<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-22-144975.txt : 20220509
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-22-144975.hdr.sgml : 20220509
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20220509161006
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-22-144975
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	PREC14A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20220509
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20220509

SUBJECT COMPANY:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			KROGER CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000056873
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-GROCERY STORES [5411]
		IRS NUMBER:				310345740
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0129

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		PREC14A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-00303
		FILM NUMBER:		22905005

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1014 VINE ST
		CITY:			CINCINNATI
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45201
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5137624000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1014 VINE ST
		CITY:			CINCINNATI
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45201

FILED BY:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BARBERRY CORP.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000860851
		IRS NUMBER:				133526064
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		PREC14A

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		16630 COLLINS AVENUE
		STREET 2:		PH
		CITY:			SUNNY ISLES
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33160
		BUSINESS PHONE:		305-422-4145

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		16630 COLLINS AVENUE
		STREET 2:		PH
		CITY:			SUNNY ISLES
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33160

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BARBERRY CORP /NY/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19990402
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>PREC14A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d316825dprec14a.htm
<DESCRIPTION>PREC14A
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<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>PREC14A</TITLE>
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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SCHEDULE 14A
</B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section&nbsp;14(a) of the </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filed by the
Registrant&nbsp;&nbsp;&#9744; </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filed by a Party other than the Registrant&nbsp;&nbsp;&#9746; </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9746;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Preliminary Proxy Statement </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><B></B>&#9744;<B></B><B></B></TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><B>Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14-a6(e)(2))</FONT> </B></P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Definitive Proxy Statement </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Definitive Additional Materials </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Soliciting Material Pursuant to <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">&#167;240.14a-12</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>THE KROGER CO. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of
Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>BARBERRY CORP. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>CARL C. ICAHN </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>ALEXIS C.
FOX </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>MARGARITA <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">PAL&Aacute;U-HERN&Aacute;NDEZ</FONT> </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Payment of Filing Fee (check all boxes that apply): </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9746;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">No fee required. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#9744;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14a-6(i)(1)</FONT> and <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">0-11.</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><FONT COLOR="#eb0029"><B>PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT &#150; SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED
MAY&nbsp;9, 2022 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>BARBERRY CORP. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">[&#9679;], 2022 </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Dear Fellow Shareholders: </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We are furnishing the attached proxy statement to holders of common shares, par value $1.00 per share (the &#147;<U>Shares</U>&#148;), of The Kroger Co., an
Ohio corporation (&#147;<U>Kroger</U>&#148; or the &#147;<U>Company</U>&#148;), in connection with our solicitation of proxies for use at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company scheduled to be held virtually at 11:00 a.m. Eastern
time on June&nbsp;23, 2022, and at any and all adjournments, continuations or postponements thereof (the &#147;<U>Annual Meeting</U>&#148;). </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This
solicitation is being conducted by: (i)&nbsp;Barberry Corp., a Delaware corporation (&#147;<U>Barberry</U>&#148;); (ii) Carl C. Icahn, a citizen of the United States of America (&#147;<U>Mr.</U><U></U><U>&nbsp;Icahn</U>&#148; and, together with
Barberry, the &#147;<U>Icahn Participants</U>&#148; or &#147;<U>we</U>&#148;); (iii) Alexis C. Fox, a citizen of the United States of America; and (iv)&nbsp;Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez,</FONT> a citizen
of the United States of America (collectively, the &#147;<U>Icahn Nominees</U>&#148; and, together with the Icahn Participants, the &#147;<U>Participants</U>&#148;). </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Icahn Participants beneficially own, in the aggregate, 100 Shares, representing less than 0.1% of the outstanding Shares (based upon 720,938,109 Shares
stated to be outstanding as of the Record Date by the Company in its definitive proxy filed with the SEC on May&nbsp;2, 2022 (&#147;<U>Kroger</U><U>&#146;</U><U>s Proxy</U>&#148;)). </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">As more fully discussed in this Proxy Statement, we are soliciting proxies to be used at the Annual Meeting for the election of each of <B>Alexis C. Fox and
</B><B>Margarita Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B> as directors of Kroger. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>THIS
SOLICITATION IS BEING MADE BY BARBERRY AND NOT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF KROGER</B>. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We urge you to elect the Icahn Nominees to the Board of
Directors (the &#147;<U>Board</U>&#148;) of Kroger because, as further discussed in this Proxy Statement, we believe that the election of new members to the Board would be beneficial to the Company and its shareholders. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">According to publicly available information, the current Board consists of eleven (11)&nbsp;directors whose terms will expire at the Annual Meeting. The
Company&#146;s Regulations, as amended June&nbsp;28, 2018 (the &#147;<U>Regulations</U>&#148;), provide that the members of the Board are to be elected at each annual meeting of shareholders. Under the proxy rules, we may solicit proxies in support
of the Icahn Nominees and also seek authority to vote for all of the Kroger nominees other than those Kroger nominees that we specify &#150; [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. This would enable a shareholder who desires to vote for up to a full complement of
eleven (11)&nbsp;director nominees to use the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to vote for the Icahn Nominees as well as the Kroger nominees for whom we are seeking authority to vote other than those nominees as to which the shareholder specifically
withholds our authority to vote for. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have determined to nominate <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and <B>Margarita Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B> and are seeking authority to vote for up to all of the Kroger nominees, other than [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. As a result, should a shareholder so authorize us, on the
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, we would cast votes for the Icahn Nominees <B>(</B><B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B><B>)</B> and nine
(9)&nbsp;Kroger nominees. Shareholders have the ability to withhold voting authority for any or all of the Kroger nominees by following the instructions listed on the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card (other than [&#149;] and [&#149;], which are the two
Kroger nominees that we proposed to replace with the Icahn Nominees). </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Shareholders of Record</I></B>: If your Shares are held in your own name,
please authorize a proxy to vote by signing, dating and returning the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card using the postage-paid envelope provided. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Street Name Holders</I></B>: If your Shares are held in the name of a bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, only that firm can
vote such Shares and, with respect to the election of directors, only upon </P>
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receipt of your specific voting instructions. Accordingly, we urge you to contact the person responsible for your account and instruct that person to execute the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card on
your behalf. Your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian may provide for voting by Internet or telephone. Please follow the instructions provided by your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian to
ensure your Shares are represented at the Annual Meeting. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>If you have already voted using the Company&#146;s white proxy card, you have every right to
change your vote by completing and mailing the enclosed </B><B><U>GOLD</U></B><B> proxy card using the enclosed <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">pre-paid</FONT> envelope to vote to elect the Icahn Nominees</B>. Only the latest-dated and validly
executed proxy that you submit will be counted and any proxy may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise at the Annual Meeting by following the instructions under &#147;Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy?&#148; in the Questions and Answers
section below. Holders of Shares as of the Record Date are urged to submit a <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card even if your Shares were sold after the Record Date. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you have any questions or require any assistance with your vote, please contact Harkins Kovler, LLC, which is assisting us, at their address, phone numbers
or email address listed below. This Proxy Statement is first being sent or given to shareholders on or about [&#9679;], 2022. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Thank you for your support,
</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Barberry Corp. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><div style="max-width:100%;margin-left:0%; margin-right:0%;border:solid 1px;background-color:;;padding-top:2pt;padding-bottom:3pt">
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; padding-top:0pt; margin-left:2%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your </I><B><I>GOLD</I></B><I> proxy card, or need additional
copies of the Participants&#146; proxy materials, please contact Harkins Kovler, LLC at the phone numbers listed below or by email. </I></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Harkins Kovler, LLC </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>3
Columbus Circle, 15th Floor </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>New York, NY 10019 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Banks and Brokerage Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380</FONT> </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655</FONT> </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; padding-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Email: KR@harkinskovler.com </B></P></div>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><FONT COLOR="#eb0029"><B>PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT &#150; SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED
MAY&nbsp;9, 2022 </B></FONT></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>2022 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>OF </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>KROGER CORPORATION
</B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">1014 Vine Street </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>PROXY STATEMENT </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>OF
</B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>BARBERRY CORP. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND MAIL THE ENCLOSED GOLD PROXY CARD TODAY </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center> <P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center>
<P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Barberry Corp., a Delaware corporation (&#147;<U>Barberry&#148;), and Carl C. Icahn, a citizen of the United States of America (&#147;Mr.&nbsp;Icahn&#148; and,
together with Barberry, the &#147;Icahn Participants&#148; and &#147;we&#148;), are shareholders of The Kroger Co., an Ohio corporation (&#147;Kroger&#148; or the &#147;Company&#148;). </U></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We are writing to you in connection with our solicitation of proxies for use at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company scheduled to be held
virtually at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on June&nbsp;23, 2022, and at any and all adjournments, continuations or postponements thereof (the &#147;<U>Annual Meeting</U>&#148;). </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">As more fully discussed in this Proxy Statement, the terms of the Company&#146;s current directors will expire at the Annual Meeting. Under the proxy rules, we
may solicit proxies in support of the Icahn Nominees and also seek authority to vote for all of the Kroger nominees other than those Kroger nominees that we specify &#150; [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. This would enable a shareholder who desires to vote
for up to a full complement of eleven (11)&nbsp;director nominees to use the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to vote for the Icahn Nominees as well as the Kroger nominees for whom we are seeking authority to vote other than those nominees as to which
the shareholder specifically withholds our authority to vote for. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have determined to nominate <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita
Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B> and are seeking authority to vote for up to all of the Kroger nominees, other than [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. As a result, should a shareholder so
authorize us, on the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, we would cast votes for the Icahn Nominees <B>(</B><B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita
Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B><B>)</B> and nine (9)&nbsp;Kroger nominees. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>THIS
PROXY SOLICITATION IS BEING MADE BY THE PARTICIPANTS AND NOT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD</B>. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We take no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the
Company&#146;s proxy statement. Except as otherwise noted herein, the information in this Proxy Statement concerning the Company and the shareholder proposals has been taken from or is based upon documents and records from the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the &#147;<U>SEC</U>&#148;) and other publicly available information. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Kroger has set the record date for determining shareholders
entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting as April&nbsp;25, 2022 (the &#147;<U>Record Date</U>&#148;). Shareholders of record of common shares, par value $1.00 per share (the &#147;<U>Shares</U>&#148;), at the close of business on the
Record Date will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. At the close of business on the Record Date, there were 720,938,109 Shares of Kroger outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting according to the Company&#146;s proxy statement
filed with the SEC on May&nbsp;2, 2022. The Shares are the only class of stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. As of the Record Date, the Icahn Participants beneficially owned, in the aggregate, 100 Shares, representing less than 0.1% of the
outstanding Shares as of the Record Date, as further described on Annex I. We intend to vote our Shares in favor of the election of the Icahn Nominees to the Board and all of the Kroger nominees other than [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We urge you to sign, date and return the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to elect the Icahn Nominees to the Board. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This Proxy Statement and <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card are first being mailed or given to the Company&#146;s shareholders on or about [&#9679;], 2022. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>If you have already voted using the Company&#146;s white proxy card, you have every right to change your vote by completing and mailing the enclosed
</B><B><U>GOLD</U></B><B> proxy card using the enclosed <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">pre-paid</FONT> envelope to vote to elect the Icahn Nominees.</B> Only the latest-dated and validly executed proxy that you submit will be counted and any proxy
may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise at the Annual Meeting by following the instructions under &#147;Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy?&#148; in the Questions and Answers section below. Holders of Shares as of the Record Date are
urged to submit a <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card even if your Shares were sold after the Record Date. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>For instructions on how to vote and other
information about the proxy materials, see the Questions and Answers section starting on page 26. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE URGE YOU TO PROMPTLY SIGN, DATE AND RETURN YOUR
<U>GOLD</U> PROXY CARD. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:2pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>If you have any questions or require any assistance with voting your Shares, please contact our proxy solicitor, Harkins
Kovler, LLC: Banks and Brokerage Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380;</FONT> All Others Call Toll-Free:</B> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:9pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>+1
(800) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655;</FONT> Email: </B>KR@harkinskovler.com. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">1 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>IMPORTANT </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Your vote is important, no matter how many Shares you own. The Participants urge you to promptly sign, date, and return the enclosed <U>GOLD</U> proxy card
to elect the Icahn Nominees. </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
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<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">If your Shares are registered in your own name, please sign and date the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card
and return it to Barberry c/o Harkins Kovler, LLC, 3 Columbus Circle, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019, using the enclosed postage-paid envelope today. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">If your Shares are held by a bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, you are considered
the beneficial owner of the Shares, and these proxy materials, together with a <B><U>GOLD</U></B> voting instruction form, are being forwarded to you by your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian. As a beneficial owner, you
must provide voting instructions to your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian. Your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian cannot vote your Shares on your behalf without your affirmative
instructions. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Depending upon your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, you may be able to vote
either by toll-free telephone or by the Internet. Please refer to the enclosed voting instruction form provided by such firm for instructions on how to vote electronically. You may also vote by signing, dating and returning the enclosed voting
instruction form using the enclosed postage-paid return envelope. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE URGE YOU NOT TO RETURN ANY PROXY CARD PROVIDED BY KROGER. YOU
DO NOT NEED TO (AND SHOULD NOT) VOTE &#147;<U>WITHHOLD</U>&#148; ON KROGER&#146;S PROXY CARD TO VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; OUR DIRECTOR CANDIDATES. YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; ANY OF KROGER DIRECTOR NOMINEES OR ANY OTHER MATTER ON
KROGER&#146;S WHITE PROXY CARD. IF YOU VOTE AND RETURN BOTH OUR <U>GOLD</U> PROXY CARD AND KROGER WHITE PROXY CARD, ONLY THE LATEST DATED PROXY CARD WILL BE COUNTED. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><div style="max-width:100%;margin-left:0%; margin-right:0%;border:solid 1px;background-color:;;padding-top:2pt;padding-bottom:3pt">
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; padding-top:12pt; margin-left:2%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>If you have any questions, require assistance in voting your </I><B><I><U>GOLD</U></I></B><I> proxy card, or need
additional copies of the Participants&#146; proxy materials, please contact Harkins Kovler, LLC at the phone numbers listed below or by email. </I></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Harkins Kovler, LLC </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>3
Columbus Circle, 15th Floor </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>New York, NY 10019 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Banks and Brokerage Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380</FONT> </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655</FONT> </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; padding-bottom:12pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Email: KR@harkinskovler.com </B></P></div>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">2 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>BACKGROUND OF THE SOLICITATION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Mr.&nbsp;Icahn and his representatives have engaged in various conversations and communications with Kroger and its representatives from time to time. The
following is a chronology of the material events, including the key interactions and communications between the Participants and the Company, leading up to the filing of this Proxy Statement: </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On March&nbsp;4, 2022, Barberry purchased 100 Shares. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On
March&nbsp;25, 2022, Carl Icahn called Rodney McMullen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and voiced his concerns regarding animal welfare and the use of gestation crates in pork production. During the conversation, Mr.&nbsp;Icahn
shared his views on Kroger&#146;s commitments with respect to those issues and indicated that he planned to nominate directors for election to the Kroger Board at its upcoming Annual Meeting to address such matters. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On March&nbsp;29, 2022, Barberry, in its capacity as a record holder of Shares, sent Kroger a formal notice of its intent to nominate each of <B>Alexis C. Fox
</B>and<B> Margarita </B><B>Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B><B>,</B> who we collectively refer to as the Icahn Nominees, as director candidates at the Annual Meeting pursuant to
the requirements set forth in the Regulations. Each of Ms.&nbsp;Fox and <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> also provided a consent to being named as a director nominee in any proxy solicitation materials
and to serve on the Board if elected or appointed. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Also, on March&nbsp;29, 2022, Mr.&nbsp;Icahn sent a letter to Mr.&nbsp;McMullen as follows: </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&#147;Rodney, </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Thank you for the candid conversation on Friday. It remains clear, however, that our perspectives concerning Kroger are very
much at odds. While I would always rather have peace than war, since today is the last possible day to nominate a slate of directors, we are planning to file two impressively qualified candidates by today&#146;s deadline. These individuals have
superior knowledge and experience relating to animal welfare and other ESG weaknesses, as well as dealing with rubber stamp boards that permit egregious wage gaps which are the major cause for poor worker morale. The wage gap between the CEO and
median worker at Kroger is unconscionable. Our candidates will take our concerns about deplorable animal suffering and these wage gaps (and other governance problems) at Kroger seriously and add proper oversight. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Our concerns regarding Kroger&#146;s governance go beyond animal suffering and other terrible practices taking place at
industrialized factory farms&#151;that are supported by Kroger&#146;s patronage. Kroger&#146;s inaction towards creating meaningful animal welfare policies and verification methods is totally out of step with consumer desire and current legislation.
The Board of Kroger is also completely tone-deaf to other growing ESG concerns, specifically that of providing a living wage to your employees. You&#146;ve helmed a company that certainly has the gravitas to steer change, yet instead have condoned
cruelty towards those who are the most defenseless. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">It is not my goal to tell you how to run Kroger operationally nor make
money from my small investment and proxy campaign. However, I remain very troubled by the glaring oversight of needless distress caused by your company&#146;s policies and see an opportunity to make a difference. At this point in my career, I view
it as my mission to make changes where I can by doing what I do best, in areas that I consider to be glaring injustices. Your company is conducting itself in ways which are unconscionable with regards to animal cruelty and flagrantly side-stepping
financial obligations to workers who don&#146;t make a fair wage (while you received $22.4&nbsp;million dollars in 2020). What is totally reprehensible is that you managed to personally profit from the extremely high margins caused by the pandemic
while at the same time reneging on your &#147;Hero Bonus&#148; promise to front-line workers. Heroes they are indeed, and while these workers risked their lives to keep America fed and Kroger&#146;s business alive, the board allowed you to give
yourself a staggering pay package while inexplicably removing the workers&#146; meager $2 dollar an hour raise. This mockery of meritocracy is the quintessential example of why capitalism and business get a bad rap and people are disillusioned with
the American Dream. </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Our society does not condone mistreating animals and causing unnecessary
suffering and pain, which is exactly what Gestation Crates and other industrialized practices do. Having grown up on a farm yourself, I am genuinely surprised at your condoning of such torturous devices and remaining stagnant on policies seeking to
innovate and improve conditions for farmed animals. You and the Kroger Board have the power to do something about this suffering but blatantly ignore it, as do you the injustices occurring to your workers. Instead of issuing stronger animal welfare
policies and supply chain and compensation oversight, Kroger&#146;s top management and directors are failing to provide decent pay to workers in a company that can afford to give its CEO $22&nbsp;million dollars per year (and the other perks it
bestows to its top management). </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">What has happened at Kroger with the issues of animal welfare and employee wages is an
affront to the basic fibers of our society&#151;that of decency and dignity. Your Board of Directors has created an unnecessary situation, placing your company at risk, by rubber stamping unethical policies as well as breaking promises they made to
frontline workers during the pandemic. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Even in a hard-nosed capitalistic system like ours, it is obscene that a CEO makes
900 times what workers earn. It is truly difficult to point to anything comparable, even when considering the grave injustices in the early days of the Industrial Revolution. At Kroger, amazingly, it will take an average worker 20 years to make what
the CEO earns in one week. In my 40 years of being an activist, I have never seen anything like this. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Just to reference a
recent New York Times article, many of your loyal employees&#151;those who have worked at your company for years&#151;are &#147;strapped for cash,&#148; as single mother Ashley Manning puts it. Other employees say they are homeless, on food stamps
or need to subsidize their earnings by donating plasma. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This mistreatment of your employees, coupled with Kroger&#146;s
pathetic approach to animal welfare, render me mystified as to how any board member can allow such brazen indignities. Kroger has turned a blind eye to both human and animal suffering. Where has the board been? </P>
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<TD VALIGN="top">Sincerely,</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">Carl Icahn&#148;</TD></TR>
</TABLE></DIV> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On April&nbsp;13, 2022, Ms.&nbsp;Fox and <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT>
participated in virtual interviews with Mr.&nbsp;McMullen and members of the Corporate Governance Committee of Kroger&#146;s Board of Directors. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">According to Kroger&#146;s Proxy, on April&nbsp;15, 2022, Kroger&#146;s Corporate Governance Committee met and discussed the background and experience of the
Icahn Group&#146;s nominees while taking into account the Company&#146;s criteria for evaluating nominations of candidates for election to the Board as well as the background, skills and experience of the Company&#146;s nominees for election to the
Board and determined not to recommend that either of the Icahn Group&#146;s nominees be included in the Company&#146;s slate of director nominees at the Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On April 19, 2022, the Company filed its preliminary proxy statement with the SEC. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On May&nbsp;2, 2022, the Company filed its definitive proxy statement with the SEC. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">On May 9, 2022, the Participants filed their preliminary proxy statement with the SEC. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE ELECTION OF THE ICAHN NOMINEES. </B></P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">4 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>REASONS FOR OUR SOLICITATION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We are soliciting your support to elect the Icahn Nominees at the 2022 Annual Meeting because we believe that Kroger&#146;s current Board of Directors (the
&#147;<U>Board</U>&#148;) has not fulfilled its duty to shareholders to protect their interests with respect to the Company&#146;s mistreatment of its employees and its hollow commitments to environmental, social and governance
(&#147;<U>ESG</U>&#148;) practices. According to Kroger&#146;s proxy, &#147;the Kroger family of companies is committed to protecting people and our planet by advancing positive change in our company and our communities.&#148; Kroger&#146;s Board
and management team should live up to this commitment by addressing the unacceptably low wages of the Company&#146;s frontline workers and the mistreatment of animals in its supply chain, amongst other areas of sustainability shortfalls. We believe
that new directors are needed to help Kroger&#146;s Board focus on implementing a credible ESG agenda including sound compensation, improved animal welfare and sustainability to restore Kroger&#146;s credibility with stakeholders and to prevent the
Company from further putting shareholder value at future risk. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Board&#146;s inability to uphold important commitments made to Kroger&#146;s
employees, shareholders and customers demonstrates a serious governance failure, in our view. While Kroger profited from extremely high margins during the <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">COVID-19</FONT> pandemic, the Company failed to fulfill its
&#147;Hero Bonus&#148; promise made to its front-line workers. According to Kroger&#146;s proxy, CEO McMullen had an annual total compensation of $18,168,730 for 2021, while the total annual compensation of Kroger&#146;s median worker was $26,763
for 2021. If the Company could afford to pay its CEO over $18&nbsp;million last year, how is it unable to fulfill its promise to pay front-line workers an additional $2 per hour while they were risking their lives working for Kroger during the
pandemic? </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In addition to improving the lives of its workers, we believe that Kroger has an opportunity as the leading U.S. grocer to prioritize important
and historically overlooked ESG issues such as animal welfare. The Company can help reverse the needless suffering and pain caused by the mistreatment of farmed animals in its supply chain by taking various actions. Kroger purchases pork from
suppliers that utilize gestation stalls or crates, which are metal enclosures, typically 7 feet long and 2 feet wide, in which a breeding or pregnant sow is confined for much of her adult life in many industrialized farms. These enclosures
immobilize sows to the degree that they cannot turn around or walk. Kroger refers to itself as &#147;America&#146;s grocer&#148; and as such, we believe that Kroger can be an ESG leader by mandating improved standards of care and husbandry practices
of the animals in its supply chain and requiring that its pork is sourced from suppliers that do not use gestation crates whatsoever. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In our view, Kroger
needs to include independent individuals that can enhance and drive the Company&#146;s commitments to ESG practices forward because the current Board has historically failed to do so, putting shareholder value at risk. We strongly believe that our
diverse nominees would hold the Company accountable by helping leadership fulfill its promises and seize the opportunity for Kroger to be an ESG leader. We encourage you to vote &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the Icahn Nominees, who have extensive
experience in various ESG matters, including sustainability, corporate governance and animal welfare. Each of the Icahn Nominees recognizes that as a member of the Board each of them will owe fiduciary duties to all of the Company&#146;s
stockholders. Our nominees are: </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><U>Alexis C. Fox </U></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Alexis C. Fox is dedicated to fixing the broken food system. To that end, she has worked for over twenty years, including as an attorney, a political leader
and an entrepreneur, to usher in the future of food. Ms.&nbsp;Fox has been featured in Forbes, the Boston Globe and other national media, and is recognized as an international expert and speaker on the future of food. Further, Ms.&nbsp;Fox has
