Kroger Has Stopped Selling Red Bull Nationwide

If you headed to Kroger recently because you ran out of Red Bull, you likely had to move on to another location. As of August 31, after all of its inventory was sold off, the grocery giant removed all of the Red Bull displays and branded coolers from its stores and fuel centers.

Why Is Kroger No Longer Selling Red Bull?

As recently as September 17, customers who visited the Kroger site looking for Red Bull were shown this message: “Red Bull is currently out of stock while we work with our suppliers to keep prices affordable for you.”

So what happened?

Well, for now, Kroger isn't saying. The company has declined to offer an explanation, and Red Bull has not offered one, either. However, we do have some context, and it would appear to be about pricing. During a September 11 earnings call, Kroger CEO Greg Foran said the company would push back against suppliers seeking higher prices at a time when consumers are already feeling the effects of inflation.

Foran essentially indicated that Kroger is putting its foot down with regard to vendors "using inflation" to increase their sales while shoppers are "under pressure." Foran went on to say that if Kroger can't reach a reasonable agreement with suppliers, it will rely more heavily on its own brands.

Of course, this is not confirmation that Red Bull prices were too high and Kroger pulled the plug. But between Foran's comments and Kroger's message about working with suppliers to keep prices affordable, it's not difficult to see why pricing has become the focus.

What Now for Red Bull Fans?

Kroger's split with Red Bull has not spilled over to other grocery stores, big-box retailers, or any of a host of convenience stores. Those outlets still stock the popular energy drink.

And Kroger isn't suddenly getting out of the energy drink business, either. Shoppers can still find other major brands on its shelves, including Monster, Rockstar, Bloom, NOS and Alani Nu.

As for whether Red Bull will eventually return to Kroger, neither company has indicated when—or even if—that will happen. For now, Red Bull fans who normally pick up their cans at Kroger will simply have to get their wings somewhere else.