Kroger Co. said Wednesday it plans to spend nearly $500 million to open 11 stores and remodel or expand 22 others in the Greater Indianapolis area as part of a four-year strategic plan.
The Cincinnati-based company said it previously invested more than $125 million in the Fort Wayne market and $40 million in the Bloomington market.
The company said the investments in Indianapolis, which began last year, include opening seven new Marketplace stores at a cost of $141 million — with two in Indianapolis, both scheduled to open in the fall, and single units in Fishers and Franklin, plus three additional locations still to be announced — and four new conventional stores, at a cost of $75 million, encompassing locations in Greenwood, Zionsville and Indianapolis, with another location to be announced.
Kroger also said it plans to spent $95.5 million to remodel 17 stores, including four that were completed last fall. Kroger will also expand five stores, including a location in Carmel that is due to open in mid-June, and additional stores in Greenwood, Westfield and two other locations to be announced later, at a cost of $58.3 million.
The company said it has also leased a building that will house a 7,000-square-foot regional training center in Indianapolis to accommodate the new workers it will hire, which it estimates will approach 3,000 people. Until that facility opens, it is operating temporary hiring centers near stores that have already opened, a company spokesman told SN.
Kroger said it will invest an additional $24 million to open 16 new fuel centers and another $70 million plus for minor capital projects.
At store level it said it plans to add 24 new Murray’s Cheese departments, 27 Starbuck’s and 14 Little Clinic locations. Kroger will remodel 22 pharmacies.
According to Jeff Burt, president of Kroger’s central division, which encompasses 136 stores in Indiana, Illinois and eastern Missouri, “Kroger has remained very competitive in the marketplace because we recognize the critical importance of investing in stores with features appropriate to the 21st-century marketplace and evolving customer expectations.
“Having capital resources, accurate market research and a determination to achieve our customer-focused business plan goals is a strong competitive advantage in the central Indiana region.”
With the growth in stores and employees, Kroger said it anticipates added business in its four Indiana food plants and four distribution centers. “Strategically investing in our people and stores will provide job security to thousands of associates and give us the resources to continue generously supporting hundreds of local community organizations across Indiana,” he said.