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Kroger announces partnership with Indiana Grown program

Today Kroger Co.’s Central Division President Jeff Burt hosted Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann, announcing Kroger’s partnership with the highly successful Indiana Grown program at a Kroger store in Indianapolis.kroger

All of Kroger’s 102 division stores throughout the state will feature Indiana Grown products, including Kroger brand milk. The stores will also be equipped with bib tags, shelf strips, aisle invaders, stanchion signs and overhead signage to help direct Hoosier shoppers to Indiana Grown products. Kroger currently displays Indiana Grown kiosks in five stores, supporting 21 Indiana Grown members and 110 products on each kiosk.

“At Kroger our customers have a very strong desire to support local businesses in each community and we are pleased to provide additional opportunities for them to do so with the Indiana Grown partnership,” Burt said in a press release. “One important tradition we value is not just supporting Indiana businesses, but mentoring and creating unique opportunities for local vendor partners. Here in Indiana, there are many small, family-owned businesses that started with Kroger and grew alongside us. Participation in the Indiana Grown initiative will allow us to accelerate the pace and grow the number of those partnerships.”

“The Indiana Grown initiative creates new marketing channels for Hoosier food producers,” Ellspermann said in the release. “This partnership expands the program to Kroger shoppers throughout the state who have expressed a strong desire for locally grown foods. We are grateful for Kroger’s enthusiastic support and partnership with Indiana Grown.”

Indiana Grown is managed by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and is the first statewide, all-inclusive and collaborative program to promote Indiana-produced agricultural products. With the help of its retail partners, Indiana Grown creates new local and regional market channels for Indiana agricultural and food businesses. Indiana Grown is accepting additional program members and partners, including farmers, producers, processors and artisans, as well as retailers, grocers and restaurants.

For more information and to apply for membership, please visit www.IndianaGrown.org.

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