A significant investment in e-commerce infrastructure three years ago, along with its ongoing partnership with tech giant Ocado, have given Kroger the agility to adapt to pandemic-fueled demand and shifts in shopping behavior, Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said. In this Q&A, McMullen discusses learning tough lessons from the outbreak and looks ahead to a grocery landscape that includes new ways to engage with in-person and digital customers.

The home-cooking trend so prevalent since the pandemic began isn't likely to wane anytime soon, Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said, adding that many shoppers seem to "actually enjoy it." At-home cooking could also get another boost soon as the weather begins to turn colder and outdoor dining becomes less of a draw, McMullen said.

Kroger's investment in Restock Kroger, an initiative launched three years ago to create a robust back-end digital platform, has paid off in the pandemic, with online sales surging 92% in the most recent quarter. "If you look at the strategy decisions we've made over the last several years, those decisions really paid off in the current environment," Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said.

Kroger's investment in Restock Kroger, an initiative launched three years ago to create a robust back-end digital platform, has paid off in the pandemic, with online sales surging 92% in the most recent quarter. "If you look at the strategy decisions we've made over the last several years, those decisions really paid off in the current environment," Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said.