There are moments in a company’s life that feel like crossroads — not with the noisy thunder of change, but with the quiet certainty of a new dawn. For Kroger, the largest standalone supermarket chain in the United States, such a moment has arrived. After nearly a year of searching and transition, the Cincinnati‑based grocer has tapped a seasoned leader from the wider retail world to guide it through shifting consumer habits, fierce competition, and evolving technology.
On February 9, 2026, Kroger’s Board of Directors announced that Greg Foran, a former executive at Walmart and most recently the CEO of Air New Zealand, will take the helm as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Foran succeeds Ron Sargent, who served as interim CEO since March 2025 following the abrupt departure of long‑time leader Rodney McMullen.
Foran’s career spans more than four decades in global retail and consumer operations. During his six‑year tenure leading Walmart U.S., he played a central role in expanding the company’s digital capabilities, introducing online ordering and pickup services, and steering 20 consecutive quarters of comparable sales growth — achievements that transformed the grocer’s competitive posture in a challenging market.
More recently, Foran served as CEO of Air New Zealand, where he navigated the airline through the turbulence of the pandemic while overseeing digital transformation and operational improvements. Such experience, the Kroger board said, equips him with a strategic outlook grounded in both resilience and innovation — qualities many observers believe Kroger needs as it confronts inflationary pressures and intensifying competition from rivals like Walmart itself.
The leadership change comes at a pivotal time for Kroger. The company’s effort to merge with Albertsons — a deal that would have dramatically reshaped the U.S. grocery landscape — was blocked by regulators and courts in 2024 amid antitrust concerns. Meanwhile, Kroger has faced a period of relatively modest sales growth compared with broader market benchmarks, even as shoppers adapt behavior in a cost‑conscious environment.
Investors responded positively to the news: Kroger’s stock climbed by roughly 6% in pre‑market trading on the day of the announcement, reflecting confidence that Foran’s appointment could help catalyze renewed momentum.
Ron Sargent will remain as Chairman of the Board, offering continuity and stability as Foran steps into his new role. Together, they face the challenge of reimagining Kroger’s place in a landscape where groceries are increasingly bought online, loyalty is shaped by personalized value, and the line between food and tech has blurred into a new definition of retail.
In the coming months, Kroger’s path will reflect not just the leadership of a new CEO, but the fresh energy of an organization eager to adapt and thrive — a grocery giant poised for its next chapter.
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📚 Sources Reuters, Associated Press, Kroger press releases and business reporting on Kroger’s appointment of former Walmart executive Greg Foran as CEO.