ABOUT: THE KROGER COMPANY (KR) REPORTS AN 11% INCREASE IN TOTAL SALES AND 4.8% INCREASE IN SUPERMARKET SALES IN THE FIRST QUARTER OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. IDENTICAL SUPERMARKET SALES, WITHOUT FUEL, INCREASED 4.6% IN THE FIRST QUARTER OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. THIS MARKS 30 CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS OF IDENTICAL SUPERMARKET SALES INCREASES FOR KROGERS. THE KROGER COMPANY IS THE NATION’S LARGEST TRADITIONAL GROCERY RETAILER, SERVES CUSTOMERS IN 2,449 AND 49 SUPERMARKETS AND MULTI-DEPARTMENT STORES IN 31 STATES UNDER TWO DOZEN LOCAL BANNER NAMES INCLUDING KROGER, SMITHS, AND FRED MEYERS TO NAME A FEW.rnrn