Shoppers react to Kroger’s impending purchase of Giant Eagle

PITTSBURGH — Wednesday morning, Kroger announced it’s buying Giant Eagle for $ 1.65 billion. It’s not the first time Kroger has been in Pittsburgh.

“I’m 73 and Kroger was the place to go when I was a younger man,” Wally Krebs from Avalon said.

Four decades after Kroger left Pittsburgh, the Cincinnati-based grocer is coming back.

“It’ll give more clout to the store and everything. I’m just concerned a lot about what they’re going to do with the employees. Are they going to honor the unions and everything like that?” Don Leisifer from Ross Township said.

According to Giant Eagle’s CEO, Bill Artman, Giant Eagle will operate as a division of Kroger, where Giant Eagle will keep its name and products.

“If they put out the products that Giant Eagle did, I’ll be fine with that,” Grandma Rose, a Giant Eagle shopper, said.

Giant Eagle employees are also part of the deal, with Kroger saying it plans to keep them.

“When there’s mergers you never know so god bless the employees cause I’ve been through mergers,” Kathy Krauth-Miller said.

Kroger also plans to maintain Giant Eagle’s “myPerks” loyalty programs and says it will keep the headquarters in Cranberry Township.

“That’s good news, the rest of it I’ll have to look into. I’m not really sure what Kroger is planning to do,” Tony Innamorato said.

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor says his office is looking to meet with Kroger executives to get a better feel for what their vision is for Giant Eagle’s 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies.

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor said, “We want to make sure that locations stay open. That we can work with the new owners about why this store or that store is so important to a particular neighborhood.”

The deal is expected to close in 2027.

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