Kroger, Western Union Renew Relationship

The Kroger Co. and the Western Union Co. have extended their 35-year relationship with a new nonexclusive agreement that will enable the grocer’s customers to continue using Western Union’s digital and retail services.

Through Western Union, consumers can send money digitally, or carry out transactions via Kroger’s Money Services online portal and pay in person. Among the additional Western Union in-person services that Kroger customers can use are domestic and international money transfers, bill pay, and money orders, which are available at more than 2,300 of the retailer’s stores across the country.

Western Union’s global network of bank accounts and wallets spans more than 100 countries and more than half a million locations in 200 countries and territories. In the United States, funds may be paid into U.S. bank accounts or picked up at 54,000-plus Western Union locations nationwide.

“Western Union will continue offering convenience, speed and reliability to serve the money transfer and payments needs of our customers as we advance our customer offerings to enable choice in-store or online,” noted Kate Ward, president of Kroger Personal Finance.

“For 35 years, our companies have shared a common purpose, enabling millions of connections between family and loved ones to send or receive money globally and locally,” said Jean Claude Farah, president, global network at Denver-based Western Union. “Together, we have grown while evolving our offerings to include more convenience, expanded digital services and a streamlined retail customer experience. We are proud of our relationship, and together we will continue to enhance the value we bring to our mutual customers.”

Added Farah: “We will continue to bring the best of our capabilities — expertise, scale and a sophisticated platform that moves currencies across borders — to serve Kroger’s customers in the manner that is most convenient to them. Our relationship with Kroger has evolved consistent with Western Union’s strategy to enable our platform to serve a wider range of customers, businesses and partners with the trust and flexibility they have come to expect.”

Cincinnati-based Kroger employs nearly half a million associates who serve 9 million-plus customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The company is No. 3 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.