The Kroger Company was founded in 1883 by Barney Kroger, with a focus on providing fresh food, low prices, and innovation to customers. These principles continue to shape the company's mission and practices today.

In 1884, Kroger opened its second store, expanding its presence in the retail industry.

In 1901, Kroger became the first grocer in the country to establish its own bakeries. Barney Kroger realized that by baking the bread himself, he could cut costs and offer customers a fresher loaf at a lower price.

In 1902, the Great Western Tea Company was incorporated as Kroger Grocery and Baking Co. The company expanded rapidly and introduced in-store meat departments.

In 1916, Kroger company revolutionized shopping by introducing self-service shopping, a departure from the traditional method of having articles behind counters.

From 1928 until 1984, Kroger had a significant presence in the Western Pennsylvania region, including Pittsburgh, before economic challenges led to changes.

In 1929, there were rumors about a potential merger between Safeway and Kroger, indicating strategic moves in the retail sector.

Murray's Cheese, an artisanal cheese shop, was founded in Greenwich Village in 1940. The brand is known for its high-quality cheese products.

In 1946, Kroger Grocery and Baking Co. changed its name to Kroger Co. The company continued its growth and expansion in the retail grocery sector.

Starting in 1955, Kroger embarked on a strategy of acquiring supermarket chains, leading to significant growth and market expansion.

In January 1956, Kroger bought out Big Chain Stores, Inc., a chain of seven stores based in Shreveport, Louisiana, and later merged it with the Childs group under the Kroger banner in 1966.

In September 1957, Kroger sold its Wichita, Kansas store division, consisting of 16 stores, to J. S. Dillon and Sons Stores Company, led by Ray S. Dillon.

In October 1963, Kroger acquired the 56-store chain Market Basket, gaining a foothold in the southern California market. This move marked their entry into the California market.

In 1970, Kroger left the Chicago market by selling its distribution warehouse in Northlake, Il. and 24 stores to Dominick's Finer Foods grocery chain.

In 1972, the Kroger supermarket in Kenwood Plaza tested the first electronic checkout system, using a bull’s-eye symbol before transitioning to bar codes. This technological advancement revolutionized the shopping experience for customers.

Kroger made an entry into the Charlotte market in 1977 and underwent rapid expansion in the 1980s by acquiring some stores from BI-LO. Nevertheless, due to mismatch with Kroger's upscale image, the company decided to exit the Charlotte market in 1988.

In 1979, Kroger became the second largest supermarket chain in the United States, solidifying its position in the retail industry.

Kroger entered the competitive San Antonio, Texas, market in 1980 but later pulled out in mid-1993, announcing the closure of its 15 area stores on June 15, 1993.

In 1981, Kroger closed several stores around Flint, Michigan, which were later converted by a local businessman to a new chain called Kessel Food Markets. Some of the Michigan stores were also sold to Hamady Brothers in 1980.

In 1982, Kroger sold the 65-store Market Basket chain it had operated in southern California, which was then reverted to the Boys Markets branding after acquisition.

In 1983, Kroger merged with Dillon Companies Inc. in Kansas, expanding its operations to become a coast-to-coast operator of food, drug, and convenience stores. This merger brought Dillon's, King Soopers, Fry's, City Market, and Gerbes into the Kroger family.

In 1985, Kroger acquired the Hook's Drug Stores chain based in Indianapolis, Indiana, outbidding Rite Aid. The acquisition led to the combination of Hook's with SupeRx to form Hook's-SupeRx.

Kroger opened and operated about 50 stores in St. Louis until it left the market in 1986, citing unprofitability.

In 1988, Kroger successfully defended against a leveraged buyout bid by the Kohlberg Kravis Roberts investment firm, maintaining its independence.

Kroger experienced a similar withdrawal from Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1989, with many stores being sold to the local grocery chain Red Food.

In 1994, Kroger decided to exit the stand-alone drugstore business and sold its Hook's and SupeRx stores to Revco. Later, Revco was sold to CVS.

