CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. plans to eliminate about 3,000 corporate roles over the next three years, roughly 37 percent of its office headcount, as new Chief Executive Greg Foran moves to simplify operations at the largest traditional U.S. supermarket chain.

The cuts, detailed in a memo viewed by Bloomberg News and sent to staff after a companywide call on Monday, will span various functions. Kroger has approximately 8,200 corporate employees. The company expects to begin sharing details about affected roles in the coming months. The reductions are intended to free resources for lower prices, store experience and frontline pay.

"Simplifying means making faster decisions and deploying more resources where they matter most," Foran wrote in the memo. He said the company has more layers and overhead than needed and should reduce duplicative work as technology evolves, including the growing use of artificial intelligence to make workflow more efficient.

Foran, a former Walmart Inc. executive who took the top job in February, is implementing the chain's biggest price cuts in years and pushing for friendlier, faster service. The operator of Fred Meyer and Ralphs is also taking a harder line in supplier negotiations. Kroger laid off nearly 1,000 corporate employees last year. The new round would be one of the largest in the........

© International Business Times