Kroger Co. has released its first quarter sales- up an impressive 11% from last year’s. The retailer's net earnings for the quarter were $432.3 million verses $373.7 million in 2010. David B. Dillon, Kroger's chairman and CEO stated: "Our Customer 1st strategy is clearly connecting with customers. We have shown that our focus on people, products, prices and the shopping experience is meaningful to customers through both good and challenging times.” Kroger operates 2,449 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states. The company is optimistic about expanding these markets even further, projecting an increased growth of 3.5% to 4.5% in the next year.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