extensive experience building consumer-facing, data-driven technology that helps individuals make food related decisions. </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><U>Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> </U></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> has extensive experience in business and real estate matters as well as
experience as a public company board member. <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> is a founder and the Chief Executive Officer of Hern&aacute;ndez Ventures, a privately held enterprise involved in Spanish
media, business and real estate ventures (since November 1988). <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> is also actively involved in numerous philanthropic and community-based organizations. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE ELECTION OF THE ICAHN NOMINEES. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you have any questions or require any assistance with voting your Shares, please contact our proxy solicitor, Harkins Kovler, LLC: Banks and Brokerage
Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380;</FONT> All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) <B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655</FONT></B>; Email: KR@harkinskovler.com. </P>
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<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal 1: Election of the Icahn Nominees </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Board of the Company currently consists of eleven (11)&nbsp;directors. Directors hold office until the Company&#146;s next annual meeting following their
election or until their successors are elected and qualified, unless prior to that time they have resigned, retired or otherwise left office. On March&nbsp;29, 2022, we gave notice to the Company of our intention to nominate the Icahn Nominees to
serve as directors of the Company. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Kroger is proposing that eleven (11)&nbsp;directors be elected at the Annual Meeting. Under the proxy rules, we may
solicit proxies in support of the Icahn Nominees and also seek authority to vote for all of the Kroger nominees other than those Kroger nominees that we specify &#150; [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. This would enable a shareholder who desires to vote for
up to a full complement of eleven (11)&nbsp;director nominees to use the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to vote for the Icahn Nominees as well as the Kroger nominees for whom we are seeking authority to vote other than those nominees as to which the
shareholder specifically withholds our authority to vote for. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have determined to nominate <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> </B><B>Margarita
Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B> and are seeking authority to vote for up to all of the Kroger nominees, other than [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. As a result, should a shareholder so
authorize us, on the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, we would cast votes for the Icahn Nominees <B>(</B><B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez)</B> and
nine (9)&nbsp;Kroger nominees. If elected, the Icahn Nominees will constitute a minority on the Board, and there can be no guarantee that our nominees will be able to implement the actions that they believe are necessary to cause the Company to make
substantial progress with respect to the treatment of its workers, animal welfare and other ESG matters. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Each of the Icahn Nominees has consented to
being named a nominee in this Proxy Statement and has confirmed his willingness to serve on the Board if elected. The Icahn Participants do not expect that any of the Icahn Nominees will be unable to stand for election, but in the event that a
vacancy in the slate of Icahn Nominees should occur unexpectedly because any Icahn Nominee is unable to serve on the Board or for good cause will not serve on the Board, the Shares represented by the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card will be voted for a
substitute candidate selected by the Icahn Participants, to the extent this is not prohibited under the Regulations and applicable law, in each case in light of the specific facts and circumstances surrounding such substitution. Should the Icahn
Participants determine that it is necessary to add nominees in accordance with the Regulations and applicable law, whether because the Company expands the size of the Board subsequent to the date of this Proxy Statement or for any other reason,
Barberry will supplement this Proxy Statement. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Directors will be elected by a plurality of the Shares represented virtually or by proxy and entitled to
vote on the election of directors, meaning that the eleven (11)&nbsp;nominees receiving the most votes for their election will be elected. Abstentions and broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the
result of this vote. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>Biographical Information Regarding the Icahn Nominees </I></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following information concerning the age, principal occupation and business experience during the last five years, and current public directorships of each
of the Icahn Nominees has been furnished to the Participants by each of the Icahn Nominees. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Alexis C. Fox</B>, age 41, is the <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">co-founder</FONT> of Lighter, Inc., an intelligent, personalized meal planning and tracking technology that bridges the gap between advice and action. Ms.&nbsp;Fox <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">co-founded</FONT>
Lighter, Inc. in November 2014 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from November 2014 through May 2020. From January 2012 to January 2015, Ms.&nbsp;Fox was an Adjunct Professor of Leadership at Emerson College. From 2010 to January 2015,
Ms.&nbsp;Fox was the State Director of Massachusetts for The Humane Society of the United States. She has served on the Board of Directors of Mercy for Animals since September 2018, where she sits on the compensation committee and is the Chair of
the audit committee. Ms.&nbsp;Fox is also on the Board of Directors of Balanced.org </P>
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since February 2017. Ms.&nbsp;Fox holds a BA in Global Environmental Politics from Bates College and a JD from Lewis&nbsp;&amp; Clark Law School. She was also visiting fellow at the Georgetown
University Law Center. Ms.&nbsp;Fox is dedicated to fixing the broken food system. To that end, she has worked for over twenty years, including as an attorney, a political leader and an entrepreneur, to usher in the future of food. Ms.&nbsp;Fox has
been featured in Forbes, the Boston Globe and other national media, and is recognized as an international expert and speaker on the future of food. Further, Ms.&nbsp;Fox has extensive experience building consumer-facing, data-driven technology that
helps individuals make food related decisions. Ms.&nbsp;Fox&#146;s business address is 625 Massachusetts Ave. #2, Cambridge, MA 02139. Ms.&nbsp;Fox does not own, and has not owned during the past two years, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of
record, any class of securities of the Company, including the Shares. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>Director Qualifications: Ms.&nbsp;Fox&#146;s extensive
experience with all aspects of the food industry as well as her entrepreneur and leadership experience, make her well qualified to serve on the Board. </I></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Margarita </B><B>Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B>, age 64, is a founder and the Chief
Executive Officer of Hern&aacute;ndez Ventures, a privately held enterprise involved in Spanish media, business and real estate ventures (since November 1988). In September of 2018,
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> was nominated by President Donald J. Trump as a Representative of the United States of America to the 73rd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, with the
rank of Ambassador, which she held until 2019. From September 1985 to 1988, <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> was an attorney with the law firm of McCutcheon, Black, Verleger&nbsp;&amp; Shea where she
focused on domestic and international business and real estate transactions. <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> was previously a Director for Herbalife Nutrition from 2018 to 2021 and a Director for ALJ
Regional Holdings, Inc. from November 2015 to 2019. <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> is currently a Director with Occidental Petroleum Corporation (since 2020), Xerox (since 2021), Conduent Incorporated
(since 2019), and Apartment Income REIT Corp (since 2021). <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> holds a bachelor&#146;s degree from the University of San Diego and a JD from UCLA School of Law. In addition
to her professional responsibilities, <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> serves as Chair of the Yale School of Management Council of Global Advisors, an <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">ex-officio</FONT>
Board Member of the Yale School of Management Board of Advisors, Chair of the Smithsonian National Latino Board, and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of the American Latino at the Smithsonian.
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> also serves on the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Board of Advisors and is a founding Board Member of UCLA Law Women L.E.A.D.
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> previously served as a Board Member and is currently a Trustee Emeritus of UCLA School of Law Board of Advisors and the University of San Diego Board of Trustees. <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez&#146;s</FONT> business address is 300 Los Altos Drive, Pasadena, CA 91105. <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> does not own, and has not
owned during the past two years, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, any class of securities of the Company, including the Shares. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>Director Qualifications: <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> has extensive legal and
directorship experience, which make her well qualified to serve on the Board. </I></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>Nominee Agreements </I></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Except for the nominee agreements described below, there are no understandings or arrangements between any of the Icahn Nominees or any other person pursuant
to which the nominations are to be made by the Participants. Pursuant to nominee agreements entered into by each of the Icahn Nominees with Barberry, Barberry has agreed to indemnify such Icahn Nominee with respect to all losses, damages, penalties,
judgments, awards, liabilities, costs, expenses and disbursements (including reasonable attorneys&#146; fees, costs, expenses and disbursements incurred by such Icahn Nominee) in connection with (i)&nbsp;the proxy contest relating to the Annual
Meeting or a special meeting called for the election of directors or (ii)&nbsp;such Icahn Nominee being called to testify or give a deposition in any civil, criminal, administrative or arbitrative action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal thereof,
relating solely to such nominee&#146;s role as a nominee for director of Kroger (whether or not such Icahn Nominee is a party or is threatened to be made a party to such proceeding). Such indemnification provisions of the nominee agreements cover a
nominee&#146;s service as a nominee and not, if elected, as a director of the Company. None of Icahn Nominees are entitled to the payment of any fees from any of the Icahn Participants in respect of such nominee agreeing to serve as an Icahn
Nominee. Additional information concerning the Icahn Nominees is set forth in<U>&nbsp;Annex I</U>&nbsp;to this Proxy Statement. </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><I>Interests of the Icahn Nominees </I></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If elected, each Icahn Nominee would receive such directors&#146; fees as may be payable by the Company in accordance with its practice at the time and, as a
result, the Icahn Nominees may be deemed to have an interest in their nominations for election to the Board. The Participants expect that the Icahn Nominees, if elected, will be indemnified for service as directors of Kroger to the same extent
indemnification is provided to the current directors of Kroger under its Amended Articles of Incorporation, effective as of June&nbsp;25, 2015, and the Regulations and that such individuals would be covered by any policy of insurance under which
Kroger insures its directors and officers. </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>OTHER MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal 2: Approval of the Company&#146;s Executive Compensation, on an Advisory Basis </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on information contained in Kroger&#146;s Proxy, it is expected that at the Annual Meeting the shareholders will be asked to adopt the advisory
resolution approving the Company&#146;s executive compensation program for the Company&#146;s named executive officers as described in Kroger&#146;s Proxy. Proposal 2, which is known as a <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">&#147;say-on-pay&#148;</FONT></FONT> proposal, allows the Company&#146;s shareholders to express their views on the compensation paid to Kroger named executive officers. Due to our belief that the Company&#146;s management
and Board have failed to follow through on their commitments relating to the use of gestation crates and our concerns regarding the Company&#146;s increasing executive compensation when compared to what it pays it workers, we recommend that you vote
&#147;<B><U>AGAINST</U></B>&#148; the Company&#146;s <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">&#147;say-on-pay&#148;</FONT></FONT> proposal. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the approval of Proposal 2 on an advisory basis requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares represented and voting
at the Annual Meeting. Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the result of this vote. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>AGAINST</U>&#148; THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY&#146;S EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS. </B></P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">10 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal 3: Ratification of Selection of the Company&#146;s Independent Auditor for Fiscal
Year 2022 </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on information contained in Kroger&#146;s Proxy, it is expected that at the Annual Meeting the shareholders will be asked to ratify
the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company&#146;s independent registered public accounting firm for 2022. The Company&#146;s Audit&nbsp;&amp; Finance Committee has appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered
public accounting firm to audit its consolidated financial statements for the year ending December&nbsp;31, 2022, including the audit of Kroger internal control over financial reporting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the approval of Proposal 3 on an advisory basis requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares represented and voting
at the Annual Meeting. Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the result of this vote. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF THE COMPANY&#146;S INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.
</B></P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal 4: Approval of Additional Shares Under the 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on information contained in Kroger&#146;s Proxy, it is expected that at the Annual Meeting the shareholders will be asked to approve additional shares
under the 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the &#147;<U>2019 Plan</U>&#148;). Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the Company&#146;s shareholders are being asked to vote to approve the Amended and Restated Kroger 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the
&#147;<U>Amended Plan</U>&#148;). </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">According to Kroger&#146;s Proxy, Kroger&#146;s Board is recommending that its shareholders approve the Amended Plan.
Based on the information in Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the Amended Plan was adopted, subject to shareholder approval, by the Board of Directors on April&nbsp;18, 2022, upon the recommendation of the Company&#146;s Compensation and Talent Development
Committee (the &#147;<U>Compensation Committee</U>&#148;). If approved by the Company&#146;s shareholders, the Amended Plan will increase the number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan by 46,314,000 shares to 59,997,931. The increase in
the shares reserved for issuance is the only modification contemplated by the Amended Plan and all other terms and conditions of the Plan are proposed to remain unchanged. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the 2019 Plan has 13,683,931 shares available for grant as of April&nbsp;1, 2022. The Company believes that increasing the share
reserve is critical for it to meet its estimated near-term equity compensation needs. Because we believe that the Company&#146;s executive compensation, including its equity awards to executives, is excessively lucrative, particularly when compared
to the compensation paid by Kroger to its workers, we recommend a vote &#147;<B><U>AGAINST</U></B>&#148; the approval of the additional shares under the 2019 Plan. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the approval of Proposal 4 on an advisory basis requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares represented and voting
at the Annual Meeting. Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the result of this vote. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>AGAINST</U>&#148; THE APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL SHARES UNDER THE 2019 PLAN. </B></P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">12 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on information contained in Kroger&#146;s Proxy, Proposals 5 &#150; 8 are shareholder proposals that were submitted by Kroger&#146;s shareholders and
the text of the shareholder proposals and supporting statements appear in Kroger&#146;s Proxy exactly as received from the proponent(s) unless otherwise noted. Kroger&#146;s Proxy notes that all of the statements contained in the shareholder
proposals and supporting statements are the sole responsibility of the proponents. Each shareholder proposal is required to be voted on at the Company&#146;s 2022 Annual Shareholders&#146; Meeting only if properly presented. Accordingly, we have
provided information with respect to the shareholder proposals in the same form as such proposals are set forth in Kroger&#146;s Proxy. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">As noted below,
we recommend a vote &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the advisory votes on the shareholder proposals set forth below as Proposals 5 &#150; 8. We believe that each of the shareholder proposals would facilitate increased disclosure and transparency to
Kroger&#146;s shareholders, including relating to ESG matters, and would further Kroger&#146;s corporate governance objectives. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">While the Participants
intend to support the shareholder proposals that are set forth below as Proposals 5 &#150; 8, the Participants are not acting in conjunction with any such shareholder. There are no agreements, understandings or relationships between any of the
Participants and any of the proponents of any of the shareholder proposals. Except as set forth in this Proxy Statement (including the Annexes), the Participants are not the members of a &#147;group&#148; (as such term is used in <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Rule&nbsp;13d-5</FONT> of the Exchange Act) or otherwise acting in concert with any other person. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal
5: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Recyclability of Packaging </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following content of the following shareholder proposal is the responsibility of the
proponent of such proposal. We do not accept any responsibility for the content of such proposal and are merely describing the proposal based upon information provided by the Company in its proxy statement. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, one shareholder of the Company, the name and shareholdings of such shareholder will be furnished promptly to any shareholder
upon written or oral request to Kroger&#146;s Secretary at Kroger&#146;s executive offices, has notified the Company that it intends to propose the following resolution at the Annual Meeting: </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&#147;<B>WHEREAS:</B>&nbsp;The growing plastic pollution crisis poses increasing risks to our company. Corporations using plastic packaging
could collectively face an annual financial risk of approximately $100&nbsp;billion should governments require them to cover the waste management costs of the packaging they use, a policy that is increasingly being enacted around the globe.<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">1</SUP> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Pew Charitable Trusts released a groundbreaking study,<I>&nbsp;Breaking the Plastic
Wave</I>&nbsp;(Pew Report), concluding that if all current industry and government commitments were met, ocean plastic deposition would be reduced by only 7%. Without immediate and sustained new commitments throughout the plastics value chain,
annual flows of plastic into oceans could nearly triple by 2040. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Pew report also finds that improved recycling must be coupled with
reductions in use, materials redesign, and substitution. It concludes that plastic demand should be reduced by at least 1/3, stating that reducing plastic production is the most attractive solution from environmental, economic, and social
perspectives. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The European Union has already banned 10 <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">single-use</FONT> plastic products commonly found
in ocean cleanups and enacted a $1/kg tax on <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-recycled</FONT> plastic packaging waste. </P> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:11%">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">1</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2020/07/breakingtheplasticwave_report.pdf</U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">13 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">More than 250 companies have committed to take a variety of actions to reduce plastic
pollution through the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Global Commitment. Some brand signatory companies appear to have reached &#147;peak plastic&#148; and set absolute virgin plastic reduction goals projected to result in a 19% reduction in total
plastic use by 2025. Kroger is notably absent from this historic corporate coordination and has no virgin plastic reduction goal. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Global
commitment signatory Unilever has taken the most significant corporate action to date, agreeing to cut virgin plastic packaging by 50% by 2025, including absolute elimination of 100,000 tons of plastic packaging. At least seventeen other publicly
traded consumer goods companies have virgin plastic reduction goals, including Procter&nbsp;&amp; Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Nestl&eacute;, and Target.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">2</SUP> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Kroger has received a score of &#147;D&#148; in two consecutive reports by<I>&nbsp;As You Sow</I>&nbsp;on plastic packaging solutions,
demonstrating the company lags its peers. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Our company could avoid regulatory, environmental, and competitive risks, and keep up with peers
by undertaking additional actions to reduce plastic pollution from its products, including, for example, decoupling business growth from its consumption of virgin plastics. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>RESOLVED:</B>&nbsp;Shareholders request that the Kroger Board issue a report, at reasonable expense and excluding proprietary information,
describing how the company could reduce its plastics use in alignment with the 1/3 reduction findings of the Pew Report, or other authoritative sources, to reduce its contribution to ocean plastics pollution. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>SUPPORTING STATEMENT:</B>&nbsp;The report should, at Board discretion: </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Evaluate the benefits of dramatically reducing the amount of plastics used in our packaging;
</P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Assess and disclose the reputational, financial, and operational risks associated with continuing to use
substantial amounts of plastic packaging despite the global plastic pollution problem; and </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Describe any necessary reduction strategies or goals, materials redesign, transition to reusables goals,
substitution, or reductions in use of virgin plastic.&#148; </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the approval of Proposal 5 on an advisory
basis requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares represented and voting at the Annual Meeting. Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the
result of this vote. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RELATING TO THE RECYCLABILITY OF PACKAGING.
</B></P> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:11%">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">2</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.asyousow.org/report-page/plastic-pollution-scorecard-2021/</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">14 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal 6: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Report on Protection of Farmworkers </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following content of the following shareholder proposal is the responsibility of the proponent of such proposal. We do not accept any responsibility for
the content of such proposal and are merely describing the proposal based upon information provided by the Company in its proxy statement. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on
Kroger&#146;s Proxy, two shareholders of the Company, the name and shareholdings of each such shareholder will be furnished promptly to any shareholder upon written or oral request to Kroger&#146;s Secretary at Kroger&#146;s executive offices, has
notified the Company that it intends to propose the following resolution at the Annual Meeting: </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>&#147;WHEREAS:</B>&nbsp;The pandemic
has disproportionately harmed farmworkers<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">3</SUP>&nbsp;and exacerbated existing risks of human rights violations in agriculture, including
slavery,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">4</SUP>&nbsp;sexual assault,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">5</SUP>&nbsp;and unsafe working conditions (including climate change induced heat exhaustion<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">6</SUP>). For example, in October&nbsp;2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) banned imports of tomatoes from certain Mexican farms with indications of forced labor, possibly Kroger suppliers.<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">7</SUP>&nbsp;In November&nbsp;2021, U.S. prosecutors indicated 24 defendants for a forced labor conspiracy involving over 70,000 farmworkers.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">8</SUP> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Kroger claims to address human rights risks through a Supplier Code of Conduct and &#147;social compliance audits&#148; by two auditors, SGS
and UL.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">9</SUP>&nbsp;Both have weak track records, such as approval of factories that subsequently collapsed<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">10</SUP>&nbsp;or burned down,<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">11</SUP>&nbsp;resulting in deaths. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">CBP itself published guidance noting traditional social
audits are &#147;ineffective at identifying and reducing forced labor&#148; in supply chains, instead recommending &#147;worker-driven solutions&#148; including &#147;the Fair Food Program&#148;
(FFP).<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">12</SUP> </P> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:11%">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">3</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/09/study-farmworkers-4-times-risk-covid-19
</FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">4</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://polarisproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Polaris_Labor_Exploitation_and_Trafficking_of_Agricultural_Workers_During_the_Pandemic.pdf
</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">5</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/01/agricultire-sexual-harassment/550109</U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">6</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-12/farmworkers-overheat-on-frontlines-of-climate-change</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">7</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-issues-withhold-release-order-tomatoes-produced-farm-mexico;
</FONT>
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-12-31/u-s-blocks-tomato-shipments-from-mexican-farms-accused-of-abusing-workers
</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">8</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://ciw-online.org/blog/2021/11/breaking-u-s-doj-busts-sprawling-modern-day-slavery-operation-in-fields-of-south-georgia/</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">9</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/faqs.pdf</FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">10</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://cleanclothes.org/file-repository/figleaf-for-fashion.pdf</FONT></FONT>
</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">11</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14747731.2017.1304008</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">12</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2021-Aug/CBP%202021%20VTW%20FAQs%20%28Forced%20Labor%29.pdf
</FONT> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">15 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Yet Kroger is an outlier&nbsp;&#151;&nbsp;compared to peers like Walmart, Whole Foods,
Ahold, Fresh Market, and Trader Joe&#146;s&nbsp;&#151;&nbsp;in not having joined the FFP. The FFP enforces <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">COVID-19</FONT> safety protocols,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">13</SUP>&nbsp;heat stress
protections,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">14</SUP>&nbsp;and a <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">zero-tolerance</FONT> policy for forced labor and sexual assault,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">15</SUP>&nbsp;through
worker-centered audit and complaint mechanisms backed by mandatory market consequences. It is the recognized &#147;gold standard&#148; for monitoring human rights in supply chains,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">16</SUP>&nbsp;lauded
by the United Nations,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">17</SUP>&nbsp;the Obama-Biden administration,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">18</SUP>&nbsp;and others.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">19</SUP> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In May&nbsp;2021, Kroger adopted a Statement on Human Rights that relies on social audits, worker surveys, and limited impact assessments.<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">20</SUP>&nbsp;Failing to join the FFP may nevertheless allow legal,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">21</SUP>&nbsp;reputational, and supply chain risks to persist. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>RESOLVED:</B> Shareholders request the Board issue a report, at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary information, addressing the extent to which,
during the pandemic, Kroger&#146;s Statement on Human Rights (&#147;Statement&#148;) has effectively protected farmworkers in its North American supply chain from human rights violations, including forced labor, sexual assault, heat exhaustion, and <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">COVID-19.</FONT> This report should detail any mechanisms similar to the Fair Food Program, including: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Whether Kroger has required its North American produce suppliers (&#147;Suppliers&#148;) to implement <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">COVID-19</FONT> worker safety and heat stress prevention protocols (&#147;Safety Protocols&#148;), and, if so, the content of those Safety Protocols; </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">The number of times Kroger suspended a Supplier for violating the Statement or Safety Protocols, and the specific
grounds for each such suspension; </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">A list of the total number of Supplier locations purchased from, how often Kroger social compliance audits were
conducted <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">on-site</FONT> at each such location, and the number of farmworkers personally interviewed there by the auditor; </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Whether Kroger ensured its Suppliers&#146; farmworkers had access to a third-party grievance mechanism, with the
authority to order a remedy, for reporting Statement or Safety Protocol violations, and, if so, the required procedures, number of such grievances filed, and outcomes of all such grievances.&#148; </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the approval of Proposal 6 on an advisory basis requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares represented and voting
at the Annual Meeting. Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the result of this vote. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RELATING TO THE REPORT ON THE PROTECTION OF FARMWORKERS. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:11%">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">13</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/05/dining/food-industry-coronavirus</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">14</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://naplesnews.com/story/news/environment/2021/09/03/coalition-immokalee-farmworkers-protects-workers-rising-temperatures-climate-change/5699013001/
</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">15</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.fairfoodprogram.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Attachable-Size-SOTP-2021-Report.pdf
</FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">16</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.msi-integrity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/MSI_Not_Fit_For_Purpose_FORWEBSITE.FINAL_.pdf
</FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">17</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/UNGPs10/Stocktaking-reader-friendly.pdf</U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">18</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/amy-williams/2015/01/30.coalition-i,,okalee-workers-gets-presidential-medal/22623915/
</FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">19</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.fairfoodprogram.org/recognition</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">20</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kroger-Statement-on-Human-Rights.pdf
</FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">21</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5810dda3e3df28ce37b58357/t/6181623e5f967e246dd8c416/1635869247075/RFA+and+Hershey+Press+Release+FINAL+no+logo.docx.pdf
 </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">16 </P>

