AM I NEXT NO LOVE AT KROGER MARKETS

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger, the largest supermarket chain by revenue, has announced plans to implement a broad cost-reduction initiative tied to broader enterprise technology use.

The proposed 37% reduction in force will impact approximately 3,000 corporate employees through 2029. In June 2025, the company previously reduced 1,000 corporate roles.

According to CEO Greg Foran, “As a company, we have made great progress on many fronts with our customers. We started reducing prices and improving our customer experience in stores and online, and we made investments in simplifying our associates’ lives through technology. Our business is becoming leaner, more focused and more competitive. We are working to be more agile; more precise in our execution; and deliver benefits to our customers, associates and our shareholders. We need to adopt capabilities, reduce duplicative work and look closely at where work is best fit to be done.”

Kroger is also developing what it calls its Kroger Capability Center in India to outsource jobs and boost efficiency.

Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT KROGER MARKETS

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger Markets, the largest U.S. supermarket chain by revenue, announced that the company is continuing with the development of the Kroger Capability Center, an offshore business process center in Bengaluru, India.

The plan to relocate operations to a back-office and tech operations center in India could eliminate thousands of U.S. jobs. Kroger refuses to be more specific about the number of jobs to be eliminated in the U.S. or the roles impacted.

According to CEO Greg Foran, “To support our modernization efforts, we are launching the Kroger Global Capability Center. This initiative is designed to streamline decision-making, improve productivity, and increase the speed at which we execute on behalf of our customers. It complements the work already underway across the organization to modernize how we operate. Work has started and is progressing with speed. We expect modest benefits in 2026, with more significant benefits expected in 2027 and 2028.”

“We need to operate more efficiently. That means fewer organizational layers, smarter ways of working, standing up our Kroger Capability Center and applying AI across the business. On top of what we're doing in the Kroger Capability Center, we can continue to look at how we take costs out. But we need to get into that Kroger Capability Center. And we need to get in there in a reasonably serious fashion ... and execute.”

Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT UNFI (03/18/26)

MARCH 18, 2026 — FACILITY CLOSURE, 443 EMPLOYEES

The company announced the permanent closure of its 425,000-square-foot Sturtevant, Wisconsin, warehouse and distribution facility, which will commence in June 2026, as part of a network optimization strategy, with operations transitioning to other Midwest facilities.

The closure will impact 443 employees.

According to a company spokesperson, “As part of our strategic focus on optimizing our network to more effectively and efficiently serve our customers and suppliers, we are transitioning service from our Racine, Wisconsin, distribution center (DC) and expanding our Joliet, Illinois, DC’s capabilities to support long-term growth in the greater Chicago market. The modern technology investments we’re making in Joliet are expected to increase the DC’s capacity and improve service to our partners over time. We are grateful to our associates at the Racine distribution center and are working to support them through the transition.”

JANUARY 21, 2025 — Original post…

Providence, Rhode Island-based United Natural Foods, a wholesale distributor of health and specialty foods, has announced the closure of its

Fort Wayne, Indiana, distribution center.

This is the third round of layoffs in the last four months. The closure will impact 156 employees and will be completed by the first quarter of 2025.

According to a company spokesperson, “At UNFI, we continuously evaluate our distribution network to ensure we serve our customers and suppliers as efficiently and effectively as possible. Following this transition, our customers will gain access to a broader product assortment, including more fresh options, and our suppliers will be able to reach customers more efficiently.”

In October, UNFI laid off billing, invoice, and payroll personnel in Phoenix, Arizona, which impacted close to 300 employees, and a transportation operation located at the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, distribution center, eliminating 87 employees.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?