Kroger announces regional hiring spree

The grocer intends to fill 300 jobs in the Dayton-Cincinnati region with minimum starting pay between $10-12 per hour.

With growth comes jobs, and Kroger is looking to fill 300 positions in the Dayton and Cincinnati region.

The Cincinnati-based grocer will host a region-wide hiring event Saturday, July 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at all 109 Dayton- and Cincinnati-area Kroger stores.

Minimum starting rates are $10 per hour for store clerks, $11 per hour for deli and bakery clerks and $11 per hour for pharmacy technicians. Third-shift overnight staff rates start at $12 an hour.

In April, Kroger announced new long-term associate benefits, including the Feed Your Future education program, accelerated investment in wages, a more generous retirement benefit and associate discounts and uplift programs for eligible associates. The company currently employs about 20,000 associates in the Cincinnati/Dayton Division.

Anyone looking to apply can do so at jobs.kroger.com in advance of the event.

The grocery recently made strides in its digital business when it announced a partnership with Ocado, an online grocery supermarket. The retailer also merged with Home Chef, a meal kit delivery service. As part of its recent growth, Kroger announced last month it will open a second headquarters in downtown Cincinnati. The headquarters will host the grocer’s digital operations with 600 digital associates to start and a potential 1,000 within the first three years.

The company’s shares also surged at the end of the first quarter, giving an upbeat outlook on its future. Kroger stock gained $2.90, or 11 percent, to $29.12 in premarket trading.