Kroger Pulls Red Bull From 2,700 Stores Nationwide Over Price Increases
Updated
Updated · The Seattle Times · Sep 17
Kroger Pulls Red Bull From 2,700 Stores Nationwide Over Price Increases
3 articles · Updated · The Seattle Times · Sep 17
Summary
Red Bull sales at Kroger ended in August, and the grocer removed the brand’s coolers and displays from stores and fuel centers by Aug. 31.
Kroger tied the move to its push against supplier price hikes, with new CEO Greg Foran saying Sept. 11 that the company aims to win share by lowering prices as inflation squeezes shoppers.
Competitor energy drinks including Monster, Alani Nu, Bloom, Rockstar and NOS remain on shelves, showing Kroger is targeting vendor terms rather than the category.
Private-label products are central to that strategy: Kroger plans to expand Smart Way from about 130 items to 1,000, while store brands already generated $39 billion last year—more than a quarter of its $148 billion revenue.