by Food Trade News Team
The Kroger Co. announced that retail veteran Greg Foran is their new chief executive officer effective immediately. Foran succeeds Ron Sargent, who has served as interim CEO since March 2025, following the abrupt departure of former CEO Rodney McMullen.
The appointment concludes an extensive board-led search aimed at identifying a seasoned operator capable of leading the nation’s largest traditional grocer through a period of heightened competitive and operational pressure.
Foran will also be appointed to the company’s board of directors, Sargent will continue in his role as chairman of the board. Kroger is expected to provide additional detail on the leadership transition during its March 5 earnings call.
“Greg is a highly respected operator who knows how to run large-scale retail businesses, strengthen store execution, and lead high-performing teams,” Sargent said in a statement. “His leadership style, focus on the customer, commitment to associates, and disciplined approach to execution are the perfect fit for Kroger.”
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Foran brings more than four decades of experience leading complex, consumer-facing organizations across multiple geographies. He is best known in U.S. retail circles for his tenure as CEO of Walmart U.S. from 2014 to 2019, where he oversaw a broad operational turnaround of the company’s largest division.Â
During that period, Walmart delivered 20 consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales growth while accelerating its digital capabilities, including online ordering, curbside pickup, and early retail media initiatives. At its peak, Foran managed more than 4,600 stores and roughly 1 million associates.
Most recently, Foran served as CEO of Air New Zealand, where he led the airline through a multi-year digital transformation and navigated significant disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. His tenure included complex labor negotiations, supply-chain constraints, and fleet modernization initiatives, with a stated emphasis on operational rigor and long-term resilience.
“Kroger is one of the most dynamic companies in retail,” Foran said. “The company is built on a strong foundation, supported by a talented leadership team and associates who are deeply committed to the customers and communities they serve. At this moment in Kroger’s journey, this is the best job on the planet.”
Foran steps into the role as Kroger continues to recover from a turbulent 2025. McMullen resigned in March of last year following an internal investigation into personal conduct, shortly after the company’s proposed merger with Albertsons was abandoned. Kroger emphasized that the ethics investigation was unrelated to the company’s financial performance, operations, or reporting.
Based in Cincinnati, OH, Kroger employs nearly 420,000 associates and serves more than 11 million customers daily across physical stores and digital platforms under a broad portfolio of banners.Â
Kroger reaffirmed its previously issued fiscal 2025 guidance alongside the leadership announcement, signaling continuity as Foran assumes the helm.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
