KR

Kroger Co

One of the largest U.S. grocery chains, Kroger runs thousands of supermarkets, pharmacies, and fuel centers, along with pickup and delivery service, and sells its own store brands like Private Selection, Smart Way, and organic Simple Truth. It began in 1883 when a 23-year-old Cincinnati grocer, Bernard Kroger, opened a shop called the Great Western Tea Company; the store kept that tea-company name for years before adopting its founder's surname. A fun detail: "Kroger" is a German surname meaning innkeeper.