Last Updated on 08/20/2021 by GS Staff
Kroger does not own Meijer. Kroger and Meijer are two separate companies that compete in many of the same markets. We will outline the differences between the two grocery stores below.
Kroger
Kroger is a publicly traded company that trades under the ticker symbol KR on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The owners of Kroger are its shareholders. Some of the top institutional holders of Kroger shares are the following:
| Institution | Shares | Value | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackrock | 76,077,865 | $2,914,543,008 | 10.18% |
| Vanguard | 70,572,832 | $2,703,645,193 | 9.44% |
| Berkshire Hathaway | 61,787,910 | $2,367,094,832 | 8.27% |
| State Street Corporation | 39,374,106 | $1,508,422,000 | 5.27% |
| Renaissance Technologies | 17,731,571 | $679,296,485 | 2.37% |
| LSV Asset Management | 15,950,849 | $611,077,025 | 2.13% |
While Kroger has several subsidiaries under its umbrella, Meijer is not one of those businesses. Here is a list of companies that Kroger owns:
- Baker’s
- City Market
- Dillons
- Food 4 Less
- Foods Co
- Fred Meyer
- Fry’s
- Gerbes
- King Soopers
- Jay C Food Store
- Kroger
- Pay-Less Super Markets
- QFC
- Ralphs
- Smith’s Food and Drug
Meijer
Meijer is a private company based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company has been owned by the Meijer family since 1934 when Hendrik Meijer opened the first store in Greenville, Michigan. The success of Meijer allowed the company to expand across West Michigan during its first several years in business. It expanded to approximately 24 stores by the 1960s. In 1962, Meijer opened the first supercenter where customers could buy just about everything they needed under one roof. This innovation would go on to be copied by Walmart who actually tried to acquire Walmart at one point but Meijer refused the offer. In 1981, Meijer opened its first out-of-state store in Ohio. It currently has more than 250 stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Kroger vs Meijer
Here is a comparison of Kroger versus Meijer to give you an idea of how these two companies differ:
| Retailer | Revenue | # of Stores | # of States | Public or Private | Typical Format | Brands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kroger | $132,498,000,000 | 2,800 | 35 | Public | Standard Grocery | Private Selection, Simple Truth, Kroger, HemisFares, Home Chef, Murray’s Cheese, Bloom Haus, Bakery Fresh Goodness, Abound, Luvsome, Pet Pride, Comforts, Dip, Office Works, HD Designs, Everyday Living |
| Meijer | $19,590,000,000 | 259 | 6 | Private | Supercenter | Meijer, Fresh from Meijer, True Goodness, Purple Cow |
Sources:
Image Credit (Meijer) – Mike Kalasnik/flickr
Image Credit (Kroger) – Kipp Teague/flickr