CINCINNATI, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today is hosting its fourth Natural Foods Innovation Summit in partnership with 84.51°, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Seth Goldman—Co-Founder of Honest Tea and Executive Chairman of Beyond Meat®, a plant-based protein brand—will speak about the importance of sustainability in the food industry and share best practices for operating a mission-driven company.
"It's been one year since Kroger launched our Natural Foods Innovation Summit," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior vice president of merchandising. "The interactive model has proven to be successful, creating a new channel for enterprising small businesses and startups to engage Kroger, America's largest grocery retailer, with innovative ideas and products for our customers."
Nearly 60 brands will participate in today's expo, bringing the total to more than 200 different small businesses Kroger has engaged combined across the four Summit events.
"Kroger has experienced five consecutive years of double-digit growth in the natural and organic foods category," continued Clark. "We know today's customer wants better-for-you products, and Kroger will continue to make natural, organic, and free-from products accessible and affordable through Simple Truth® and supplier partnerships."
Kroger experts recently introduced its top food trend predictions for 2019. From digestive health to plant-based alternatives, the year ahead will focus on flexible eating styles.
Kroger will continue to host Summit events in 2019. Natural, organic, and local brands can visit Kroger.Com/WeAreLocal to learn how to join Kroger's family of suppliers.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.
