Kroger Selects Unicru as Enterprise Standard
Fortune 21 company to deploy Unicru’s workforce selection and optimization solution across all 20 banners
PORTLAND, Ore. – May 31, 2005 – Unicru® Inc. today announced that The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), one of the largest retail grocery chains in the United States, has committed to expand its Unicru deployment from two regions to all 17 retail divisions. Unicru will be used to source and select employees throughout all of Kroger’s 2,500+ supermarkets and multi-department stores, scientifically identifying the “best fit” applicants able to provide excellent customer service, high productivity and longer job tenure. Today more than 50 grocery banners, including one-third of the nation’s top 25 chains, leverage Unicru’s system to select the most productive and dependable employees.
Unicru’s system has helped reduce turnover at participating Kroger-owned stores over the past year. The Unicru solution offers Kroger and its associates numerous product features and benefits including:
* Increased flow of English and Spanish-speaking applicants through Kroger’s careers website and in-store hiring kiosks
* Job-specific behavioral assessments designed to select ‘best fit’ employees
* Self-service tools for store managers to efficiently hire quality candidates
* Streamlined employee on-boarding
* Increasing Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) capture
* Advanced reporting on real-time process metrics and business results attainment
Unicru will also provide Kroger with its new Solution Success program designed to enable Kroger’s divisional trainers to execute implementation strategies for rapid, high-compliance, deployment of the Unicru solution throughout its store base. The program includes a Unicru-staffed training session, customized training plans, instructor manual and learning guides, among other tools.
“The partnership with Unicru gives Kroger new tools to optimize store level execution, lower labor costs, and amplify its competitive advantage in customer service against competitors,” said Chris Marsh, president and CEO of Unicru. “We are pleased that Kroger chose to expand their relation with Unicru based upon the results we have achieved together.”
About Kroger
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of fiscal 2004, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,532 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under two dozen banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith’s and Smith’s Marketplace, Fry’s, Fry’s Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operated (either directly or through subsidiaries, franchise agreements, or operating agreements) 795 convenience stores, 436 fine jewelry stores, 536 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.
About Unicru
Unicru is the leading provider of Total Workforce Acquisition solutions that enable enterprises to systematically select the highest quality employees across job roles throughout the enterprise to positively impact corporate outcomes through workforce initiatives. Unicru combines scientifically-proven employee selection assessments, applicant recruitment, hiring management decision support, and complete data capture for measurement and continuous improvement of business results for over 60 enterprises including Albertsons, Universal Studios, Blockbuster, CVS, Kroger, and Southeastern Freightlines. For more information, visit www.unicru.com.
Unicru is a registered trademark of Unicru, Inc.
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