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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal 7: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Report on Elimination of HFCs </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following content of the following shareholder proposal is the responsibility of the proponent of such proposal. We do not accept any responsibility for
the content of such proposal and are merely describing the proposal based upon information provided by the Company in its proxy statement. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on
Kroger&#146;s Proxy, one shareholder of the Company, the name and shareholdings of such shareholder will be furnished promptly to any shareholder upon written or oral request to Kroger&#146;s Secretary at Kroger&#146;s executive offices, has
notified the Company that it intends to propose the following resolution at the Annual Meeting: </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>&#147;WHEREAS:</B><B>
</B><B>Hydrofluorcarbons</B>&nbsp;(HFCs) are potent greenhouse gases, with a high global warming potential (GWP) making them hundreds to thousands of times more potent that carbon dioxide (CO2) in contributing to climate change per unit of mass.
Refrigeration systems utilized by Kroger contain HFCs. The Company&#146;s reporting indicates refrigerant emissions may account for 63% of its Scope 1 emissions. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Kroger has taken steps to reduce refrigerant leakage in its stores. However, refrigerant emissions cannot be eliminated by reducing leaks
alone. As long as companies continue to utilize HFCs, there is reason to believe that their production, usage and ultimate disposal will continue to release HFCs to the environment. That is why Kroger&#146;s peers are moving to refrigerants with
much lower GWP. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The potential impact on reducing climate change is profound. A recent U.N. report estimates that phasing down HFCs
globally will reduce their future warming impact from 0.5&deg; C to less than 0.1&deg; C.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">22</SUP>&nbsp;In fact, scientists have found we must accelerate the global phasedown of HFCs in order to achieve
the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5&deg; C.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">23</SUP> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Board of Consumer Goods
Forum (CGF), a group of major consumer goods retailers and manufacturers of which Kroger is a member, approved a 2016 resolution to mobilize resources towards transitioning away from HFCs. The resolution stated that member companies committed to
&#147;install new equipment that utilize only natural refrigerants or alternative <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">ultra-low</FONT> GWP refrigerants effective immediately.&#148;<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">24</SUP>&nbsp;The CGF
defined <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">&#147;ultra-low</FONT> GWP&#148; as less than 150. The resolution promised individual targets and action plans toward implementation. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Kroger&#146;s 2021 ESG report does not reference any strategy for adopting <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">ultra-low</FONT> GWP technologies.
Instead, Kroger&#146;s report specifies GWPs of &#147;1,500 or less.&#148;<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">25</SUP> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Kroger
lags peers such as ALDI US, which has installed <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">ultra-low</FONT> GWP refrigeration systems in over 420 stores, and in all new self-contained
equipment.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">26</SUP>&nbsp;Target and Whole Foods have also adopted <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">ultra-low</FONT> GWP technologies more widely than
Kroger.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">27</SUP>&nbsp;Negative media attention on HFCs is increasing,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">28</SUP>&nbsp;while peer companies receive a reputational boost.<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">29</SUP> </P> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:11%">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">22</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">SAP-2018-Assessment-report.pdf_(unep.org)</FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">23</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">24</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">CGF Refrigerant Resolution #2: <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2018-CGF-Resolutions-and-Commitments.pdf</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">25</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Kroger-2021-ESG-Report.pdf
</FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">26</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">https://hydrocarbons21.com/articles/10105/aldi_us_testing_all_propane_stores_in_addition_to_transcritical_co2
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">27</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://climatefriendlysupermarkets.org/scorecard</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">28</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/02/15/these-gases-your-grocerys-freezer-are-fueling-climate-change-biden-wants-fix-that/</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">29</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://corporate.aldi.us/fileadmin/fm-dam/newsroom/Press_Releases/ALDI_GreenChill_Press_Release.pdf</FONT>
</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">17 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Proactive adoption of <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">ultra-low</FONT> GWP technologies
would not only reduce Scope 1 emissions but may ultimately be more cost-effective, since trends in Europe indicate HFC prices may rise by up to 1300%. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>RESOLVED:</B> Shareholders request that Kroger issue a report, at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary information, describing how it
can adopt strategies above and beyond legal compliance to curtail the predominant source of its operational (Scope 1) GHG emissions, by deploying the best available technological options for eliminating the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in
refrigeration. The report should describe the extent to which the Company will act consistent with the Consumer Goods Forum commitments on <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">ultra-low</FONT> GWP refrigerants, including any related capital spending
commitments, or explain why the Company is not acting consistent with those commitments.&#148; </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the approval of Proposal 7 on an advisory basis requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares represented and voting
at the Annual Meeting. Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the result of this vote. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RELATING TO THE REPORT ON THE ELIMINATION OF HFCs. </B></P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">18 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proposal 8: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Report on Workforce Strategy </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following content of the following shareholder proposal is the responsibility of the proponent of such proposal. We do not accept any responsibility for
the content of such proposal and are merely describing the proposal based upon information provided by the Company in its proxy statement. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on
Kroger&#146;s Proxy, two shareholders of the Company, the name and shareholdings of each such shareholder will be furnished promptly to any shareholder upon written or oral request to Kroger&#146;s Secretary at Kroger&#146;s executive offices, has
notified the Company that it intends to propose the following resolution at the Annual Meeting: </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>&#147;RESOLVED:</B> Shareholders of The
Kroger Co. ask the Board of Directors to analyze and report on the risks of increasing labor market pressures to its business plan. The report should address to what extent the Company&#146;s workforce strategy includes competitive wage, benefit,
and safety conditions for all its associates across all racial and gender demographics. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WHEREAS:</B> As countries recover from the <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Covid-19</FONT> pandemic, America&#146;s labor-force participation rate remains below <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">pre-pandemic</FONT> levels.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">30</SUP>&nbsp;In 2021, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded historic numbers of job openings,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">31</SUP> and studies are showing that most turnover is in <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">low-wage</FONT> jobs.<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">32</SUP> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Experts say that employment conditions, including low wages and insufficient benefits,
are key factors driving the low participation rates. A report from Mercer<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">33</SUP>&nbsp;reveals that &#147;frontline workers, low wage, minority and lower-level employees are more likely to be looking to
leave&nbsp;&#151;&nbsp;at rates significantly higher than historical norms.&#148; The impact of poor labor conditions is felt especially by workers of color: nearly half of black workers are concentrated in healthcare, retail, and accommodation and
food service industries, primarily in lower-paying service roles rather than professional roles.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">34</SUP> </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Labor shortages are influencing a dynamic policy debate at the federal, state, and local levels regarding their minimum wage regulations. There
has been public support for the proposed Raise the Wage Act which would help eliminate poverty-level wages by raising the national minimum wage to $15 an hour and positively impact approximately 4.7&nbsp;million retail workers.<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">35</SUP>&nbsp;A large number of retailers have already raised their minimum wage above legal minimums<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">36</SUP>. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">CEO, Rodney McMullen, said staff shortage and &#147;finding talented people&#148; is one of Kroger&#146;s biggest challenges with over 20,000
job openings<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">37</SUP>. While the company raised wages and expanded benefits for </P> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:11%">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">30</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2021/12/14/labor-market-exits-and-entrances-are-elevated-who-is-coming-back/
</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">31</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.html</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">32</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/04/business/economy/job-openings-coronavirus.html</FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">33</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.mercer.us/content/dam/mercer/attachments/private/us-2021-inside-employees-minds-report.pdf</FONT>
</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">34</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/the-economic-state-of-black-america-what-is-and-what-could-be
</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">35</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.epi.org/publication/raising-the-federal-minimum-wage-to-15-by-2025-would-lift-the-pay-of-32-million-workers/</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">36</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U>https://www.yahoo.com/news/retail-chains-increased-minimum-wage-105832606.html</U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">37</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/14/kroger-ceo-says-hiring-is-a-big-challenge-as-it-teams-up-with-instacart.html</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">19 </P>

