Greg Foran’s first few months at Kroger are increasingly resembling a broad organizational reset, with another major leadership change reinforcing the sense that the company remains firmly in transition.
The former Walmart U.S. chief – and Kroger’s first-ever external CEO hire – took over in February and has already signaled significant changes in strategy, pricing and organizational structure as the retailer works to regain momentum following the collapse of its proposed Albertsons merger.
The failed deal left Kroger navigating a prolonged period of uncertainty, including legal challenges from multiple states and broader questions surrounding the company’s long-term direction.
As previous Food Trade News ownership often observed, Kroger has long operated in the grocery industry’s “mushy middle” – a position becoming increasingly difficult to defend in today’s K-shaped economy. Retailers are rapidly separating into value-driven and premium-focused camps.
Last week, Valerie Jabbar, Kroger’s senior vice president of retail divisions and one of the company’s most experienced executives, retired after 38 years with the retailer. Kroger did not immediately announce a successor. Her departure marks at least the fourth high-level executive exit since Foran assumed the CEO role earlier this year.
Jabbar’s exit follows other senior leadership changes and comes as Foran continues evaluating Kroger’s operating structure, field leadership and competitive positioning.
Notable Kroger Executive Departures
Among the most significant exits was Joe Kelley, Kroger’s senior vice president of retail divisions, who departed last month. A nearly 40-year grocery industry veteran, Kelley had been elevated to the role in 2025 after leading Kroger’s King Soopers & City Market division and previously holding senior leadership positions at retailers including Stop & Shop, Shaw’s, Star Market and Price Chopper. He became chief operating officer of Associated Wholesale Grocers.
Earlier this month Jamie Lancaster, vice president of Kroger’s Capability Center, also departed as the company continued reassessing portions of its technology, shared services and operational support structure. An 18-year Kroger veteran, Lancaster had overseen initiatives tied to productivity, operational efficiency and customer service.
Valerie Jabbar’s retirement now removes another longtime leader from the executive bench. The company is simultaneously pushing through a significant portfolio review. Kroger has confirmed plans to close roughly 60 underperforming stores across multiple banners, while also reshaping executive oversight responsibilities and simplifying portions of the organization.
At the center of the strategy appears to be a renewed focus on retail basics Foran is known for.
In recent public comments, Foran has repeatedly emphasized pricing, execution and store operations rather than the broader ecosystem language that dominated much of Kroger’s messaging during the Albertsons merger pursuit. He has openly acknowledged Kroger’s pricing disadvantage versus Walmart, Costco, and Aldi and said the company intends to lower prices across thousands of products.
“The basket has to come down,” Foran said in one recent interview, describing grocery retail as a “Formula One race” where Kroger is trying to close the gap with the leaders.
That rhetoric strongly reflects Foran’s Walmart background, where he earned a reputation for operational discipline and store-focused execution. During his tenure leading Walmart’s American operations, he was widely credited with helping stabilize store standards, improve in-stock conditions, and sharpen the company’s grocery competitiveness.
For Kroger, the stakes are high.
The company remains the nation’s largest traditional supermarket operator, but it faces mounting pressure from value-oriented competitors, evolving shopper behavior and questions about long-term strategic direction after the collapse of the Albertsons deal.
We understand that with any new regime, there is a certain amount of change. But it remains to be seen how much of this is a refresh and a refocus versus a ‘cleaning house’ of dead weight. The emerging picture under Foran is becoming clearer: fewer distractions, tighter execution, lower prices, and a leadership team increasingly shaped around operational accountability.
