Supermarket Perimeter - February 2020 - 11

to the continued growth of Home Chef in 2019 through
expansion and new products."
"Home Chef is proud to continue our evolution toward
becoming more than a meal kit delivery brand," says Pat
Vihtelic, Home Chef's founder and CEO. "With continued
innovation and personalization, we are providing customers with more ways to enjoy fresh, delicious meals
that align with their individual tastes."
Home Chef's fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and
simple recipes are guaranteed to delight everyone
around the dinner table, according to the company.
Each week's rotating retail menu showcases a variety
of classic meals, including Home Chef Express meal kits
that can be prepared in 15 minutes or less. Each meal kit
is designed to serve two and starts at $8.50 per serving.
Kroger and Home Chef have also expanded their
offerings in addition to their geographical reach.
The companies have rolled out three new meal kit
options to enhance the existing selection of products
sold in more than 900 Kroger family of store locations
across the country.
The test includes Home Chef Oven-Ready meals,
Home Chef Heat & Eat meals, and Home Chef Lunch Kits.
The Oven-Ready line includes fresh, ready-to-cook
ingredients packed in an oven-safe tin, while the Heat
& Eat line includes fully-cooked, ready-to-heat meals,
proteins and sides that can be prepared in a little as ﬁve
minutes. The Lunch Kits include salads, grain bowls,
sandwiches and more with fully cooked proteins that
can be prepared easily at home or at the office.
"Our customers' dinnertime needs are constantly
evolving," says Pat Vihtelic, founder and CEO of Home
Chef. "We're thrilled to meet more of their needs with
high-quality meal options that consider different lifestyles and levels of preparation and cooking times."
The new items will ﬁrst be available at select locations in Illinois (Mariano's) and Ohio (Kroger locations in
Cincinnati and Columbus) starting this month. Kroger
says it anticipates rolling out the products to additional
markets throughout the year.

Food hall innovation
Kroger has also opened a 52,000-square-foot urban
format store in the downtown area of its hometown of
Cincinnati. The location offers the company's ﬁrst food
hall, called On The Rhine Eatery.
The food hall includes Cincinnati restaurants Django
Western Taco, DOPE! Asian Fare, Eli's BBQ and Queen
City Whip, as well as Kroger's 1883 Cafe and Bar concept.
"Kroger is thrilled to introduce our ﬁrst food hall and
offer a one-of-its-kind shopping experience in our
hometown of Cincinnati, providing a convenient location to experience delicious, quality meals and foods.
This innovative destination highlights Kroger's food-ﬁrst

culture," says Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and
CEO. "Kroger's new store offers something for everyone.
We invite all to visit the store to meet our wonderful associates, shop for fresh groceries and discover their new
favorite restaurant."
The two-level Kroger store features grab-and-go and
ready-to-heat meals for lunch and dinner, in addition
to fresh fruits and vegetables and a traditional grocery
shopping experience. The store offers an exclusive
Starbucks coffee blend as well as a walk-up window for
beverage orders. Located in the city's central business
district and accessible to downtown workers and residents as well as customers from the historic Over-theRhine and West End neighborhoods, the store anchors
an 18-story residential high-rise and is located a block
away from Kroger's national headquarters.
On The Rhine Eatery can accommodate up to 200
customers and offers indoor and outdoor seating as well
as a full-service bar, offering signature cocktails, local
beers, tasteful wines and Kentucky bourbons.
"On The Rhine Eatery features emerging restaurants
and true tastes of Cincinnati - all handpicked by Kroger's
culinary team to create a popular hangout for meals,
cocktails and community," says Teri Rose, Kroger's senior
director of culinary development. "Cincinnati is Kroger's
hub for culinary innovation and experimentation, and
the food hall is an example of the types of concepts and
ideas we're creating every day."
www.supermarketperimeter.com

Kroger's new food hall
in Cincinnati provides a
wealth of meal solutions
for busy shoppers.

FEBRUARY 2020 - 11

http://www.supermarketperimeter.com

Supermarket Perimeter - February 2020

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