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associates in 2021, Kroger&#146;s<I>&nbsp;average</I>&nbsp;hourly wage is only $15.50,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">38</SUP>&nbsp;with no disclosure of the number, or
demographics, of associates earning at or above this amount. This puts the company behind an increasing number of retailer peers who have raised their<I>&nbsp;starting</I>&nbsp;wages to at least $15 an hour.<SUP
STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">39</SUP>&nbsp;The 2021 total compensation of Kroger&#146;s median associate was $24,617.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">40</SUP>&nbsp;The Economic Policy Institute found that a single adult
without children needs at least $31,200 to achieve a modest but secure standard of living.<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">41</SUP>&nbsp;Additionally, Kroger is cited as one of the top employers of Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program enrollees,<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">42</SUP>&nbsp;and a recent report found &#147;more than <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">two-thirds</FONT> of Kroger workers struggle to afford food, housing or other basic
needs due to low wages and part-time work schedules.&#148;<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">43</SUP> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Paying a living wage has
shown benefits for both businesses and employees, including higher average profits, organizational growth, reduced turnover and lower poverty rates among workers. Investors seek further clarity on how the company is assessing and responding to the
evolving regulatory and competitive landscape to sustain long-term growth, and consumer and public trust.&#148; </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, the
approval of Proposal 8 on an advisory basis requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares represented and voting at the Annual Meeting. Based on Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and broker
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> if any, will have no effect on the result of this vote. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE
&#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RELATING TO THE REPORT ON WORKFORCE STRATEGY. </B></P> <P STYLE="line-height:8.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;width:11%">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">38</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.npr.org/2020/05/15/857105173/grocery-store-chain-kroger-is-planning-to-end-hero-pay</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">39</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/29/minimum-wage-employers-moving-faster-than-states-to-raise-hourly-pay.html
</FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">40</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0000056873/638cf5c4-bc98-48d2-95bc-e236a21fec76.html</FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">41</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.epi.org/publication/our-deeply-broken-labor-market-needs-a-higher-minimum-wage-epi-testimony-for-the-senate-budget-Committee/;
</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://livingwage.mit.edu/articles/85-15-an-hour-isn-t-enough-u-s-workers-need-a-living-wage
</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">42</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">
<P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-45.pdf</FONT></FONT></U>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>
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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">43</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left"><U><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-01-11/2-out-of-3-kroger-workers-struggle-to-afford-food-housing-survey-finds
</FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></U> </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">20 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Other Proposals </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Except as set forth in this Proxy Statement, the Icahn Participants are not aware of any other matter to be considered at the Annual Meeting. However, if the
Icahn Participants learn of any other proposals made at a reasonable time before the Annual Meeting, the Icahn Participants will either supplement this Proxy Statement and provide shareholders with an opportunity to vote by proxy directly on such
matters or will not exercise discretionary authority with respect thereto. If other proposals are made thereafter, the persons named as proxies on the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card solicited by the Icahn Participants will vote such proxies in their
discretion. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you sign and return the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, your Shares will be voted in accordance with your specifications. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If no direction is indicated with respect to the foregoing proposals, you will be deemed to have given a direction to vote the Shares represented by the
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card: (1) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; all nominees set forth in Proposal 1, plus the persons who have been nominated by Kroger to serve as directors, other than [&#149;] and [&#149;]; (2) &#147;<B><U>AGAINST</U></B>&#148;
the approval of the Company&#146;s executive compensation, on an advisory basis; (3) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the ratification of the selection of the Company&#146;s independent auditor for the fiscal year 2022; (4)
&#147;<B><U>AGAINST</U></B>&#148; the approval of additional shares under the 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan; (5) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the shareholder proposal relating to the recyclability of packaging; (6) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the
shareholder proposal relating to a report on the protection of farmworkers; (7) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the shareholder proposal relating to a report on the elimination of HFCs; (8) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the shareholder proposal
relating to a report on workforce strategy; and (9)&nbsp;in the proxy holder&#146;s discretion as to the other matters that may properly come before the Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Company has set the close of business on April&nbsp;25, 2022, as the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the
Annual Meeting (the &#147;<U>Record Date</U>&#148;). The mailing address of the principal executive offices of the Company is 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100. Shareholders of record at the close of business on the Record Date will be
entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. According to the Company, as of the Record Date, there were 720,938,109 Shares outstanding. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">21 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WE ARE NOMINATING ONLY TWO DIRECTOR CANDIDATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Board of Kroger is currently composed of eleven (11)&nbsp;directors, and, although there are eleven (11)&nbsp;directors standing for election at the
Annual Meeting, we have nominated only two director candidates for the Annual Meeting. If all of our nominees are elected, the Board will be composed of the two Icahn Nominees and the nine Kroger nominees who receive the most votes cast in favor of
his or her election at the Annual Meeting. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Under the proxy rules, we may solicit proxies in support of the Icahn Nominees and also seek authority to vote
for all of the Kroger nominees other than those Kroger nominees that we specify &#150; [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. This would enable a shareholder who desires to vote for up to a full complement of eleven (11)&nbsp;director nominees to use the
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to vote for the Icahn Nominees as well as the Kroger nominees for whom we are seeking authority to vote other than those nominees as to which the shareholder specifically withholds our authority to vote for. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have nominated <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B>
and are seeking authority to vote for up to all of the Kroger nominees, other than [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. As a result, should a shareholder so authorize us, on the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, we would cast votes for the Icahn Nominees
<B>(</B><B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and <B>Margarita Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B><B>)</B> and nine (9)&nbsp;Kroger nominees. If elected, our nominees will constitute a minority on the
Board, and there can be no guarantee that our nominees will be able to implement the actions that they believe are necessary to drive Kroger commitments to animal welfare and hold Kroger accountable to fulfill its promises. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">There will be a total of thirteen nominees competing for eleven available director positions assuming that the only persons nominated for election to the
Board at the Annual Meeting will be the eleven directors nominated by Kroger and our two nominees. Therefore, at the Annual Meeting, assuming a quorum is present, whichever eleven nominees from the pool of thirteen nominees receive the greatest
number of votes, whether cast virtually or by proxy, will be elected to the Board. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">There is no assurance that any of the Icahn Nominees will serve as
directors if any or all of the Icahn Nominees are elected. If both of our candidates, or only one of our candidates, are elected to the Board, the remaining directors will be filled by nine (9), or more, of the Kroger candidates. Under these
circumstances, it is possible that Kroger candidates may not agree to serve, in which case the newly constituted Board may fill vacancies on the Board or reduce the size of the Board. The names, backgrounds and qualifications of Kroger director
nominees and other information about such nominees can be found in Kroger&#146;s Proxy for the Annual Meeting. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">To support us, you should return only our
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card and not vote Kroger&#146;s proxy card. If you vote and return both our <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card and Kroger&#146;s proxy card, only the last-dated proxy card will be counted. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Because the eleven director candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected to the Board, every vote is important. We urge you to complete,
sign, date and return using the enclosed postage-paid envelope the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to elect our director candidates. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">22 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>VOTING AND PROXY PROCEDURES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Voting and Proxy Procedures </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Only shareholders of record
on the Record Date will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. Shareholders who sell their Shares before the Record Date (or acquire them without voting rights after the Record Date) may not vote such Shares. Shareholders of
record on the Record Date will retain their voting rights in connection with the Annual Meeting even if they sell their Shares after the Record Date. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Shareholders of Record:</I></B> If your Shares are held in your own name, please authorize a proxy to vote by signing and returning the enclosed
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card using the postage-paid envelope provided. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B><I>Street Name Holders:</I></B> If you hold your Shares in the name of one or
more banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies or other custodians, only they can vote your Shares and only upon receipt of your specific instructions. Accordingly, you should contact the person responsible for your account and give
instructions to them to sign and return a <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card representing your Shares to elect the Icahn Nominees to the Board. Depending upon your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, you may be able to vote
either by toll-free telephone or by the Internet. Please refer to the enclosed voting instruction form for instructions on how to vote electronically. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Shares represented by properly executed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy cards will be voted at the Annual Meeting as marked. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If a shareholder returns a <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card that is signed, dated and not marked with respect to the proposals, that shareholder will be deemed
to have given direction to vote: (1) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; all nominees set forth in Proposal 1, plus the persons who have been nominated by Kroger to serve as directors, other than [&#149;] and [&#149;]; (2)
&#147;<B><U>AGAINST</U></B>&#148; the approval of the Company&#146;s executive compensation, on an advisory basis; (3) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the ratification of the selection of the Company&#146;s independent auditor for the fiscal year
2022; (4) &#147;<B><U>AGAINST</U></B>&#148; the approval of additional shares under the 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan; (5) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the shareholder proposal relating to the recyclability of packaging; (6)
&#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the shareholder proposal relating to a report on protection of farmworkers; (7) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; the shareholder proposal relating to a report on the elimination of HFCs; (8) &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148;
the shareholder proposal relating to a report on workforce strategy; and (9)&nbsp;in the proxy holder&#146;s discretion as to the other matters that may properly come before the Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Quorum; Broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Non-Votes;</FONT> Discretionary Voting </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A quorum is the minimum number of Shares that must be represented at a duly called meeting of shareholders virtually or represented by proxy, in order to
legally conduct business at the meeting. According to Kroger&#146;s Proxy, a quorum requires the presence of the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Shares entitled to vote, present virtually or represented by proxy, at the Annual
Meeting. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">According to Kroger&#146;s Proxy, abstentions and instructions to withhold authority to vote will be treated as Shares that are present and
entitled to vote for the purposes of determining whether a quorum exists. Instructions to withhold authority will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Under the rules of the NYSE, when there is a contest with respect to the election of directors, banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies or other
custodians may not exercise discretionary voting authority on behalf of the beneficial owners of the Shares on any matters that are to be presented at the Annual Meeting, including matters that are viewed as routine matters. Accordingly, Shares that
are held by banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies or other custodians for which no instructions have been provided, which are often referred to as broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> will not be counted as present
and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting for the purpose of determining the existence of a quorum. If your Shares are held in the name of your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, we encourage you to provide voting
instructions to your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian promptly so that your Shares can be counted as present for the purposes of establishing a quorum and voted at the Annual Meeting. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">23 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you are a shareholder of record, you must deliver your vote on the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, the
Company&#146;s proxy card or virtually attend the Annual Meeting in order to be counted in the determination of a quorum. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If your Shares are held in the
name of your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, that party will give you instructions for voting your Shares. If you do not give your voting instructions to your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other
custodian, it will not be allowed to vote your Shares with respect to the election of directors or any additional proposals which may be presented at the Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Revocation of Proxies </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Shareholders of the Company may
revoke their proxies at any time prior to exercise by virtually attending the Annual Meeting and voting virtually (although virtual attendance at the Annual Meeting will not by itself constitute revocation of a proxy), by delivering a written notice
of revocation, or by signing and delivering a properly completed and subsequently dated proxy. The revocation may be delivered either to Barberry in care of Harkins Kovler, LLC at the address set forth on the back cover of this Proxy Statement, to
the secretary of the Company at 1014 Vine StreetCincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 (or any other address provided by the Company), or to the Company&#146;s proxy solicitor. Although a revocation is effective if delivered to the Company or to the
Company&#146;s proxy solicitor, we request that either the original or photostatic </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">copies of all revocations be mailed to Barberry in care of Harkins
Kovler, LLC at the address set forth on the back cover of this Proxy Statement so that we will be aware of all revocations and can more accurately determine if and when proxies have been received from the holders of record on the Record Date of a
majority of the outstanding Shares. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">24 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SOLICITATION OF PROXIES; EXPENSES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The solicitation of proxies pursuant to this Proxy Statement is being made by the Participants. Proxies may be solicited through the mail, press releases and
other public statements, electronic communications, telephone, fax and <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">in-person</FONT> meetings. Each of the Icahn Nominees, the other Participants named in this proxy statement, and employees of the Icahn
Participants may assist in the solicitation of proxies without any additional remuneration. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The Participants have retained Harkins Kovler, LLC to provide
solicitation and advisory services in connection with this solicitation. Harkins Kovler, LLC will be paid a fee not to exceed $[&#149;] based upon the campaign services provided. In addition, the Participants will reimburse Harkins Kovler, LLC for
its reasonable <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">out-of-pocket</FONT></FONT> expenses and will indemnify Harkins Kovler, LLC against certain liabilities and expenses, including certain liabilities under the federal
securities laws. Harkins Kovler, LLC will solicit proxies from individuals, banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies, other custodians and other institutional holders. It is anticipated that Harkins Kovler, LLC will employ up to 35 persons
to solicit the Company&#146;s shareholders as part of this solicitation. Harkins Kovler, LLC does not believe that any of its directors, officers, employees, affiliates or controlling persons, if any, is a &#147;participant&#148; in this proxy
solicitation. The costs related to this proxy solicitation will be borne by the Participants. Costs of this Proxy Solicitation are currently estimated to be approximately $[&#149;]. The actual amount could be higher or lower depending on the facts
and circumstances arising in connection with the solicitation. We estimate that through the date hereof, the Participants&#146; expenses in connection with this Proxy Solicitation are approximately $[&#149;]. If successful, the Participants may seek
reimbursement of these costs from the Company. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In the event that the Participants decide to seek reimbursement of their expenses, the Participants do not
intend to submit the matter to a vote of the Company&#146;s shareholders. The Board would be required to evaluate the requested reimbursement consistent with its fiduciary duties to the Company and its shareholders. Costs related to the solicitation
of proxies include expenditures for attorneys, public relations and other advisors, solicitors, printing, advertising, postage, transportation and other costs incidental to the solicitation. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you have any questions or require any assistance with voting your Shares, please contact our proxy solicitor, Harkins Kovler, LLC: Banks and Brokerage
Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380;</FONT> All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) ; Email: KR@harkinskovler.com. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">25 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B><U>QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND THE ANNUAL MEETING </U></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: What are you asking Kroger shareholders to do? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: We
are asking for support for the election of our two director candidates, <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and <B>Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT></B>, to Kroger&#146;s Board. As described more fully in this Proxy
Statement, we believe our director candidates will add valuable perspectives and leadership to the Board. We believe our candidates possess the skills, experience, industry and leadership abilities necessary to contribute to Kroger as well-rounded
Board members. Our nominees will represent, and will seek the best possible results for, all Kroger shareholders. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Under the proxy rules, we may solicit
proxies in support of the Icahn Nominees and also seek authority to vote for all of the Kroger nominees other than those Kroger nominees that we specify &#150; [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. This would enable a shareholder who desires to vote for up to a
full complement of eleven (11)&nbsp;director nominees to use the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to vote for the Icahn Nominees as well as the Kroger nominees for whom we are seeking authority to vote other than those nominees as to which the
shareholder specifically withholds our authority to vote for. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have determined to nominate <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT></B> and are seeking authority to vote for up to all of the Kroger nominees, other than [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. As a result, should a shareholder so authorize us, on the
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, we would cast votes for the Icahn Nominees <B>(Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez)</FONT></B> and nine (9)&nbsp;Kroger nominees. If elected, our nominees
will constitute a minority on the Board, and there can be no guarantee that our nominees will be able to implement the actions that they believe are necessary to drive Kroger commitments to animal welfare and hold Kroger accountable to fulfill its
promises relating to the treatment of its workers. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Who are your director candidates? </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT></B> are highly qualified individuals with
significant business experience. The principal occupation and business experience of each of these candidates is described in this Proxy Statement in the section titled &#147;Matters to be Considered at the Annual Meeting&#151;Proposal 1: Election
of the Icahn Nominees&#151;Biographical Information About the Icahn Nominees.&#148; We believe that each of our director candidates would be considered independent under the applicable rules of the NYSE and the Company&#146;s Guidelines on Issues of
Corporate Governance., and neither of our director candidates are affiliated with Kroger or any of its subsidiaries. If elected to the Board, our director candidates would owe fiduciary duties to all of Kroger shareholders. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Who is entitled to vote? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: Only holders of voting
stock at the close of business on the Record Date, April&nbsp;25, 2022, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. Shareholders who sold Shares before the Record Date (or acquire them without voting rights after the Record Date)
may not vote such Shares. Shareholders of record on the Record Date will retain their voting rights in connection with the Annual Meeting even if they sell such Shares after the Record Date (unless they also transfer their voting rights). </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: How important is my vote? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: Your vote is important,
no matter how many Shares you own. The Participants urge you to sign, date, and return the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card as soon as possible to elect the Icahn Nominees. The Board will ultimately be comprised of the eleven
(11)&nbsp;nominees who receive the most votes cast in favor or his or her election at the Annual Meeting. We urge you to vote in favor of the Icahn Nominees. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: What is a gestation crate? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: Gestation stalls or
crates are metal enclosures, typically 7 feet long and 2 feet wide, in which a breeding or pregnant sow is confined for much of her adult life in many industrialized farming systems including those that
</P>
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supply Kroger. These stalls are inhumane and cause unnecessary suffering for pigs that are used in the production of pork. These enclosures restrict sows to the degree that they cannot turn
around or walk. As &#147;America&#146;s grocer&#148;, we believe that Kroger should be an ESG leader (as it claims to be) in expeditiously phasing out the utilization of suppliers who use gestation crates. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: How do I vote my Shares? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: <B>Shares held in record
name.</B> If your Shares are registered in your own name, please vote today by signing, dating and returning the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card using the postage-paid envelope provided. Execution and delivery of a proxy by a record holder of
Shares will be presumed to be a proxy with respect to all Shares held by such record holder unless the proxy specifies otherwise. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Shares beneficially
owned or held in &#147;street&#148; name. </B>If you hold your Shares in &#147;street&#148; name with a bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, only that party can exercise the right to vote with respect to the Shares that
you beneficially own through such party and only upon receipt of your specific instructions. <U>Accordingly, it is critical that you promptly give instructions to your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian to vote for the
Icahn Nominees</U>. Please follow the instructions to vote provided on the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> voting instruction form. If your broker, bank, dealer, trust company, or other nominee provides for proxy instructions to be delivered to them by
telephone or Internet, instructions will be included on the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> voting instruction form. We urge you to confirm in writing your instructions to the person responsible for your account and provide a copy of those instructions
by emailing them to KR@harkinskovler.com<B> </B>or mailing them to Barberry Corp., c/o Harkins Kovler, LLC, 3 Columbus Circle, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019, so that we will be aware of all instructions given and can attempt to ensure that such
instructions are followed. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We urge you not to return any proxy card provided by Kroger. You do not need to (and should not) vote &#147;withhold&#148; on
Kroger&#146;s proxy card to vote for the Icahn Nominees. You should not vote for any of Kroger&#146;s director nominees or any other matter on Kroger&#146;s proxy card. If you vote and return both our <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card and Kroger&#146;s
proxy card, only the latest dated proxy card will be counted. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: What is a quorum? </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: A quorum is the minimum number of Shares that must be represented at a duly called meeting of shareholders virtually or by proxy in order to legally conduct
business at the meeting. According to Kroger&#146;s Proxy, a quorum requires the presence of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote either virtually attending or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting. Under the
rules of the NYSE, when there is a contest with respect to the election of directors, banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies or other custodians may not exercise discretionary voting authority on behalf of the beneficial owners of the
Shares on any matters that are to be presented at the Annual Meeting, including matters that are viewed as routine matters. Accordingly, Shares that are held by banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies or other custodians for which no
instructions have been provided, which are often referred to as broker <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">non-votes,</FONT> will not be counted as present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting for the purpose of determining the existence of a
quorum. If your Shares are held in the name of your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, we encourage you to provide voting instructions to your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian promptly so
that your Shares can be counted as present for the purposes of establishing a quorum and voted at the Annual Meeting. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: What should I do if I receive
a proxy card from the Company? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: If you submit a proxy to us by signing and returning the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, do not sign or
return the proxy card solicited by the Company or follow any voting instructions provided by the Company unless you intend to change your vote, because only your latest-dated proxy will be counted. </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">27 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>We recommend that you disregard any proxy card or solicitation materials that may be sent to you by the
Company.</B> If you have already voted using the Company&#146;s white proxy card, you have every right to change your vote by completing and mailing the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card in the enclosed
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">pre-paid</FONT> envelope. Only the latest dated validly executed proxy that you submit will be counted; any proxy may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise at the Annual Meeting by following the instructions
below under &#147;Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy?&#148; If you have any questions or require any assistance with voting your Shares, please contact our proxy solicitor, Harkins Kovler, LLC, 3 Columbus Circle, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019;
Banks and Brokerage Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380;</FONT> All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655;</FONT> Email: KR@harkinskovler.com. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Can I change my vote or revoke my proxy? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: If you
are the shareholder of record, you may change your proxy instructions or revoke your proxy at any time before your proxy is voted at the Annual Meeting. Proxies may be revoked by any of the following actions: </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">signing, dating and returning the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card (the latest-dated proxy is the only one
that will be counted); </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">delivering a written revocation or a later dated proxy for the Annual Meeting to Barberry Corp., c/o Harkins
Kovler, LLC, 3 Columbus Circle, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019; </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">delivering a written revocation or a later dated proxy for the Annual Meeting to the secretary of the Company or
to the Company&#146;s proxy solicitor; or </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">attending the Annual Meeting and voting virtually (although virtual attendance at the Annual Meeting will not, by
itself, revoke a proxy). </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If your Shares are held by a bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, you should follow
the instructions provided by your bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian to have your Shares voted. If you virtually attend the Annual Meeting and you beneficially own Shares but are not the record owner, your mere attendance
at the Annual Meeting WILL NOT be sufficient to revoke your prior given proxy card. You must have written authority from the record owner to vote your Shares held in its name at the meeting. If you have any questions or require any assistance,
contact our proxy solicitor, <B>Harkins Kovler, LLC &#151; Banks and Brokerage Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380;</FONT> All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655;</FONT>
Email: </B>KR@harkinskovler.com. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>IF YOU HAVE ALREADY VOTED USING THE COMPANY&#146;S WHITE PROXY CARD, WE URGE YOU TO REVOKE IT BY FOLLOWING THE
INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE.</B> Although a revocation is effective if delivered to the Company, we request that either the original or a copy of any revocation be mailed to Barberry Corp., c/o Harkins Kovler, LLC, 3 Columbus Circle, 15th Floor, New York, NY
10019. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: What is the deadline for providing a proxy? </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: We urge you to submit your proxy to us as soon as possible. For your proxy to be voted at the Annual Meeting, we must receive it on or prior to the date of
the Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting is scheduled to be held virtually at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on June&nbsp;23, 2022. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Who is making this proxy
solicitation? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: The solicitation of proxies pursuant to this proxy solicitation is being made by the Participants. Proxies may be solicited by mail,
facsimile, telephone, Internet, virtually and by advertisements. The Participants will solicit proxies from individuals, banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies, other custodians and other institutional holders. The Participants have
requested banks, brokerage firms, dealers, trust companies or other custodians to forward all solicitation materials to the beneficial owners of the Shares they hold of record. The </P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">28 </P>

