Fry’s parent company to give $130 million in ‘thank you pay’ to employees

Kroger Co., the parent of Fry’s Food Stores in Arizona, will provide special “thank you pay” to its hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call center employees for their work maintaining safe, clean and stocked stores during the coronavirus crisis.

Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of Cincinnati-based Kroger (NYSE: KR), said the company’s employees “have been instrumental in feeding America while also helping to flatten the curve during the initial phases of the pandemic.”

The new $130 million, one-time thank you pay comes after the company’s appreciation pay provided to frontline workers in March and the multiple hero bonuses that were paid in April through mid-May, with a final payment by May 23.

The thank you pay, which will be $400 for qualified full-time employees and $200 for qualified part-time employees, will be paid in two installments on May 30 and June 18.