In 1998, Kroger merged with the then fifth-largest grocery company Fred Meyer, along with its subsidiaries, Ralphs, QFC, and Smith's.

In 1999, Kroger merged with Fred Meyer, Inc. in a $13 billion deal, creating a supermarket chain with the broadest geographic coverage and the widest variety of formats in the food retailing industry. This merger included Smith's, Ralphs, Food 4 Less, QFC, JayC, Owens Market, and Pay Less.

Kroger entered the Richmond, Virginia market in 2000 by acquiring Hannaford stores. This move positioned Kroger against market leaders Martin's, Food Lion, and other competitors in the region.

In 2001, Kroger acquired Baker's Supermarkets from Fleming Companies, Inc. This acquisition expanded Kroger's presence in the supermarket industry.

Albertsons exited the San Antonio and Houston markets in early 2002, selling many of the Houston stores to Kroger. This acquisition strengthened Kroger's presence in the Houston area.

Kroger Marketplace, a chain of big-box stores, was introduced in 2004 in the Columbus, Ohio area. The format is based on Fry's Marketplace stores and currently operates a total of 188 marketplaces.

In 2005, Kroger started renovating its Food & Drug stores in Ohio to a new and updated look, transforming them into the Kroger Marketplace format.

On October 5, 2006, a new Kroger Marketplace store was inaugurated in Gahanna, expanding the presence of Kroger Marketplace in the Columbus area.

In 2007, Kroger acquired Scott's Food & Pharmacy from SuperValu Inc. and 20 former Michigan Farmer Jack locations from A&P. These acquisitions helped Kroger strengthen its presence in the respective markets.

In November 2008, two new Kroger Marketplace stores were completed in the Northern Kentucky suburbs of Hebron and Walton, further expanding Kroger's presence in the region.

The first Kroger Marketplace store in Texas opened on October 9, 2009, in the Waterside Marketplace in Richmond, Texas.

The second Kroger Marketplace store in Rosenberg, Texas, opened on December 4, 2009.

On March 11, 2010, a new Kroger Marketplace store was opened in Gallatin, Tennessee, marking the expansion of Kroger's presence in the state.

The fourth Kroger Marketplace store in Willis, Texas, opened on August 11, 2011.

The first Kroger Marketplace in Indiana opened on September 29, 2011, on Dupont Road on Fort Wayne's northwest side.

A second Kroger Marketplace opened on October 4, 2012, in the Village at Coventry on the southwest side of Fort Wayne.

The first Kroger Marketplace in Virginia opened on Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond, Virginia, on December 6, 2012.

The first Kroger Marketplace in Michigan opened on June 14, 2013, at Sterns and Secor Roads in Lambertville, increasing from 68,000 to 133,000 square feet. It offers toys, home essentials, apparel, shoes, and groceries.

On July 9, 2013, Kroger announced the acquisition of the 212 stores of Charlotte-based Harris Teeter for $2.5 billion. This move allowed Kroger to enter the Charlotte and Asheville markets and acquire Harris Teeter's click-and-collect program.

Another Kroger Marketplace opened in Virginia Beach, Virginia, at the site of a former Super Kmart, on July 31, 2013.

In 2014, Kroger merged with Vitacost.com, a leading e-commerce company in the nutrition and healthy living market. This merger allowed Kroger to enter the e-commerce space and expand its reach to customers nationwide and internationally.

On March 3, 2015, Kroger announced its entry into Hawaii after registering as a new business in February 2015. Kroger faced competition from various local and major retailers in Hawaii.

On May 1, 2015, Kroger announced the acquisition of the seven-store Hiller's Market chain in Southeast Michigan, planning to operate most stores under the Kroger banner.

Kroger and Roundy's announced a definitive merger, bringing Roundy's chain's 166 primarily Wisconsin based chains under Kroger ownership. The merger is valued at $800 million, including debt.