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Participants will reimburse these record holders for their reasonable <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap"><FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">out-of-pocket</FONT></FONT> expenses in so doing. It is
anticipated that certain regular employees of the Participants will also participate in the solicitation of proxies. Such employees will receive no additional consideration if they assist in the solicitation of proxies. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Why are you making this proxy solicitation? </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: We
believe that Kroger is in critical need of new leadership at the Board level. We are confident that our highly qualified independent director candidates will add valuable perspectives and leadership to the Board. We believe our candidates possess
the skills, experience, industry and leadership abilities necessary to contribute to Kroger as well-rounded Board members. Our director candidates will be active and responsible stewards of the trust placed in them by the shareholders. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Why are you nominating only two director candidates when there are eleven (11)&nbsp;members of Kroger Board? </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: The terms of the Company&#146;s current directors will expire at the Annual Meeting. Under the proxy rules, we may solicit proxies in support of the Icahn
Nominees and also seek authority to vote for all of the Kroger nominees other than those Kroger nominees that we specify &#150; [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. This would enable a shareholder who desires to vote for up to a full complement of eleven
(11)&nbsp;director nominees to use the <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to vote for the Icahn Nominees as well as the Kroger nominees for whom we are seeking authority to vote other than those nominees as to which the shareholder specifically withholds
our authority to vote for. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We have determined to nominate <B>Alexis C. Fox </B>and<B> Margarita
<FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT></B> and are seeking authority to vote for up to all of the Kroger nominees, other than [&#9679;] and [&#9679;]. As a result, should a shareholder so authorize us, on the
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, we would cast votes for the Icahn Nominees <B>(Alexis C. Fox </B>and <B>Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez)</FONT></B> and nine (9)&nbsp;Kroger nominees. If we are successful in
our solicitation, we expect that the Board will be composed of the two Icahn Nominees and the nine (9)&nbsp;nominees of Kroger who receive the most votes cast in favor or his or her election at the Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">There is no assurance that any of Kroger nominees will serve as directors if any or all of our nominees are elected. If we are successful in this proxy
solicitation, and Kroger director nominees who are elected do not agree to serve, the newly consisted Board may fill vacancies on the Board or reduce the size of the Board. The names, backgrounds and qualifications of Kroger director nominees and
other information about them can be found in Kroger&#146;s Proxy for the Annual Meeting. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">To support us, you should return only our <B><U>GOLD</U></B>
proxy card and not vote Kroger&#146;s proxy card. If you vote and return both our <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card and Kroger&#146;s proxy card, only the last-dated proxy card will be counted. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Where can I find additional information concerning Kroger and the Annual Meeting? </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: Pursuant to Rule <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">14a-5(c)</FONT> promulgated under the Exchange Act, we have omitted from this Proxy Statement certain
disclosure required by applicable law to be included in Kroger&#146;s Proxy in connection with the Annual Meeting, including: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Item 1 of Schedule 14A (date, time and place of the Annual Meeting); </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Item 5 of Schedule 14A (interest of certain persons in matters to be acted upon, other than the Participants);
</P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Item 6 of Schedule 14A (voting securities and principal holders thereof, other than the Participants);
</P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Item 7 of Schedule 14A (information about directors and executive officers and corporate governance matters);
</P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Item 8 of Schedule 14A (compensation of directors and executive officers); </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">29 </P>

