# The Cincinnati CPG Edge
> Strategy, news, and category insights for CPG suppliers and brand managers calling on Kroger. Independent. Not affiliated with The Kroger Co.
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Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About this site](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/about.md) - About Cincinnati CPG Edge Built for every CPG supplier calling on Kroger. Independent · Launched March 2026 · Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati CPG Edge is an independent weekly publication built for CPG professionals who work with Kroger. It delivers shelf-level insight, supplier news, strategic context…
- [Advertise With Us](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/advertise-with-us.md) - Reach the People Who Move Products Off Shelves Cincinnati CPG Edge is read by brand managers, brokers, category managers, and retail buyers who make decisions about what gets on shelf and what stays there. If your business serves the CPG and retail industry, this is your audience. Who Reads Cincinn…
- [Analytical Services](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/analytical-services.md)
- [Category Reviews](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/category-reviews.md) - Coming Soon!
- [Getting Into Kroger](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/getting-into-kroger.md)
- [Information](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/information.md) - About Cincinnati CPG Edge Built for CPG professionals who live and breathe Kroger. Independent · Launched March 2026 · Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati CPG Edge is an independent publication and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Kroger Co. Cincinnati CPG Edge is an independent wee…
- [Kroger Ad View](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-ad-view.md) - #adview { Kroger Ad View Weekly Ad Archive Kroger weekly print ad PDFs, updated each Wednesday. Click to view or download. 9 ads archived Week 27 2026 Current Aug 5 – Aug 11, 2026 Weekly Ad Print_2627_01400475.pdf · 4 MB Download PDF View in Browser Week 25 2026 July 22 – July 28, 2026 Weekly Ad Pr…
- [Useful Industry Links](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/links.md) - Your curated toolkit for navigating the Kroger ecosystem and the broader CPG landscape. These are the platforms, portals, and resources that suppliers, brokers, and brand teams use every day. Bookmark this page and come back often — we keep it updated. Kroger Supplier Portals The day-to-day platfor…
- [Member Community Forum](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/member-forum.md)
- [Menu](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/menu.md) - Coming Soon We're building something good. This section is under development. Check back soon — or subscribe to the weekly newsletter to stay up to date as Cincinnati CPG Edge grows. Subscribe for Updates
- [New Item Intro](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/new-item-intro.md) - coming soon.
- [Operating at Kroger](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/operating-at-kroger.md)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/privacy-policy.md) - CINCINNATI CPG EDGE PRIVACY POLICY 20260404 Last updated April 04, 2026 This Privacy Notice for Cincinnati CPG Edge LLC ("we," "us," or "our"), describes how and why we might access, collect, store, use, and/or share ("process") your personal information when you use our services ("Services"), incl…
- [Protecting Yourself](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/protecting-yourself.md)
- [Setting Up as a Vendor](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/setting-up-as-a-vendor.md)
- [Store List](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/store-list.md)
- [Terms of Service](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/terms-of-service.md) - Legal Terms of Service Effective Date: April 4, 2025 · Last Updated: April 4, 2025 Please read these Terms carefully. By accessing or using Cincinnati CPG Edge, including any paid subscription tiers, you agree to be bound by the terms below. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the public…
- [The Kroger Startup Launch Guide](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/the-kroger-startup-launch-guide.md)
- [The Kroger Vendor Vault](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/the-kroger-vendor-vault.md)
- [Trade Spend and Marketing](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/trade-spend-and-marketing.md)

## Posts
- [Assortments, POGs, and Pricing, What AI Could Change](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/ai-assortments-planograms-store-layout-what-could-be-coming.md) - Nothing here is confirmed. But the AI tools already reshaping assortment, pricing, and planograms elsewhere in retail point toward real changes suppliers should start thinking about now.
- [Kroger Just Put an AI in Every Customer's Pocket. The Shelf Space Inside It Will Be Sold.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-just-put-an-ai-in-every-customers-pocket-the-shelf-space-inside-it-will-be-sold.md) - Kroger's new AI shopping assistant builds a customer's cart before they ever browse a category. The technology is live now, powered by Google Gemini. And if you think the recommendation space inside that assistant won't be monetized, you haven't been paying attention to how Kroger builds things.
- [KISS a New Twist— Keep It Simple, Supplier](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kiss-keep-it-simple-kroger-promotions.md) - The brands that complicate their Kroger promotional strategy are often the same brands that lose distribution. Simple, clean, and executable beats clever every time.
- [You Need Kroger More Than Kroger Needs You](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/you-need-kroger-more-than-kroger-needs-you.md) - It stings the first time you hear it: you need Kroger more than Kroger needs you. They know it, and you should too. Here is why accepting that truth makes you a better supplier, not a weaker one.
- [The vendor job nobody puts in the job description](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/the-vendor-job-nobody-puts-in-the-job-description.md) - Nobody puts it in the job description, but your most important job as a vendor is making sure your Category Manager never gets a tap on the shoulder about your brand. Here is what noise costs you, and how the quiet vendors win.
- [Know the Language. Know the Room](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-supplier-language-guide.md) - The words you use in a Kroger conversation signal immediately whether you belong there. Here is the language that marks you as an insider, and the phrases that mark you as an outsider.
