CINCINNATI –The Kroger Co. has planned a nationwide rollout of its new Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic brands.

Kroger said both Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organics are free from 101 artificial preservatives and ingredients, while products in the organic line are certified organic by the US Department of Agriculture. USDA certified natural products include meat, chicken and eggs, the company said.

"While organic products are available in most conventional grocery stores, our customers told us that labels can be confusing, and there's a general belief in the marketplace that organic means more expensive," said Mary Ellen Adcock, vice president of Natural Foods for Kroger. "At Kroger we understand these challenges, so we're offering our shoppers the Simple Truth Organic brand, an easy, more clearly labeled and affordable way to buy organic products."

Kroger is offering its customers roughly 250 “honest, easy and affordable ‘free-from 101’ items and organic products”. The new lines cover more than 30 product categories and include an array of foods such as milk, salads, dried fruit, sodas, yogurt, chips and quinoa, the company said. The products are clearly marked with the brand’s green logo and contain what Kroger says are straightforward ingredient statements. Simple Truth Organic products bear the USDA organic seal on the front of packaging, while Simple Truth products “have highly visible identifiers that indicate their category”.

The rollout strategy will include in-store promotions, a Simple Truth website and social media components. The rollout will begin with new food introductions including cereals, frozen pizza and vegetarian items. Both brands will collectively expand to more than 40 product categories by January 2013, according to Kroger.

"Most shoppers don't have time to browse grocery stores for quality food, and no one wants to spend more money than necessary," said Carolyn Brown, MS, RD, Simple Truth spokesperson and nutritionist at Foodtrainers, a private practice in New York. "Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic flips shoppers' expectations by delivering value-priced products that can be found in almost every aisle at their neighborhood Kroger store."

Kroger is the largest retailer in the US with 2,425 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under 24 local banner names.