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<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Item 9 of Schedule 14A (independent public accountants); </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
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<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Information concerning the proposal regarding the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of the
Company&#146;s named executive officers (Proposal 2); </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Information concerning the proposal regarding the ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as
independent auditors for 2022 (Proposal 3); </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Information concerning the proposal regarding the approval of additional shares under the 2019 Long-Term
Incentive Plan (Proposal 4); </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Information concerning the shareholder proposals referred to as Proposals 5 &#150; 8; and </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="3%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">&#149;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="1%" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P ALIGN="left" STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">Date on which proposals of shareholders intended to be presented at the 2023 annual meeting of shareholders of
the Company must be received by the Company in order to be included in the Company&#146;s proxy materials for that meeting and the date after which shareholder proposals for the 2023 annual meeting of the shareholders will be considered untimely.
</P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Please refer to Kroger&#146;s Proxy for such information. Except as otherwise noted herein, the information in this Proxy Statement
concerning the Company has been taken from or is based upon documents and records on file with the SEC and other publicly available information. We take no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information contained in Kroger&#146;s
Proxy. Except as otherwise noted herein, the information in this Proxy Statement concerning the Company has been taken from or is based upon documents and records on file with the SEC and other publicly available information. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This Proxy Statement and all other solicitation materials in connection with this proxy solicitation will be available on the Internet, free of charge, on the
SEC&#146;s website at https://www.sec.gov. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Q: Who should I call if I have any questions? </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">A: If you have any questions, require any assistance in voting your Shares, need additional copies of our proxy materials, or have any other questions, please
contact our proxy solicitor, Harkins Kovler, LLC, 3 Columbus Circle, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019; Banks and Brokerage Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380;</FONT> All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655;</FONT> Email: KR@harkinskovler.com. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>Conclusion </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">We urge you to carefully consider the information contained in this Proxy Statement and then support our efforts by signing, dating, and returning the enclosed
<B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card today to elect the Icahn Nominees. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Thank you for your support, </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">Barberry Corp. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">[&#9679;], 2022
</P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">30 </P>

