...Kroger Company - 2005 A. Case Abstract This is a comprehensive strategic management case that includes the company’s financial statements, organization chart, competitor information, and industry trends. Sufficient internal and external data are provided to enable students to evaluate current strategies and recommend a three-year strategic plan for the company. The Kroger Company, Inc., with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio (513-762-4000), operates over 2,500 supermarkets, 795 convenience stores, and 436 jewelry stores. The Kroger Company employs approximately 290,000 employees. The company achieved annual revenues of $56.4 million in fiscal year ending February 2005, compared to $53.7 million in 2004. Kroger is ranked #19 on the Fortune 500 list and is ranked as the third largest retailer in the world, behind Wal-Mart (#1) and the Home Depot (#2). The company has been in existence for over one hundred years and is the # 1 pure grocery chain in the United States with over 3,770 (including subsidiary businesses) stores in 32 states. Kroger and its subsidiary operations market food, pharmacy, and jewelry products. B. Vision Statement (proposed) Our vision is to be America’s supermarket, and to continue to provide innovation and unparalleled value to our customers, employees, and shareholders. C. Mission Statement (actual) Our mission is to be a leader in the distribution and merchandising of food, pharmacy, health...
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...Grocers: Kroger 1. INTRODUCTION: CASE OVERVIEW AND KEY ISSUES The case Attention Shoppers: Executive Compensation at Kroger, Safeway, Costco and Whole Foods situation explains the costs and strategies related to a companies growth and expansion. Kroger is the main focus of this case. In 2006 Kroger’s was the second largest seller of groceries by revenue with an estimated $60 billion. The success of Kroger Company began in 1883 and which became one of the first chain stores in the country. Kroger then expanded its stores by buying out local competitors with low prices when the economy was suffering. Throughout the twentieth century, Kroger implemented several innovations to throw itself above the competitive advantage. By the 1950’s Kroger had built a reputation of producing fresh good quality products and began to label products with “sell by” dates and nutritional facts. Kroger took on multiple acquisitions helping push its expansion to the West. Under the full leadership of David Dillon Kroger increased revenue and lowered its debt dramatically and also found new ways to increase customer frequency. Kroger also sustained a four-month strike by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which impacted not just Kroger, but Safeway, and Albertson’s. Retail grocery sales represent a significant amount of the U.S. economy. The industry that Kroger competes in is highly competitive. This resulted in Kroger reducing its operating costs in order to maintain profitability...
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...that I have selected is Kroger. Kroger is a grocery retail chain in the US. It operates supermarkets and multi-department stores under a number of banners including Kroger, Harris Teeter, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, Fry's, King Soopers, Smith's, Dillons, Jay C, QFC and City Market. According to The (Kroger Co. SWOT Analysis, 2015), the company holds the largest or the second largest market share position in 41 of the 49 major markets in which it operates. It ranks among the largest corporations in the US. Kroger's size provides it with significant pricing power over food producers, giving the company economies of scale over smaller supermarket operators. Kroger follows a strategy which has evolved to incorporate more elements of differentiation on factors other than price. The company has tried to identify various factors that drive customer visits and loyalty and has made several targeted investments to achieve the same. One such move is the increase in gasoline stations. The company has increased the number of stores with fuel centers to 1,240 in FY2014 from 376 in FY2003. Having more than 1,000 fuel centers is a key advantage for Kroger, enabling the company to drive traffic to its stores. In 2010, the company partnered with Shell to roll out the grocer rewards program in Cincinnati, Dayton, Knoxville, Nashville and San Diego. This program allows customers in participating markets to earn points and redeem them for savings on gasoline at Kroger Fuel Centers and participating...
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...Good to Great Book Analysis By Zain Muzammil Jim Collins “Good to Great” sold 3 million copies and became one of the top sellers in its genre. In the book, Collins takes up a daunting challenge in the book: identifying and evaluating the factors and variables that allow a small fraction of companies to make the transition from merely good to truly great. The extensive research conducted by Jim Collins and his team of analysts provides extravagant turnarounds of a few successful companies that were able to turn themselves from merely great to the greatest in the industry. Jim Collins believe that a great companies are always accompanied by “Great Leaders”, and he states them as Level 5 leadership. Great leaders cannot be selfish nor can they let their egoistic nature- from the position- to with-held the success of the company. Rather Jim narrates that they should be humble and modest. Ken Iverson, who lead Nucor’s transformation from bankruptcy to being one of the most successful companies in the world, was reported as being one of the most humble and modest CEO by board member Jim Hlavacek. Another key factor that Collins underscores as a part of Good to Great is the nature of the leadership team. He coins it as “First who and then what”. It is very important for a company to illustrate and reflect on the kind of leadership that a company has. If you have all the right people on the bus who willing to accomplish the unthinkable only then can a company...