- ["Customers Don't Buy Assortment. They Buy Items." What Foran's Mindset Shift Means for Your Brand.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/customers-dont-buy-assortment-they-buy-items-what-forans-mindset-shift-means-for-your-brand.md) - Six words from Greg Foran's first full earnings call should be on every CPG supplier's radar. Here is what they actually mean for your brand.
- [Kroger to Acquire Giant Eagle for $1.65 Billion](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-to-acquire-giant-eagle-for-1-65-billion.md) - Kroger announced a definitive agreement to acquire Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion. Here's what the deal covers and why suppliers should be watching it closely
- [The Bill Kroger Is Carrying. Why Supplier Pressure Isn't Really About You](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/the-bill-kroger-is-carrying-why-supplier-pressure-isnt-really-about-you.md) - Kroger is asking more from suppliers than ever. Better pricing, deeper promotions, more KPM investment. The reason isn't just competition. It's a balance sheet carrying over $5 billion in non-operational burdens from decisions made over the last three years.
- [Kroger Just Changed the Loyalty Game. Here Is What It Means for Your Brand.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-just-changed-the-loyalty-game-here-is-what-it-means-for-your-brand.md) - Kroger's loyalty program just got a meaningful upgrade, and the ripple effects go well beyond what shoppers see at checkout.
- [Nobody Likes a Salesman: Are You a Vendor Partner or Just Another Rep?](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/salesperson-vs-vendor-partner.md) - Nobody likes a used car salesman. Here is the difference between a supplier rep who pitches and a vendor partner who earns, and why it changes everything about how Kroger sees your brand.
- [Why Cincinnati CPG Edge Exists (And Why It Belongs in Every Kroger Vendor's Inbox)](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/purpose-of-cpg-edge.md) - This industry runs on sink or swim. Cincinnati CPG Edge exists to change that, one prepared vendor at a time.
- [Q1 Earning Call: Foran's Mandate Every Item Kroger Carries Must Earn Its Spot](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/q1-earning-call-forans-mandate-every-item-kroger-carries-must-earn-its-spot.md) - Greg Foran used Kroger's Q1 2026 earnings call to put every supplier on notice: every item Kroger carries must earn its spot. Here is what he said, what it signals, and what it means for your Kroger business.
- [The KOMPASS Deck Nobody Warned You About](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/the-kompass-deck-nobody-warned-you-about.md) - Most brands think getting a meeting with Kroger is the hard part. It is not. What you bring into that meeting is what determines whether your item has a future on the shelf.
- [Special Edition: Kroger Q1 Earnings Call Is This Week. Tune In Thursday 8am ET.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/special-edition-kroger-q1-earnings-call-is-this-week-tune-in-thursday-8am-et.md) - Kroger's Q1 2026 earnings call is June 18 at 8:00 a.m. ET. Wall Street is watching EPS and revenue. Suppliers should be listening for something different entirely. Here are the five things that will actually affect your brand over the next 90 days.
- [Don't Be the Brand That Nags the Category Manager](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-category-manager-access-guide.md) - Knowing how to access your Kroger Category Manager is important. Knowing when not to is even more important. Here is how to read the room and protect your brand's relationship at Kroger.
- [You Need a Rep.  Kroger Won't Teach You What It Takes to Sell There.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-broker-representation-guide.md) - Kroger is not going to hold your hand through setup, deal submission, compliance, or policy. Here is why experienced representation is not optional for brands building a Kroger business.
- [The $6.5B Shift: GLP-1 Is Reshaping the Kroger Basket](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/the-6-5b-shift-glp-1-is-reshaping-the-kroger-basket.md) - GLP-1 drugs are reshaping the Kroger basket in real time. Here's what the data says, which categories are losing, and what it means if you're a Kroger supplier. Send date: May 30, 2026
- [Kroger Is Cutting Prices, Will Vendors Pay the Bill?](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-is-cutting-prices-will-vendors-pay-the-bill.md) - Kroger CEO Greg Foran is planning the retailer's most aggressive price cuts in years, targeting thousands of products. He named three funding levers, and one of them points directly at suppliers.
- [What Kroger's Trust Ranking Actually Means for Suppliers](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/what-krogers-trust-ranking-actually-means-for-suppliers.md) - Kroger landed at No. 27 on the 2026 Axios Harris Poll 100. Nice headline, but what does that trust ranking actually mean if you're a supplier selling into their shelf?
- [Kroger Q1 2026 Earnings: What Suppliers Should Be Watching](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-q1-2026-earnings-what-suppliers-should-be-watching.md) - Kroger reports Q1 fiscal 2026 results on June 2. Here's what CPG suppliers should watch for — from IRA headwinds and eCommerce profitability to the store expansion push and Greg Foran's first full-quarter earnings as permanent CEO.
- [Wall Street Loves Kroger Right Now. Here's Why Suppliers Should Pay Attention.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/wall-street-loves-kroger-right-now-heres-why-suppliers-should-pay-attention.md) - Kroger's stock is up, analysts are upgrading, and hedge funds are buying. But the same things making Wall Street happy are the things that put pressure on national brand suppliers. Here's what the money is telling us.
