Kroger Announces Executive Promotion

CINCINNATI, May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today Paul W. Heldman, currently senior vice president, secretary and general counsel, has been promoted to executive vice president, secretary and general counsel.

Mr. Heldman joined Kroger in 1982 as a staff attorney from the Cincinnati law firm of Beckman Weil Shepardson LLC. He was elected assistant secretary in 1987, vice president and general counsel in 1989, secretary in 1992 and senior vice president and general counsel in 1997. He holds a bachelors degree from Boston University and graduated from the School of Law of the University of Cincinnati in 1977.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains. At the end of fiscal 2005, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,507 supermarkets and multi- department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's and Smith's Marketplace, Fry's and Fry's Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operated (either directly or through subsidiaries, franchise agreements, or operating agreements) 791 convenience stores, 428 fine jewelry stores, 579 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at http://www.kroger.com/.