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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This Proxy Statement may include forward-looking statements that reflect the Participants&#146; current views with respect to future events. Statements that
include the words &#147;expect,&#148; &#147;intend,&#148; &#147;plan,&#148; &#147;believe,&#148; &#147;project,&#148; &#147;anticipate,&#148; &#147;will,&#148; &#147;may,&#148; &#147;would&#148; or similar words are often used to identify
forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in such statements and, therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any such statements. Any forward-looking statements made in this Proxy Statement are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary
statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by the Participants will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company or
its business, operations or financial condition. Except to the extent required by applicable law, the Participants undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future
developments or otherwise. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">31 </P>

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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B><U>ANNEX I: INFORMATION REGARDING THE PARTICIPANTS </U></B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">This proxy solicitation is being made by the Participants. The Participants filing this Proxy Statement include Barberry, Mr. Icahn, Ms. Fox and Ms. <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The principal business address of each of Barberry and Mr.&nbsp;Icahn is 16690 Collins
Avenue, Suite <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">PH-1,</FONT> Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Carl C. Icahn is the sole stockholder of Barberry. As such,
Mr.&nbsp;Icahn is in a position indirectly to determine the investment and voting decisions made by Barberry. Barberry is primarily engaged in the business of investing in securities. Carl C. Icahn&#146;s present principal occupation or employment
is serving as: (i)&nbsp;Chief Executive Officer of Icahn Capital LP, a wholly owned subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises L.P., through which Mr.&nbsp;Icahn manages various private investment funds; (ii)&nbsp;Chairman of the Board of Icahn Enterprises
G.P. Inc., the general partner of Icahn Enterprises L.P., a Nasdaq listed diversified holding company engaged in a variety of businesses, including investment, energy, automotive, food packaging, real estate and home fashion; and (iii)&nbsp;Chairman
of the Board and a director of Starfire Holding Corporation (&#147;<U>Starfire</U>&#148;), a holding company engaged in the business of investing in and/or holding securities of various entities, and as Chairman of the Board and a director of
various of Starfire&#146;s subsidiaries. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Barberry has sole voting power and sole dispositive power with regard to 100 Shares. Each of Barberry and
Mr.&nbsp;Icahn has shared voting power and shared dispositive power with regard to such Shares. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Mr.&nbsp;Icahn beneficially owns, in the aggregate, 100
Shares, representing less than 0.1% of the outstanding Shares (based upon 720,938,109 Shares stated to be outstanding as of the Record Date in Kroger&#146;s Proxy). </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">In addition to Barbery and Mr.&nbsp;Icahn, the participants in the solicitation of proxies (the &#147;<U>Participants</U>&#148;) from shareholders of Kroger
may also include Alexis C. Fox and Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez.</FONT> Ms.&nbsp;Fox and <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Ms.&nbsp;Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT> will not receive any special
compensation in connection with this solicitation. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Except as set forth in this Proxy Statement (including the Annexes): (i) during the past ten years, no
Participant has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors); (ii) no Participant directly or indirectly beneficially owns any securities of the Company; (iii)&nbsp;no Participant owns any securities
of the Company which are owned of record but not beneficially; (iv)&nbsp;no Participant has purchased or sold any securities of the Company during the past two years; (v)&nbsp;no part of the purchase price or market value of the securities of the
Company owned by any Participant is represented by funds borrowed or otherwise obtained for the purpose of acquiring or holding such securities; (vi)&nbsp;no Participant is, or within the past year was, a party to any contract, arrangement, or
understanding with any person with respect to any securities of the Company, including, but not limited to, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees against loss or guarantees of profit, division of losses or profits,
or the giving or withholding of proxies; (vii)&nbsp;no associate of any Participant owns beneficially, directly or indirectly, any securities of the Company; (viii)&nbsp;no Participant owns beneficially, directly or indirectly, any securities of any
parent or subsidiary of the Company; (ix)&nbsp;no Participant nor any of their respective associates was a party to any transaction, or series of similar transactions, since the beginning of the Company&#146;s last fiscal year, or is a party to any
currently proposed transaction, or series of similar transactions, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries was or is to be a party, in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000; (x) no Participant nor any of their respective associates has
any arrangement or understanding with any person with respect to any future employment by the Company or its affiliates, or with respect to any future transactions to which the Company or any of its affiliates will or may be a party; and
(xi)&nbsp;no person, including the Participants, has a substantial interest, direct or indirect, by security holdings or otherwise in any matter to be acted on as set forth in this Proxy Statement. There are no material proceedings to which the
Participants or any of their respective associates is a party adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or has a material interest adverse to the Company or any of its subsidiaries. </P>
</DIV></Center>


<p style="margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0em; page-break-before:always">
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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">During the last fiscal year, neither any Icahn Nominee nor any Icahn Participant has failed to file reports
related to the Company that are required by Section&nbsp;16(a) of the Exchange Act. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">To the best knowledge of the Participants, the Participants believe
that each of the Icahn Nominees is independent under the applicable rules of NYSE and the Company&#146;s Guidelines on Issues of Corporate Governance. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Except as set forth in this Proxy Statement (including the Annexes), the Participants are not the members of a &#147;group&#148; (as such term is used in <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Rule&nbsp;13d-5&nbsp;of</FONT> the Exchange Act) or otherwise acting in concert with any other person. </P>
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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Beneficial Ownership of Shares </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following table shows the number of Shares that are beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">13d-3</FONT> under the
Exchange Act) by each of the Participants in this solicitation as of the Record Date. Except as described below, each Participant has shared voting power and shared dispositive power with regard to the number of Shares beneficially owned. Neither of
the Icahn Nominees own, beneficially or of record, any Shares. </P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="84%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" ALIGN="center">


<TR>

<TD WIDTH="30%"></TD>

<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="12%"></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>

<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="11%"></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>

<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="12%"></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; display:table-cell; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman; "><B>Title of Class</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000"><B>Name&nbsp;of&nbsp;Beneficial&nbsp;Owner&nbsp;<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">(1)</SUP></B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000"><B>Amount&nbsp;of&nbsp;Beneficial<BR>Ownership</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000"><B>Percent&nbsp;of&nbsp;Class&nbsp;<SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">(2)</SUP></B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD></TR>


