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-kroger-have-so-many-aliases/943995/20 "2021-06-11T14:32:38Z")
> [@cochrane](#):
>
> In Colorado and Wyoming, Kroger operates King Soopers
And **City Market** , another grocery chain in Colorado they acquired.
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