The Kroger Co., announced plans Tuesday to hire an estimated 11,000 positions nationwide, including 400 in Wisconsin.
The Kroger Co., which includes Pick ‘n Save, created 10,000 new jobs in 2017 and 12,000 in 2016, according to the company.
“Over the last decade, Kroger has added 100,000 new jobs in communities across America,” said Tim Massa, Kroger’s group vice president of human resources and labor relations said in a statement. “In addition to fueling the U.S. economy, many of our supermarket jobs are an opportunity for associates to grow and advance their careers.”
The net gain of employees in Wisconsin is unclear. More than 500 people in Wisconsin have lost jobs at area Pick ‘n Save stores in the last year.
In March, the Pick ‘n Save store in Cudahy was closed, which employed 75 people.
From May through July 2017, six Pick ‘n Save stores closed due to low sales, affecting 448 employees.
Whether those employees, who worked in New Berlin, Pewaukee, Kenosha, Sheboygan, Shawano and at Timmerman Plaza on West Silver Spring Drive in Milwaukee, were rehired at other Pick ‘n Save stores or no longer work for the company is unknown.
When Cincinnati-based The Kroger Co. announced in November 2015 it was acquiring Milwaukee-based Roundy’s Inc. for $866 million, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer, Rodney McMullen, said there were no plans to close any of the company’s Pick ’n Save stores.
However, Pick ‘n Save parent company Roundy’s has been closing underperforming stores since then. Kroger has also invested in Pick ‘n Save stores, making updates to select stores and converting some into Metro Markets.
A company spokeswoman would not say how many employees statewide have lost their jobs. She also would not comment on where in the state the new positions will be added.
“We can confirm the 400 positions, but I wouldn’t be able to comment further,” said Mariah Gonzales.