<TR BGCOLOR="#cceeff" STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Shares</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">Barberry&nbsp;Corp.</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">100</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">Less&nbsp;than&nbsp;0.1%</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Shares</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">Carl&nbsp;C.&nbsp;Icahn&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"><SUP STYLE="font-size:85%; vertical-align:top">(3)</SUP>&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">100</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">Less&nbsp;than&nbsp;0.1%</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(1)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Each holder listed in this table is, as of the date of this Notice, the beneficial owner of the Shares set
forth under the heading &#147;Amount of Beneficial Ownership.&#148; </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(2)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Percentages of ownership set forth in this column is based upon 720,938,109 Shares stated to be outstanding as
of the Record Date in Kroger&#146;s Proxy. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">(3)</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">Reflects Shares held of record by Barberry. Mr.&nbsp;Icahn, by virtue of his relationship to Barberry, may be
deemed to indirectly beneficially own (as that term is defined in Rule <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">13d-3</FONT> under the Exchange Act) the Shares which Barberry directly beneficially owns. </P></TD></TR></TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">3 </P>

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<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Two Year Summary Table </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The table below indicates the date of each purchase and sale of Shares by the Icahn Participants within the past two years and the number of Shares in each
such purchase or sale. Unless otherwise indicated, all transactions were effected on the open market. Except as set forth below, neither of the Icahn Nominees have purchased or sold any Shares during the past two years. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" WIDTH="84%" BORDER="0" STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt" ALIGN="center">


<TR>

<TD WIDTH="44%"></TD>

<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="10%"></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>

<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="10%"></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>

<TD VALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="10%"></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD>
<TD></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:8pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom" NOWRAP> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000; display:table-cell; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman; "><B>Name</B></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000"><B>Date</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000"><B>Shares&nbsp;Purchased</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="center" STYLE="border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000"><B>Price&nbsp;Per&nbsp;Share</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD></TR>


<TR BGCOLOR="#cceeff" STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:1.00em; text-indent:-1.00em; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Barberry Corp.</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">March&nbsp;4,&nbsp;2022</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">100</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">$</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="right">54.25</TD>
<TD NOWRAP VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">4 </P>

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<p style="margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0em; page-break-before:always">
<HR SIZE="3" style="COLOR:#999999" WIDTH="100%" ALIGN="CENTER">


<Center><DIV STYLE="width:8.5in" align="left">
 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>IMPORTANT </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Please review this Proxy Statement and the enclosed materials carefully. YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT, no matter how many or how many Shares you own. </P>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">1.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">If your Shares are registered in your own name, please sign, date and mail the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B>
proxy card to using the postage-paid envelope provided today. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">2.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">If you have previously signed and returned a proxy card to the Company, you have every right to change your
vote. Only your latest-dated proxy card will count. You may revoke any proxy card already sent to the Company by signing, dating and mailing the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card using the postage-paid envelope provided. Any proxy may also be
revoked at any time prior to the Annual Meeting (i)&nbsp;by delivering a written notice of revocation or a later-dated proxy for the Annual Meeting to Harkins Kovler, LLC at the address set forth below, (ii)&nbsp;by delivering a written notice of
revocation or a later-dated proxy for the Annual Meeting to the Company or its proxy solicitor, or (iii)&nbsp;by voting virtually at the Annual Meeting. Virtual attendance at the Annual Meeting will not by itself constitute a revocation.
</P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">3.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">If your Shares are held in the name of a bank, brokerage firm, dealer, trust company or other custodian, only
such firm, custodian or other institution can vote your Shares and only after receiving your specific instructions by mail, telephone or Internet. Accordingly, please sign, date and mail the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> voting instruction form using
the postage-paid envelope provided. To ensure that your Shares are voted, you should also contact the person responsible for your account and give instructions for a <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card to be issued representing your Shares.
</P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR style = "page-break-inside:avoid">
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="5%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">4.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE=" margin-top:0pt ; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman; " ALIGN="left">After signing and returning the enclosed <B><U>GOLD</U></B> proxy card, do not sign or return the
Company&#146;s proxy card unless you intend to change your vote, because only your latest dated proxy card will be counted. </P></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE URGE
YOU NOT TO RETURN ANY PROXY CARD PROVIDED BY KROGER. YOU DO NOT NEED TO (AND SHOULD NOT) VOTE &#147;<U>WITHHOLD</U>&#148; ON KROGER&#146;S PROXY CARD TO VOTE FOR OUR DIRECTOR CANDIDATES. IF YOU WISH TO VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE ICAHN NOMINEES,
YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; ANY OF KROGER DIRECTOR NOMINEES OR ANY OTHER MATTER ON KROGER&#146;S PROXY CARD. IF YOU VOTE AND RETURN BOTH OUR <U>GOLD</U> PROXY CARD AND KROGER&#146;S PROXY CARD, ONLY THE LAST-DATED PROXY CARD WILL BE
COUNTED. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><I>If you have any questions concerning this Proxy Statement, would like to request additional copies of this Proxy
Statement, or need help voting your Shares, please contact our proxy solicitor: </I></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Harkins Kovler, LLC </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>3 Columbus Circle, 15th Floor </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>New York, NY 10019 </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Banks
and Brokerage Firms Please Call Collect: (212) <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">468-5380</FONT> </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>All Others Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">980-5655</FONT> </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Email: KR@harkinskovler.com </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
 <p STYLE="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt ; font-size:8pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">5 </P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><FONT COLOR="#eb0029"><B>PRELIMINARY COPY &#150; SUBJECT TO COMPLETION </B></FONT></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>[FORM OF GOLD PROXY CARD] </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>THE KROGER CO. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>2022
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>THIS PROXY (THIS &#147;<U>PROXY</U>&#148;) IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF BARBERRY CORP., CARL C. ICAHN,
ALEXIS C. FOX AND MARGARITA <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">PAL&Aacute;U-HERN&Aacute;NDEZ</FONT> (COLLECTIVELY, THE &#147;<U>PARTICIPANTS</U>&#148;) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>THIS PROXY SOLICITATION IS NOT BEING MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE KROGER CO. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The undersigned appoint(s) Peter C. Harkins and Jordan M. Kovler and each of them, as proxies (each and any substitute, a &#147;<U>Proxyholder</U>&#148;) with
full power of substitution and with discretionary authority to vote all common shares, par value $1.00 per share (the &#147;<U>Shares</U>&#148;), of Kroger Corporation (the &#147;<U>Company</U>&#148;), which the undersigned would be entitled to vote
if virtually present at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company scheduled to be held at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on June&nbsp;23, 2022, including any adjournments, continuations or postponements thereof and at any meeting called in
lieu thereof (the &#147;<U>Annual Meeting</U>&#148;) on all matters coming before the Annual Meeting. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The undersigned hereby revokes any other proxy or
proxies heretofore given to vote or act with respect to the Shares of the Company held by the undersigned, and hereby ratifies and confirms all actions the herein named Proxyholders, their substitutes, or any of them may lawfully take by virtue
hereof. Other than the eight (8)&nbsp;proposals set forth on the reverse side of this card, the Participants are not aware of any other matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>IF THIS PROXY IS SIGNED AND RETURNED, IT WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR SPECIFICATIONS. IF NO DIRECTION IS INDICATED WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSALS
ON THE REVERSE SIDE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED: (1) &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; ALL NOMINEES SET FORTH IN PROPOSAL 1, PLUS THE PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN NOMINATED BY KROGER TO SERVE AS DIRECTORS, OTHER THAN [&#149;] AND [&#149;]; (2)
&#147;<U>AGAINST</U>&#148; THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY&#146;S EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION, ON AN ADVISORY BASIS; (3) &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF THE COMPANY&#146;S INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022; (4)
&#147;<U>AGAINST</U>&#148; THE APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL SHARES UNDER THE 2019 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN; (5) &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RELATING TO THE RECYCLABILITY OF PACKAGING; (6) &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL
RELATING TO A REPORT ON THE PROTECTION OF FARMWORKERS; (7) &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RELATING TO A REPORT ON THE ELIMINATION OF HFCs; (8) &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL RELATING TO A REPORT ON WORKFORCE
STRATEGY; AND (9)&nbsp;IN THE PROXY HOLDER&#146;S DISCRETION AS TO OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center">IMPORTANT: PLEASE COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE AND MAIL THIS PROXY CARD TODAY! </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 1: To elect eleven directors of Kroger to serve until the 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders or until their respective successors are appointed,
elected and qualified. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Barberry&#146;s proposal to elect <B>Alexis C. Fox </B><B>and </B><B>Margarita Pal</B><B>&aacute;</B><B><FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">u-Hern</FONT></B><B>&aacute;</B><B>ndez</B>, as directors of the Company, plus the persons who have been nominated by Kroger to serve as directors, other than [&#149;] and [&#149;]. Barberry is NOT seeking authority to
vote for and WILL NOT exercise any authority to vote for [&#149;] and [&#149;]. You should refer to the proxy statement and form of proxy distributed by Kroger for the names, background, qualifications and other information concerning the Kroger
nominees. </P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you do not wish your Shares voted &#147;<B><U>FOR</U></B>&#148; a particular nominee, mark the
&#147;<B><U>FOR ALL EXCEPT</U></B>&#148; box and write the name(s) of the nominees you do not support on the line below. You may also withhold authority to vote for the persons who have been nominated by Kroger to serve as directors, other than
[&#149;] and [&#149;], by writing the names of such nominees for whom you wish to withhold authority below. Your Shares will be voted for the remaining nominee(s). None of the Kroger nominees for whom we seek authority to vote have agreed to serve
if elected with the Icahn Nominees, Alexis C. Fox and Margarita <FONT STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez.</FONT> There is no assurance that any of Kroger nominees will serve as directors if the Icahn Nominees are elected. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE ELECTION OF ALL NOMINEES LISTED IN PROPOSAL 1 BELOW, PLUS THE PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN NOMINATED BY KROGER TO
SERVE AS DIRECTORS, OTHER THAN [&#149;] AND [&#149;]. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>INSTRUCTIONS: FILL IN VOTING BOXES &#147;</B>&#9679;<B></B><B>&#148; IN BLACK
OR BLUE INK </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top">FOR ALL NOMINEES</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">WITHHOLD AUTHORITY TO</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">VOTE FOR ALL</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">NOMINEES</P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">FOR ALL EXCEPT NOMINEE(S) WRITTEN BELOW</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">(A) Alexis C. Fox</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">(B) Margarita <FONT
STYLE="white-space:nowrap">Pal&aacute;u-Hern&aacute;ndez</FONT></P></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Barberry does not expect that any of the nominees will be unable to stand for election, but, in the event any nominee is
unable to serve or for good cause will not serve, the Shares represented by this Proxy will be voted for substitute nominee(s), to the extent this is not prohibited under the Company&#146;s organizational documents and applicable law. In addition,
Barberry has reserved the right to nominate substitute person(s) if the Company makes or announces any changes to its organizational documents or takes or announces any other action that has, or if consummated would have, the effect of disqualifying
any nominee, to the extent this is not prohibited under the Company&#146;s organizational documents and applicable law. In any such case, Shares represented by this Proxy will be voted for such substitute nominee(s). </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 2: To approve the Company&#146;s executive compensation, on an advisory basis. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>AGAINST</U>&#148; THE ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPANY&#146;S EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>FOR</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>AGAINST</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>ABSTAIN</B></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">&#9744;</TD>
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 3: To ratify the selection of the Company&#146;s independent auditor for fiscal year 2022. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SELECTION OF THE COMPANY&#146;S INDEPENDENT AUDITOR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>AGAINST</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>ABSTAIN</B></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 4: To approve additional shares under the 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>AGAINST</U>&#148; THE APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL SHARES UNDER THE 2019 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>AGAINST</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>ABSTAIN</B></TD></TR>


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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 5: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Recyclability of Packaging. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL REGARDING THE RECYCLABILITY OF PACKAGING. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>FOR</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>AGAINST</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>ABSTAIN</B></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 6: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Report on Protection of Farmworkers. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL REGARDING A REPORT ON THE PROTECTION OF FARMWORKERS. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>AGAINST</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>ABSTAIN</B></TD></TR>


<TR STYLE="page-break-inside:avoid ; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">&#9744;</TD>
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 7: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Report on Elimination of HFCs. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL REGARDING A REPORT ON THE ELIMINATION OF HFCs. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>AGAINST</B></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom" ALIGN="center"><B>ABSTAIN</B></TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PROPOSAL 8: Shareholder Proposal &#150; Report on Workforce Strategy. </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:6pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>WE RECOMMEND A VOTE &#147;<U>FOR</U>&#148; THE SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL REGARDING A REPORT ON WORKFORCE STRATEGY. </B></P>
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>IN ORDER FOR YOUR PROXY TO BE VALID, IT MUST BE SIGNED. PLEASE ALSO DATE THE PROXY WHERE INDICATED BELOW. </B></P>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">Signature (Capacity/Title)</TD>
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</TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>NOTE:</B> Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) on stock certificates or on the label affixed hereto. When signing
as attorney, executor, administrator or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners must each sign personally. <B>ALL HOLDERS MUST SIGN.</B> If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by an
authorized officer and give full title as such. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman"><B>PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND <U>PROMPTLY RETURN</U> THIS <U>GOLD</U> PROXY USING THE ENCLOSED RETURN
ENVELOPE. </B></P>
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