The big box supermarket chain Kroger operates in over 2,700 stores in 35 states and yields $132.5 billion annually. Its founder's unique vision has led to grocery stores today almost uniformly having two key departments.

In 1901, Barney Kroger opened bakeries in his own grocery stores, making Kroger the first grocery store in the United States to do so. With a bakery in-house, Kroger was able to ensure quality, reduce costs, and share the savings with shoppers.

In 1904, Kroger became the first grocer to house its own meat section, though creating a meat department was challenging, as unethical butchers of the day often overcharged customers by improperly weighing their products. Butchers fought back against the innovation and harassed Kroger’s employees, but the grocery chain won out in the end.