CEO Vivek Sankaran, who took over the helm in 2019, led the company through its scuttled merger with Kroger KR.N.

Albertsons operating chief Susan Morris has held that post since January 2018. The disclosure of Sankaran’s impending departure comes the same day Kroger said CEO Rodney McMullen would resign.

Kroger appointed lead director Ronald Sargent as interim CEO, replacing its 10-year veteran leader after a failed merger with Albertsons.

Jewel-Osco parent company Albertsons Companies is replacing its CEO after the failed $25 billion merger with Kroger.

Susan Morris, Albertsons chief operating officer, testified in the state of Colorado’s case attempting to stop the merger of Kroger and Albertsons. Albertsons, the parent company of Safeway, will soon have a new CEO who’s grocery career began in Denver.

In December, federal and state courts blocked the attempted merger between two of Colorado’s grocery store giants: Albertsons (Safeway) and Kroger (King Soopers, City Market). The merger was challenged by the Federal Trade Commission

Kroger posted lower-than-expected sales in its latest quarter, the first results since its terminated deal with Albertsons and Rodney McMullen's sudden departure. The supermarket chain posted net income of $634 million,

McMullen, 64, earned $15.7 million in 2023. The compensation included nearly $673,000 in performance-based incentive pay, according to SEC filings.

Kroger’s stock rose Thursday after the supermarket giant said it’s better suited than others to handle the impact of trade tariffs, since many of its wares come from domestic sources.