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...Date: To: 26 January 2011 Mr. John Mackey, CEO Whole Foods Market , SVP Corporate Strategy Group Interim Strategic Analysis From: RE: In response to our conversation on January 19, I have prepared a strategic analysis to assess the current competitive position of Whole Foods Market in the retail grocery and organic food industries. As you are aware, the US food industry is intensely competitive with firms ranging from corner store shops up through national retail chains. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on healthy living as characterized by exercise, mental wellness, and eating healthy and organic food. In addition, concerns over food safety, particularly the use of pesticides and other chemicals, has gained media attention and caused some consumers to shift their purchase habits toward organic and natural products.1 If the government implements stricter food production policy, Whole Foods should expect an additional increase in sales. Lastly, a growing awareness of the food supply chain sustainability from the producer to the retail store has also attracted some customers to our stores. Whole Foods enjoys as loyal customer base because of our unique position as a national organic food retailer. We have seen an increase in middle aged and older customers shopping at our stores, in line with the aging US population. These customers tend to have higher discretionary spending and can afford to pay the premium price for organic groceries. On the other...
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...About | Contact | Jobs | [pic] • Lesson Store • Buy Video • Exercise Store • Powerpoint [pic][pic] Marketing Teacher: Home / The Marketing Environment The Marketing Environment [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic][pic]The Marketing Environment What is the marketing environment? The marketing environment surrounds and impacts upon the organization. There are three key perspectives on the marketing environment, namely the 'macro-environment,' the 'micro-environment' and the 'internal environment'. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] The micro-environment This environment influences the organization directly. It includes suppliers that deal directly or indirectly, consumers and customers, and other local stakeholders. Micro tends to suggest small, but this can be misleading. In this context, micro describes the relationship between firms and the driving forces that control this relationship. It is a more local relationship, and the firm may exercise a degree of influence. The macro-environment This includes all factors that can influence and organization, but that are out of their direct control. A company does not generally influence any laws (although it is accepted that they could lobby or be part of a trade organization). It is continuously changing, and the company needs to be flexible to adapt. There may be aggressive competition and rivalry in a market. Globalization means that there is always the threat of substitute...
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...THE KROGER COMPANY Company Analysis BY Wayne Hurt 6/27/12 Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to run a complete company analysis. This includes the company background, the industry structure including practices of economic theory to create value, ethical issues, regulatory agencies, the macroeconomic and microeconomic environment of corporate operations, and a conclusion. Table of Contents The Kroger Company’s (KR) Background…………………………………….3 KR’s Structure………………………………………………………….............4 Ethical Issues…………………………………………………...........................9 Regulatory Agencies………………………………………………………….10 Environmental Issues………………………………………………………....12 Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Environment………………………….14 Conclusion.........................................................................................................17 Appendix 1 Table 1…………………………………………………………..21 Appendix 2 Chart 1…………………………………………………………..21 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………22 Background of The Kroger Company (KR) The Kroger Company (KR) is one of the leading companies in the grocery sector of the nation. It is the nation’s leading pure grocery chain. As of now, it operates about 3620 stores, which includes 2435 supermarkets and multidepartment stores, under two dozen banners, in almost 30 states. It also runs 775 convenience stores under the brand names such as Quik Stop and Kwik Shop. Its subsidiary Fred Meyer Stores operates about 125 supercenters which offer wide range of products...
