Bernard Heinrich Kroger is the businessman responsible for many innovations in the grocery store industry in the United States. He was the first to establish an in-house bakery for his stores, while other grocers bought bread from independent bakeries.
Kroger was the first to incorporate a meat department into his grocery stores. He was also the first store owner to place a grocery ad in the daily newspaper.
The Life Story of Bernard Kroger
Bernard Heinrich Kroger, nicknamed Barney Henry Kroger, is famous for establishing the Kroger Company in 1883.
The three principles (food freshness, innovation, and low prices) that Kroger instilled in this company still stand today. Here is the life story of this innovator, business owner, and philanthropist.
Childhood and Early Life
Bernard Kroger was born on January 24, 1860, into a family of nine children. He was the son of German immigrants. His father, Johan Kroger, immigrated to America in 1827 at 10 years old.
Johan first settled in Baltimore and later moved to Cincinnati, where he found a thriving German immigrant community. He then opened a small dry goods store, which would later become the family store.
Kroger’s mother, Mary Gertrude Kroger, immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1837.
Her family first settled in Minster, Ohio, but Mary relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio, after the death of her parents. She had heard of economic opportunities and the vibrant German immigrant community in Cincinnati. That is where Johan and Mary met and tied the knot in 1850.
Bernard Kroger described his mother as a strict disciplinarian. He credited her with his overall success and the initial success of their family store.
Even though his parents were far from well off, Kroger still enjoyed his childhood and even learned to swim at the Miami-Erie Canal in the Ohio River.
Education
Bernard Kroger attended Protestant Parochial School in Cincinnati. This school exposed him to both the American and German communities.
German was taught as a second language after English. Kroger essentially lived a double childhood life. He assimilated into the American culture in school and lived in a home with German influences.
Bernard Kroger left school in 1873 after his father’s death and the closure of their family store. He wanted to help support his mother with bills and raising his siblings.
Kroger got a job at a drug store but quit after his mother objected to him working on Sundays. As a staunch Christian, Mary considered Sunday a day of worship.
Kroger then got a job as a laborer on a farm near Pleasant Plain, Ohio.
He was only 14 but worked as much as the adult laborers. He disliked his employer, and his pay was only $6 monthly. Kroger later quit and walked 37 miles back to his hometown, Cincinnati.
Early Career
Kroger had some experience working as a clerk in their family store. He drew on this skill to get a position as a door-to-door salesman and clerk at the Great Northern and Pacific Tea Company, later the Imperial Tea Company.
The company’s grocer was not performing, so the owners appointed Kroger to manage the store.
Under Kroger’s leadership, the grocery store earned a $3,100 profit. However, the owners refused to make Kroger a partner in their business, so he left to establish his entity.
The Founding of Kroger
Bernard Kroger partnered with B.A. Branagan, an Irish immigrant, established the Great Western Tea Company, which would later become the Kroger Company.
Using his life savings of $372 and $350 from Branagan, the two opened their first grocery store at 66 Pearl Street in downtown Cincinnati.
Kroger’s first year in business was nothing if not painful. His company lost $500 of products when a train hit their wagon during delivery.
Kroger’s store was also swept away by floods from the Ohio River. He lost another $350 worth of products but remained determined to succeed in running his business.
Managing Kroger
Kroger opened another store and bought out Branagan’s interest for $1,500. By 1885, his company had four stores. Kroger credited the success of his business to hard work, determination, and clever advertising tactics.
Despite the rapid growth, Kroger remained involved in the daily affairs of his stores. He knew almost everything about his business and began crafting a formula that would see his company grow from four stores to more outlets in and out of Cincinnati.
During an interview, Kroger described the four tenets he devised to run his business. The first tenet was to be the first in everything, including reducing prices and selling a new product in the market.
The second was to sell only products he would need and considered good. The third formula was to advertise as freely as his income allowed, and the fourth was making a small margin from a high product turnover.
Kroger advertised his company heavily in numerous newspapers and mail-order catalogs.
He also offered wagon delivery as an after-sale service. By 1902, his company had 40 stores and made $1.75 million in sales annually. Kroger later changed his company’s name to the Kroger Grocery and Baking Company and opened an in-house bakery for his stores.
The in-house bakery enabled Kroger’s company to sell bread at lower prices than competitors, who had to rely on independent bakeries. It also gave Kroger a new level of autonomy.
Kroger later acquired the Nagel Meat Markets and Packing House and added a meat department to his grocery stores. This acquisition enabled Kroger to sell meat, baked bread, and groceries under one roof.
Over the next 26 years, Kroger grew the company from 40 stores to 3,749 outlets in 1927. Annual sales amounted to $161 million.