The first Kroger Marketplace in Mississippi opened on September 16, 2016, in Hernando. It was formerly a Kroger Food & Drug store with twelve aisles, now rebuilt with sixty-four, featuring a Starbucks, ClickList, and expanded deli.

Kroger Co. purchased Murray's Cheese.

Kroger stopped offering a discount to senior citizens 59 and up.

Kroger, along with the University of Kentucky and UK Athletics, announced a 12-year, $1.85 million per year campus marketing agreement. The agreement includes naming rights to Commonwealth Stadium, which will be renamed Kroger Field.

Kroger opened its first convenience store in Blacklick, Ohio, labeled 'Fresh Eats MKT'. The new prototype stores only sell food and have a Starbucks and a Kroger Pharmacy.

On April 10, 2018, Kroger revealed plans to recruit approximately 11,000 new employees, with 2,000 managerial positions among them. This move increased the company's workforce to nearly half a million individuals.

Kroger announced a partnership with Ocado in May 2018 to enhance its ecommerce operations, focusing on online ordering, automated fulfillment, and home delivery through the establishment of 20 new fulfillment centers. The first center opened in April 2021, with additional locations across the US.

On May 24, 2018, Kroger disclosed the acquisition of Home Chef for $200 million, with potential additional incentives of $500 million based on meeting specific targets.

Kroger Mid-Atlantic announced on June 13, 2018, that all 14 Kroger-branded stores in the Raleigh-Durham area would be rebranded. Eight stores would transition to Harris Teeter, one to Crunch Fitness, and another to Food Lion, while the fate of the remaining four stores remained uncertain.

On December 4, 2018, Kroger revealed a partnership with Walgreens to introduce Kroger Express, offering meal kits and other meal solutions inside Walgreens stores.

In March 2019, Kroger announced an expansion of its services with robotics company Nuro to introduce Nuro's autonomous Priuses for deliveries in Houston, Texas.

In August 2019, Kroger implemented fees ranging from $0.50 to $3.50 for customers receiving cash back when making purchases with debit cards, following a test market in Kansas earlier that year.

In September 2019, Kroger collaborated with the Plant Based Food Association to pilot a plant-based meat retail concept in 60 stores across Denver, Indiana, and Illinois.

In November 2019, Kroger revealed a new logo featuring the 'Fresh For Everyone' tagline and 'Krojis', alongside expanding its online wine delivery program to Arizona, now available in 19 states and Washington D.C.

In December 2019, Kroger was recognized as the second-largest grocer in the U.S. with $110 billion in sales in 2016. Additionally, Kroger was listed as the top supermarket in various states according to USA Today.

Kroger provided hazard pay, known as 'hero pay', to essential workers during the pandemic, giving them a raise of US$2 an hour from the end of March 2020 until May 2020.

Kroger reported Total CO2e emissions for the twelve months ending on December 31, 2020, at 5,090 Kt, showing a decrease of 11.5% year-over-year. The reported emissions have been on a declining trend since 2016.

On August 2, 2021, Kroger announced the election of Elaine Chao, former Secretary of Labor and Transportation under Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump, to its board of directors, sparking backlash and calls for a boycott due to her ties to the Trump administration and her husband, Mitch McConnell.

A mass shooting took place at a Kroger location in Collierville, Tennessee, resulting in one death and 13 injuries. The gunman, identified as 29-year-old Uk Thang, committed suicide after the incident. Kroger provided counseling services for employees and temporarily closed the store.

Kroger launched Kroger Restaurant Supply in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, a venture aimed at distributing food and related supplies to restaurants, bakeries, and catering companies. This move signifies Kroger's expansion beyond traditional retail grocery operations.

Kroger revealed a merger agreement with Albertsons valued at $24.6 billion, leading to the consolidation of both companies while divesting some stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers for regulatory compliance. The merger is anticipated to conclude in early 2024, despite legal challenges.

Kroger launched a new app called OptUP to simplify eating healthy. The app aims to make it easier for customers to make healthier food choices.