Kroger Express to Launch at 13 Walgreens Stores in 2019

CINCINNATI and DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The Kroger Co. and Walgreens have launched Kroger Express, a curated assortment of more than 2,300 consumer products including meat, dairy, grocery and meal kits in Walgreens stores.

Here's a look at Kroger and Walgreens' newest concept, Kroger Express ...

Kroger Express will open in 13 Walgreens test sites in northern Kentucky, with the first concept store in Florence, Ky., in early 2019.

This collaboration has been in the works for months. In October, Kroger and Walgreens selected the 13 Walgreens stores to pilot the format, using consumer feedback to shape the program. These stores will offer a one-stop shopping experience, allowing customers to purchase products from both brands and order online at kroger.com for pickup at Walgreens.

Kroger Express will include Home Chef meal kits, national brands and Kroger's Our Brandsprivate-label products. These items were selected using customer data and insights from Kroger’s business development service, 84.51 Degrees.

"We are redefining the customer experience in a variety of ways through Restock Kroger, including innovative partnerships like our test-and-learn pilot with Walgreens,” said Robert Clark, senior vice president of merchandising for Kroger. “We are excited to enter the next phase of the pilot. The Kroger Express concept creates easy access to our most popular Our Brands products through a fill-in grocery shopping experience for Walgreens customers, and our Home Chef Express meal kits provide customers with an on-demand solution for tonight's dinner."

Along with the launch of Kroger Express, Walgreens is adding Home Chef Express meal kits in 65 Walgreens locations in Chicago. This increases the reach of Home Chef Express’s products, which are already available at various Kroger family of stores, including Mariano’s. During the pilot, Walgreens will offer three Home Chef Express meal kit options, with recipes rotating biweekly.

"Customers have responded favorably to the retail meal kits at our Mariano's stores in the market and other Kroger family of stores located in different cities,” said Clark. “The Walgreens expansion provides more Chicagoans convenient access to a quick, simple meal.”

Chicago-based Home Chef is a leading meal kit delivery company, providing more than 3 million meals nationwide on a monthly basis. The company offers fresh, preportioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes.

Kroger, based in Cincinnati, operates about 2,800 retail food stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia.

Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens operates 9,560 drugstores  in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.