Kroger stepped down as president in 1928 and sold his controlling shares to the Lehman brothers for $28 million.
However, he stayed in touch with the new management and helped the company survive the Great Depression.
Other Achievements
Besides managing his business, Kroger also involved himself in many philanthropic activities. In 1903, he paid entry tickets for 5,000 students so they could enjoy Cincinnati’s Coney Island, a theme park.
Kroger was also elected president of the Cincinnati Welfare Association of the Blind. He pledged to donate $1,000 yearly to support causes for the blind. He also donated funds to help anemic children attend medical camps and acquire treatment.
By 1933, Kroger was donating an average of $30,000 per year to multiple charities in and out of Cincinnati. In 1935, he donated $4,000 to reopen playgrounds within the city.
Beyond philanthropy, Kroger also gave back to his community by ensuring the company’s headquarters and operations remained in Cincinnati, Ohio. His company employed thousands of Cincinnati residents.
Personal Life
Bernard Kroger married Mary Emily Jansen in 1895 after a prolonged courtship. The couple had seven children, four daughters and three sons.
Their oldest son passed away in 1899 due to diphtheria. Mary also passed away that year after suffering from the same illness.
After his wife’s death, Kroger focused wholeheartedly on running his business. He married his second wife, Alice Flynn Maher, after retiring from his company.
The Death of Bernard Kroger
Kroger passed away on July 21, 1938, after a heart attack. He left $20 million in personal wealth behind and was buried in Cincinnati’s Spring Grove Cemetery.
Before his death, Kroger gave $1.3 million to each of his children and advised them to make a name for themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are a few questions people search for related to Bernard Kroger, which we have included below with the answers.
- Where is the Kroger family from?
Kroger’s parents were both German immigrants, meaning Kroger had German ancestry.
- Where did Bernard Kroger live?
Bernard Kroger was born and lived most of his life in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- What does Kroger mean in German?
Kroger is a German surname that means innkeeper. The name is common in Northern Germany.
- Where is Bernard Kroger buried?
Bernard Kroger is buried at the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Bernard Kroger Timeline
Bernard Kroger Timeline1860
Bernard Heinrich Kroger is born in downtown Cincinnati.
1873
Kroger quits school to help support his mother and family.
1883
Kroger establishes the Great Western Tea Company. He opens the first store at 66 Pearl Street in downtown Cincinnati.
1885
Kroger opens two more grocery stores for his business and marries Mary Emily Jansen.
1899
Kroger loses his wife and eldest son to diphtheria.
1901
Bernard Kroger establishes an in-house bakery for his stores.
1902
Kroger changes his company’s name to Kroger Grocery and Baking Company.
1904
Kroger leads the acquisition of Nagel Meat Markets and Packing House and adds a meat department to his stores.
1928
Kroger steps down as president of his company and sells controlling interest to Lehman Brothers.
1931
Kroger resigns from his company’s board.
1938
Kroger dies after suffering a heart attack.
More About Bernard Kroger
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Interesting Facts
- While other grocers bought their bread from independent bakeries, Kroger created an in-house bakery for his stores.
- Kroger was the first to offer a meat department in his grocery stores.
- The first grocery ad placed in the newspaper was placed by Kroger.
- Kroger believed in high product turnover while making a small profit on each product sold.
- Kroger’s strategy was to be first in everything, including reducing prices and introducing new products.
- Advertisements in newspapers and mail-order catalogs were used by Kroger.
- By 1927, Kroger had grown to 3,749 stores.
- In 1928, Kroger stepped down as president and sold his empire to the Lehman brothers for $28 million.
- 5,000 students were granted entry tickets to Coney Island by Kroger in 1903.
- As of 1933, Kroger donated an average of $30,000 per year to multiple Cincinnati charities.
- In 1935, he donated $4,000 to reopen the city’s playgrounds.
- A heart attack took the life of Kroger on July 21, 1938.
- Cincinnati’s Spring Grove Cemetery holds the remains of Kroger, who left $20 million in personal wealth behind.
- It was an unheard-of advertising strategy at the time, as Kroger invested so heavily in newspaper ads that his campaigns often took up whole pages of Sunday morning newspapers.
Successes & Lifetime Achievements
Early on Bernard Kroger saw an opportunity to have groceries, baked goods, and meats available under one roof, an option that was not available in the early days of shopping.
The customer could also choose their own products instead of asking for each product or having it delivered. Today, these ideas might seem obvious, but back then, they contributed to the success of the Kroger chain.
For more on the achievements of Bernard Kroger, see the link below to the latest search results.
Lessons Learned
A rule of thumb is to surround yourself with successful people and learn from people who have been successful.
Check out the link below to browse the lessons from Bernard Kroger.