Poaching an old rival! Kroger Co. plans to hire former Walmart Inc. American CEO Greg Foran to take the helm.

According to informed sources, the traditional American supermarket giant Kroger Co. has selected former Walmart Inc. Chief Executive Greg Foran as the next CEO. This marks the end of the company's months-long CEO selection process. The personnel appointment announcement is expected to be officially disclosed as early as Monday. After long-time Kroger Co. CEO Rodney McMullen resigned due to ethical issues last year, the company was temporarily led by Chairman Ron Sargent (former CEO of Staples). Under Sargent's leadership, Kroger Co. implemented a series of adjustments: cutting approximately 1,000 corporate positions, closing underperforming stores and fulfillment centers, and reinvesting the saved funds into promotional activities, expanding private label brands, and price reduction strategies. Kroger Co. has long lacked a full-time CEO and the company has previously stated a preference for external recruitment to introduce a new management perspective. According to public records, the newly appointed Foran served as head of Walmart Inc.'s US business from 2014 to 2019, focusing on optimizing store operations, managing fresh food categories, and enhancing inventory discipline. During his tenure, Walmart Inc.'s US business performance significantly improved. He then moved on to become CEO of Air New Zealand, serving until the end of 2025. Foran's arrival comes at a crucial juncture in Kroger Co.'s strategic transformation. Currently, the company is facing a challenging industry environment with continued pressure on food prices. After its $20 billion acquisition plan of Albertsons Companies, Inc. Class A was blocked and needing to explore new growth pathways. On the other hand, consumer price sensitivity remains high, prompting Kroger Co. to accelerate its competitive strategy by strengthening positive competition with discount grocery stores, while seeking differentiation in maintaining market share. It is worth noting that this change in leadership coincides with a wave of executive turnover in large retail companies, with Target Corporation and Walmart Inc. also recently welcoming new CEOs. Kroger Co. announced its revenue for the 2024 fiscal year as $147 billion and stated that despite intensifying competition from Aldi, Walmart Inc., and Publix, its efforts have helped it expand its market share in the grocery market.