*By Amanda Weston*
Grocery chain Kroger launched a new delivery service Wednesday to compete with industry giants Amazon and Walmart.
[Kroger Ship](https://ship.kroger.com/) offers more than 50,000 products to online shoppers in Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville, and Nashville. The chain aims to lure new customers with curated options, free shipping for orders over $35, and discounts.
Online shopping accounts for about 2 percent of the American food-and-beverage market, but it's rapidly expanding.
"When you look at all these new channels in the industry, they are growing extremely, extremely fast," Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief digital officer, said Thursday in an interview with Cheddar.
This isn't Kroger's first attempt at online delivery. The grocery chain has offered delivery service from almost half its 2,800 stories through Instacart.
The new service represents the chain's ambition to make shopping easier for its customers ー and help keep its brick and mortar businesses stable.
"The direct interaction with some of the fresh assortment ー produce, meat, seafood, cheese ー experiential engagement is still very important to them," he said. "They do, however, still want the convenience and simplicity that a digital engagement can offer."
Kroger is going up against Amazon, a formidable competitor, [which sold](https://www.wsj.com/articles/kroger-to-launch-grocery-delivery-service-1533117720) about $650 million worth of food items in the second quarter, up 40 percent from 2017.
As for Kroger Ship's future, Cosset said digital partnerships will also play a major role in growth.
For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/kroger-introduces-kroger-ship-delivery-service).
More than 100,000 homes and businesses are without power and flights are disrupted at the busy Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
The leader of the violent Islamic State group was killed during an overnight raid carried out by U.S. special forces in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, President Joe Biden said Thursday.
U.S. troops head to Europe amid Russia-Ukraine dispute, big plans to battle cancer, and a butterfly center is threatened. Here is all the news you Need2Know for Thursday, February 3, 2022.
A major winter storm with millions of Americans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the middle section of the United States as airlines canceled hundreds of flights, governors urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses.
This Black History Month, Cheddar is highlighting prominent, contemporary Black Americans like Gerome Sapp, former NFL player and founder and CEO of sneaker marketplace Rares.
There will be six more weeks of winter, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow Wednesday to perform his Groundhog Day duties.
Not a lot of cheers for Punxsutawney Phil this Groundhog Day, a major settlement over the opioid epidemic, and one airline is out of the monkey transport business. Here is all the news you Need2Know for Wednesday, February 2, 2022.
When the Irish dance troupe Riverdance kicks off its 25th anniversary North American tour later this year, someone special will be in its high-stepping cast: the troupe’s first Black female dancer.
This Black History Month, Cheddar is highlighting prominent, contemporary Black Americans like Ayesha Selden, a real estate and personal wealth guru.
Finally, a COVID vaccine may be on the way for little kids, the California gov wants to get rid of one of the country's most infamous death rows, and a self-published book by a second-grader is in demand. Here is all the news you Need2Know for Tuesday, February 1, 2022.