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...Foods’ market strategy is built upon their fundamental differentiation from conventional supermarkets. We strive to meet our strategy by working under the motto of Whole Food, Whole People, Whole Planet. At Whole Foods we use a focused differentiation strategy to offer unique products to our customers in a narrowed market. We focus on selling high quality organic and healthy foods that our customers can feel comfortable eating at a higher price. Whole Foods’ competitors include Kroger, Trader Joe’s, and Fresh Market. These three competitors operate under different strategies to set themselves apart in the grocery market. Kroger operates under the cost leadership strategy. They set the floor price in the market that still allows them to earn a profit. They achieve this by cutting back on advertising, research costs, and production costs to increase the scale of operation. Also, Kroger offers coupons and a Kroger card to add discounts to already low prices. Whole Foods does not focus on low prices like Kroger because doing so would take away from the high end feeling it markets to its customers. Next, Fresh Market operates under the broad differentiation strategy in the grocery market. They offer unique products that a wide range of buyers will find appealing. Fresh Market differentiates themselves by selling the freshest products from local and global vendors. Fresh market is not interested in entering the narrowed market of organic foods that Whole Foods operates in. This allows...
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...Whole Foods Market: A Financial Analysis Throughout the course of time, changes have and will continue to occur in nearly every aspect of life. From the improvements in technology, to the evolution of the automobile, as well as everywhere in between, change is simply a part of everyday life. Perhaps one of the imminent changes upon society today is the food and drink intake of the world in general, but specifically the American people. Some grocery and supermarket companies such as Whole Foods Market have embraced this change with open arms and in turn built reputable, profitable companies. These companies are built around the general premise that natural and organics are better products for human beings to consume. It has become a new way of thinking throughout the United States with both producers and consumers reaping the benefits. The health consequences obviously affect the consumer, while the producers – i.e. Whole Foods Market – seek to better enhance the lives of the consumer while at same time creating financial stability for shareholders and stakeholders alike. The question for the future remains: is this just a fad or the latest trend, or will Whole Foods Market be able to retain its financial prowess for years to come? As a recent SWOT analysis indicates (“Whole Foods Market, Inc.,” 2010), “Whole Foods Market is a natural and organic foods supermarket chain that operates through several wholly owned subsidiaries” and “offers a broad and differentiated...
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...Executive Summary Jim Collins, already established as one of the most influential management consultants, further established his credibility with the wildly popular Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don’t, originally published in 2001. The book went on to be one of the bestsellers in the genre, and it is now widely regarded as a modern classic of management theory. Collins takes up a daunting challenge in the book: identifying and evaluating the factors and variables that allow a small fraction of companies to make the transition from merely good to truly great. ‘Great,’ an admittedly subjective term, is operationally defined according to a number of metrics, including, specifically, financial performance that exceeded the market average by several orders of magnitude over a sustained period of time. Using these criteria, Collins and his research team exhaustively catalogued the business literature, identifying a handful of companies that fulfilled their predetermined criteria for greatness. Then, the defining characteristics that differentiated these ‘great’ firms from their competitors were quantified and analyzed. The resulting data are presented in Good to Great in compelling detail. Over the course of 9 chapters, Collins addresses a number of management, personnel, and operational practices, behaviors, and attitudes that are both conducive and antithetical to the good-to-great transition. One overarching theme that links together virtually all...
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...Whole Foods Case Analysis 1. (a) Whole Foods operates in the organic, or natural and specialty foods retail industry. Leading the industry, Whole Foods Market is the world's most successful natural foods grocery chain. Having recently acquired one of its main competitors, Wild Oats Market, Whole Foods currently competes with two other large grocery chainsKroger and Trader Joe's. The company also acquired Amrion, a company specializing in nutraceuticals (natural supplements with pharmaceutical-type benefits), creating considerable competition with General Nutrition Centers (GNC) nutritional supplements and dietary products. Additional competition is taking place in traditional grocery stores incorporating some organic products on to their shelves. 1. (b) The attractiveness of this industry and its potential for profit are functions of Michael Porter's five competitive forces model: barriers to entry, bargaining power of both suppliers and buyers, the threat of substitute products, and the depth of competition among rival companies. Barriers to Entry Currently, Whole Foods has no significant barriers to entry. Americans are becoming more food and health conscious and Whole Foods is catering to this demand by becoming the premier outlet for all-natural, organic food products, while creating a unique, cohesive brand. The company is growing a loyal customer base, and is offering the majority of its products at competitive prices. With more than 300 stores located in the US,...
