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Kroger, Walgreens form group purchasing organization

National supermarket, drug chains deepen year-old partnership

Russell Redman

December 11, 2019

3 Min Read
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Both Kroger and Walgreens are facing increasing pressure from larger competitors like Walmart and Amazon as well as other big players like Costco, Albertsons, Target and CVS.Kroger

Adding scale to compete with big rivals, The Kroger Co. and Walgreens have created a group purchasing organization (GPO) called the Retail Procurement Alliance.

Kroger and Walgreens said Wednesday that the new GPO will build on their retail partnership, unveiled just over a year ago, by enhancing purchasing efficiencies, lowering costs and fostering innovation through combined resources.

"This collaboration is an extension of the strategic collaboration announced last year to create value for customers and shareholders of both companies," Kroger Chief Financial Officer Gary Millerchip said in a statement. "Kroger and Walgreens share a commitment to finding value and efficiency improvements by increasing innovation and competition through sourcing. This concept brings together the best of two great organizations to reinvent critical components of our sourcing practices.”

In October 2018, Kroger and Walgreens announced plans to pilot a one-stop shopping experience at 13 Walgreens drugstores in northern Kentucky that would enable customers to buy products and services from both retailers. Through the test, consumers initially would be able to order Kroger groceries — including store brands like Simple Truth — online and pick up their orders at the Walgreens stores.

Related:Kroger recasts its brand

That pilot launched last December as Kroger Express in the 13 Walgreens stores in northern Kentucky and included Kroger’s Home Chef meal kits, which also were rolled out to 65 Walgreens stores in the Chicago area. Products in the Kroger Express assortment were curated using customer data and insights from 84.51°, Kroger’s data analytics and consumer intelligence arm.

Then in August, Kroger and Walgreens said they were expanding the Kroger Express pilot to 35 Walgreens stores in Knoxville, Tenn., and introducing a curated assortment of Walgreens health and beauty products in a new Walgreens-bannered section inside 17 Kroger supermarkets in the Knoxville market. Those tests kicked off in the fall.

"Through this unique joint venture, Walgreens and Kroger have the opportunity to use our collective resources to create efficiencies across our supply chains," stated Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance. "This collaboration will also enhance our ability to drive innovation for customers, including both of our private-label brands, to further meet their evolving needs for value and convenience.”

Both Kroger and Walgreens are facing increasing pressure from larger competitors like Walmart and Amazon as well as other big players like Costco Wholesale Corp., Albertsons Cos., Target Corp. and CVS Health. A procurement joint venture would increase their purchasing power with suppliers as well as enable them to rein in pricing from efficiencies of scale. In addition, Kroger and Walgreens field strong rosters of own brands, and offering their private brands at each other’s stores provides an element of exclusivity that could attract more shoppers.

Related:Report: KKR making buyout pitch to Walgreens

Most of the Walgreens stores in the pilot feature a full Kroger Express assortment of up to 2,700 products, with others offering an average of 2,300 products. Most of the Walgreens locations also offer Kroger Pickup service, which will allow shoppers to place a digital order on Kroger.com or via the Kroger app for curbside pickup at a participating store. The curated Walgreens HBA selection at the 17 Kroger stores in Knoxville spans the beauty care, personal care, over-the-counter medicine and wellness categories and includes the Walgreens Boots Alliance brands No7 and Soap & Glory.

Through its 20 regional/retail divisions, Cincinnati-based Kroger operates 2,759 food stores under such banners as Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fry’s, QFC, City Market, Owen’s, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker’s, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick ‘n Save, Copps, Metro Market, Mariano’s, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less and Foods Co.

The retail network for Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens includes 9,277 drugstores under the Walgreens and Duane Reade banners in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rice and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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