CINCINNATI -- The Kroger Co. said that Van Tarver has been promoted to vice president of Kroger's Convenience Store Division, effective immediately. In addition to the company's 791 convenience stores, Tarver will oversee Kroger's fuel procurement and its Turkey Hill Dairy operation.
Van brings more than 35 years of convenience store and fuel management experience to his new position. These segments are critical parts of our overall business and we look forward to Van's leadership as this important division continues to grow, said Rodney McMullen, vice [image-nocss] chairman of Kroger.
Tarver joined Kroger in 1997 as president of Quik Stop Markets Inc. He previously served as senior vice president of retail for Thrifty Oil Co. and worked in management for National Convenience Stores Inc.
Kroger operates five c-store divisions under the names Kwik Shop, Loaf N Jug, Quik Stop, Tom Thumb and Turkey Hill Minit Markets. The division is based in Hutchinson, Kansas.
At the end of fiscal 2005, Cincinnati-based Kroger operatedeither directly or through its subsidiaries2,507 supermarkets and department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's and Smith's Marketplace, Fry's and Fry's Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operatedeither directly or through subsidiaries, franchise agreements or operating agreements791 c-stores, 428 jewelry stores, 579 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants.
Meanwhile, Kroger has unveiled the first fuel station in Houston to offer ethanol-based E85, said the Houston Business Journal.
The Kroger Fuel Center is the first of 18 planned Kroger fuel stations to offer E85 fuel throughout Dallas and Houston, said the report. The company is making station improvements needed to offer E85 fuel in Dallas and Houston this summer, and more Kroger fuel centers could offer E85 as consumer demand grows.
The retailer will price E85 ethanol lower than regular, unleaded gasoline, and Kroger Plus Card customers will be able to gain additional per gallon savings, the report said.
The addition of E85 fuel pumps at Kroger fuel centers is being done in collaboration with the state of Texas, General Motors Corp. and St. Louis, Mo.-based Abengoa BioEnergy.
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