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...COMPANY BACKGROUND Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. Their founders were John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery. The original Whole Foods Market opened in 1980 with a staff of only 19 people. It was an immediate success. At the time, there were less than half a dozen natural food supermarkets in the United States. It has grown in leaps and bounds since then. Today, they are the world’s leader in natural and organic foods, with more than 310 stores in the North America and the United Kingdom (About Whole Foods Market). During its 31-year history, Whole Foods Market has been a leader in the natural and organic food movement across the United States, helping the industry gain acceptance among growing numbers of consumer concerned about the food they eat (Thompson, Strickland, & Gamble, 2010, p.C-2). The company seeks out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintains the strictest quality standards in the industry, and has an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Add that to the excitement and fun they bring to shopping for groceries, and you start to get a sense of what they are all about. John Mackey, the company’s cofounder and CEO, believes that Whole Foods’ rapid growth and market success has much to do with its having “remained...
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...COMPANY BACKGROUND Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. Their founders were John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery. The original Whole Foods Market opened in 1980 with a staff of only 19 people. It was an immediate success. At the time, there were less than half a dozen natural food supermarkets in the United States. It has grown in leaps and bounds since then. Today, they are the world’s leader in natural and organic foods, with more than 310 stores in the North America and the United Kingdom (About Whole Foods Market). During its 31-year history, Whole Foods Market has been a leader in the natural and organic food movement across the United States, helping the industry gain acceptance among growing numbers of consumer concerned about the food they eat (Thompson, Strickland, & Gamble, 2010, p.C-2). The company seeks out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintains the strictest quality standards in the industry, and has an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Add that to the excitement and fun they bring to shopping for groceries, and you start to get a sense of what they are all about. John Mackey, the company’s cofounder and CEO, believes that Whole Foods’ rapid growth and market success has much to do with its having “remained...
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...processed, most flavorful natural and naturally preserved foods available.” II. Situational Analysis a. Firm Analysis (Internal Strengths and Weaknesses) (Based on Appendix A). i. Current strategy and strategic position in industry: Whole Food’s strategy since 2002 has been to open its own large stores, 50,000 square feet and larger, rather than acquiring small chain stores ranging from 5,000- 20,000 square feet. The driving concept behind their merchandising strategy was to create and “inviting and interactive store atmosphere that turned shopping for food into a fun, pleasurable experience.” Whole Food’s wanted customers to think of the store as a “third place” outside of home and work, where they could relax as well as interact with others in a colorful environment. Financials Analysis: After reading the case and reporting the financial numbers the profit margins from year 2005 have been decreasing each year. The costs of goods sold are on the rise over the past three years and debt over the past three years has risen dramatically to all time highs. Compared to the competitors Whole Foods Market has extremely low revenues and also low EPS. (www.hoovers.com) Assessment of Marketing: In 2005 sales were 1.3 million and rose to 1.7 million in 2007 showing for a increase in sales over the three year time period. As stated in the financial analysis the profit margins have been decreasing...
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...professional chefs due to superiors heat conductivity • Manufacturers had to balance the need for performance, time saving features, and aesthetics with price • Growing trend: Offering colored designer cookware that matched the kitchen decor and Product lines endorsed by and branded with a name of a widely recognized television celebrity chef How it was bought: • Cookware was bought by piece or in a boxed sets ranging from 5 to 14 pieces. 5 piece set comprised a 10 inch fry pan, a 2 quart sauce pan with lid, and a 4 quart stockpot with lid. How it was sold: Retail distribution outlets: • Kitchen specialty chains (Williams Sonoma) • Local specialty stores, department stores (Macy's) • Mass Merchandisers (Walmart) • Grocer Stores (Kroger) • Direct TV Sales (Home Shopping Network) • Online Retailers (Amazon) • Catalogues (Manufacturers direct mailings) Sales were seasonal- High during May-June (weddings), November-December (Christmas) Implications: Positive: • Widen distribution network, distribution partners need to be increased and they are bound to join and be loyal if adequate trade support is provided • Increase market share of the premium segment, direct competitors like Le Gourmand and Robusto never ran price promotions, this could be a differentiator and increase sales and thus market share. • Customer and retailers believed that this would strengthen the brand and bring in new customers to the premium category (15% customers were willing to...
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