Kroger's new private label seeks to provide customers with 'simple' food

CINCINNATI — Kroger has introduced a new private-label brand that's designed to take the guesswork out of food selection by providing shoppers with access to nearly 250 "honest, easy and affordable items for simply better living."

Kroger said that its Simple Truth products are free from 101 artificial preservatives and ingredients that some customers have said they do not want in their foods, while the Simple Truth Organic line is certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Together, the brands span more than 30 product categories, including a wide variety of foods, such as milk, salads, dried fruit, sodas, yogurt, chips and quinoa. Kroger noted that all Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic products are clearly marked with the brand's green circular logo and contain straightforward ingredient statements. Simple Truth Organic items display the USDA organic seal on the front of packaging, while Simple Truth products have highly visible identifiers that indicate their category.

Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic brands will be rolled out in phases beginning this month with new food introductions, including cereals, frozen pizza and vegetarian options. By January 2013, both brands will collectively expand to more than 40 product categories and appear in many aisles at Kroger's family of stores. Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic brands are being introduced to customers nationwide through an integrated marketing campaign, involving both in-store and online components.

"While organic products are available in most conventional grocery stores, our customers told us that labels can be confusing, and there's a general belief in the marketplace that organic means more expensive," Kroger VP natural foods Mary Ellen Adcock said. "At Kroger we understand these challenges, so we're offering our shoppers the Simple Truth Organic brand, an easy, more clearly labeled and affordable way to buy organic products."

Additional information about Simple Truth offerings can be found on the brand's website.