Kroger to Invest $50M in Milwaukee Pick 'n Saves

The Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. is planning to dedicate $50 million to renovate its Pick ‘n Save stores in the Milwaukee region in 2017, as well as expand its Metro Market urban concept, which operates in the Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., areas, according to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told the newspaper that he plans to increase his company’s share throughout Roundy’s home state of Wisconsin since purchasing the regional last November, adding that he wishes “to make sure we get a foundation in place and get our base business going.” Currently, Kroger has about two-fifths of its market share in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and roughly one-third in Wisconsin overall.

The remodeling news follows Kroger’s investment in remodeling a number of other stores in Wisconsin, including the conversion of five Madison-area Copps supermarkets to the Pick ‘n Save banner. The Journal Sentinel reported that the continued revitalization process comes in the wake of Kroger’s loss of market share in the region to such retailers as Sendik’s, Woodman’s, Walmart and Meijer.