- [Foran's First Play: What Kroger's New CEO Just Told the Market](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/forans-first-play-what-krogers-new-ceo-just-told-the-market.md) - Greg Foran used his first public earnings call to deliver a clear message to the market: Kroger's strategy is sound, and his job is to operationalize it faster. Here is what suppliers need to hear.
- [What Kroger's Q4 Earnings Mean for Your Brand in 2026](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/what-krogers-q4-earnings-mean-for-your-brand-in-2026.md) - Kroger closed fiscal 2025 with momentum, and CEO Greg Foran is spending 2026 investing more aggressively in customer value. Here's what suppliers need to know before their next category review.
- [Kroger's Our Brands Is No Longer a Side Business — It's a Direct Competitor](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/krogers-our-brands-is-no-longer-a-side-business-its-a-direct-competitor.md) - Kroger's Our Brands program now matches Walmart's private label share at 26% of total sales volume. With 13,000 items, 35 manufacturing plants, and a new CEO wired for margin discipline, national brand suppliers need a sharper answer to the shelf space question.
- [Kroger's eCommerce Overhaul Just Opened Three New Places to Reach Your Shopper](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/krogers-ecommerce-overhaul-just-opened-three-new-places-to-reach-your-shopper.md) - Kroger's eCommerce restructuring closed Ocado facilities and opened the door to DoorDash, Uber Eats, and deeper Instacart integration. For CPG suppliers, that's not a logistics story. It's three new places where your brand either shows up or it doesn't.
- [Kroger's Biggest Leadership Shakeup in Over a Decade — What It Means for Suppliers](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/krogers-biggest-leadership-shakeup-in-over-a-decade-what-it-means-for-suppliers.md) - Kroger made 10 executive officer changes in a single year, the most in over a decade. Here's what the new faces mean for CPG brands navigating the Kroger ecosystem.
- [Kroger's Online Deal Days Are Live. Here's What Your Brand Should Be Asking.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/krogers-online-deal-days-are-live-heres-what-your-brand-should-be-asking.md) - Kroger's Online Deal Days run April 22 through May 5, and the digital coupon weight tells you everything about where Kroger's priorities are headed. Here's what your brand should be asking.
- [Know Where You Fit: Selling Into a $150 Billion Retailer Without Overcomplicating It](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/know-where-you-fit-selling-into-a-150-billion-retailer-without-overcomplicating-it.md) - Kroger's new CEO is signaling a back-to-basics operating philosophy. Here's what that means for how your brand earns and keeps shelf space.
- [The Foran Effect: What Kroger's New CEO Means for Your Brand](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/the-foran-effect-what-krogers-new-ceo-means-for-your-brand.md) - Greg Foran's first 90 days point to one clear priority: execution over strategy. Here's what that shift means for your fill rates, your SKU complexity, and your next planning conversation.
- [When Your Retailer Is Also Your Competitor's Investor](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/when-your-retailer-is-also-your-competitors-investor.md) - Kroger holds a financial stake in brands that compete directly with yours. Here's what the MPearlRock partnership means for CPG suppliers working the Kroger business.
- [When Category Managers Become the Vendor](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/when-category-managers-become-the-vendor.md) - When Kroger Category Managers move to the supplier side, the dynamics of every conversation change. Here's what that shift means for how you show up at the table.
- [What the McCormick-Unilever Mega-Merger Means for the Kroger Shelf](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/what-the-mccormick-unilever-mega-merger-means-for-the-kroger-shelf.md) - The McCormick-Unilever flavor deal is one of the biggest CPG moves in years. Here's what it means for brands competing for space in Kroger's flavor and condiment aisles.
- [Kroger Has a New Sheriff — Here's What It Means for You](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-has-a-new-sheriff-heres-what-it-means-for-you.md) - Kroger just hired its first outside CEO in 143 years. Greg Foran built his reputation fixing store fundamentals at Walmart. Here's what his appointment means for CPG suppliers and what you should be doing right now.
- [1World-VIP-GDSN First. Everything Else Second.](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/1world-vip-gdsn-first-everything-else-second.md) - GDSN item setup is not a back-office task you handle after the deal is done. It is Step One. Before the pitch, before the category manager meeting, before the IMF is ever requested — your items need to be built, validated, and ready. Here's why it matters more than ever.
- [🛒 03/27/2026 | Kroger Weekly](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/kroger-weekly-03-27-2026.md) - Your weekly roundup of the news, moves, and market shifts that matter most for CPG brands navigating the Kroger ecosystem.
- [🛒 03/18/2026 | Kroger Weekly](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/your-weekly-kroger-intel-cincinnati-cpg-edge.md) - A quick look at what's new in Kroger stores this week and what it signals for brands competing for shelf space.
- [Kroger's store closure plan and what it means for CPG](https://www.cincinnaticpgedge.com/krogers-store-closure-plan-and-what-it-means-for-cpg.md) - Kroger is closing 60 underperforming stores by end of 2026 across more than a dozen states. The consumer press calls it a real estate story. For CPG suppliers it is a data story, a distribution story, and in some cases a category review story.

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