Kroger’s Home Chef brand surpasses $1B in annual sales, continues to expand

The Kroger Co. and Home Chef announced Monday the meal solutions brand reached $1 billion in annual sales.

Kroger, America’s largest grocery retailer, bought meal solutions brand Home Chef in 2018 in a deal worth up to $700 million. Founded in 2013, Home Chef offers more than 500 products across a variety of categories, including meal kits, heat-and-eat meals, ready-to-eat products and seasonal meals, among others.

“Kroger’s commitment to being fresh for everyone is underscored by our Home Chef products, which help us bring families together in the kitchen with meal options for any occasion,” Dan De La Rosa, Kroger’s group vice president of fresh merchandising, said in a release. “We continue to strategically expand Home Chef offerings across our family of companies. Whether it’s meal kits, or heat-and-eat and ready-to-cook solutions, which are available via subscription, in-store, pickup, or delivery, it’s safe to say that Home Chef has mealtime covered.”

The brand said it will continue to listen to customer feedback as it expands its product selection.

Home Chef products can be purchased nationwide exclusively at more than 2,200 Kroger Family of Stores — both in-store and online via pickup or delivery — and through a home delivery subscription. Home Chef gift cards are also available for purchase in Kroger Family of Stores.

Pat Vihtelic, Home Chef’s founder and CEO, said the company was founded on the idea “to simplify mealtime with easy-to-make, delicious recipes.”

“Since 2013, we’ve grown from delivering meals with a rented truck to becoming a leading brand for Kroger,” Vihtelic said in a release. “With Kroger’s support, our two brands offer a collective passion to make mealtime easy and bring people together over a meal.”

Erik Jensen, president of Home Chef, said the company is “on a mission to make mealtime easier with fresh ingredients and simple instructions.”

“By offering time-saving meal solutions at Kroger Family of Stores, we’re able to simplify the cooking process, provide a wide variety of options, and allow customers to enjoy a delicious homemade experience,” Jensen said in a release.

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