*By Alisha Haridasani*
One of the country's largest supermarket chains is investing in technology and talent to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive grocery business that has been upended by e-commerce.
The grocery chain Kroger is seeking to “create shareholder value over the next three years,” said Jessica Adelman, the retailer’s Chief Communications Officer. The plan, called "Restock Kroger," includes initiatives to improve the grocery shopping experience online and offline.
“We know people want to shop for anything, anytime, anywhere,” said Adelman in an interview Monday with Cheddar's CEO Jon Steinberg.
Earlier this year, Kroger expanded its [‘Scan, Bag, Go’](http://ir.kroger.com/file/Index?KeyFile=391984350) pilot program across more stores, allowing users to scan their grocery items on their phone as they shop and pay at a self-service checkout. Kroger also started carrying the increasingly popular [meal kits](http://ir.kroger.com/file/Index?KeyFile=391474108) to cater to time-pressed customers who still want freshly cooked meals.
The company also announced this month that it would aim to hire 11,000 employees by the end of this year, including 2,000 in management roles.
“A lot of the jobs that we’re adding are in the technology space, in the areas that are complementary to helping us achieve ‘Restock Kroger,’” said Adelman. “We’re taking labor out of areas of the store where people don’t seem to miss it that much and we can help move our associates up the ladder into more meaningful work.”
In a bid to attract and retain top talent, Kroger will provide a new education benefit for full and part-time associates who will $3,500 a year for new training, capped at $21,000 total. Adelman said the plan will be paid for in part with savings from the new tax plan passed by Congress.
Though the company’s fourth quarter earnings were in line with expectations, competition from Amazon and Walmart continues to weigh down Kroger’s stock. The company’s shares were down more than 13 percent since a year ago.
Last week, Kroger completed the $2.15 billion sale of its convenience stores to the EG Group in Britain and will use those proceeds to buy back shares.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/jessica-adelman-on-how-kroger-uses-technology-to-compete-with-amazon).
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate what's expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex to a tiny Virginia firm with no experience running correction facilities.
Chipmaker Nvidia is poised to release a quarterly report that could provide a better sense of whether the stock market has been riding an overhyped artificial intelligence bubble or is being propelled by a technological boom that’s still gathering momentum.
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo. For now. But the chain is also apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.
Elon Musk on Monday targeted Apple and OpenAI in an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the iPhone maker and the ChatGPT maker are teaming up to thwart competition in artificial intelligence.
