1 Exhibit 24.1 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, That the undersigned directors of THE KROGER CO. (the "Company") hereby make, constitute and appoint Paul W. Heldman and Bruce M. Gack, or either one of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact to sign and execute for and on his or her behalf, a registration statement and any and all amendments thereto with respect to the issuance and sale by the Company of up to $900,000,000 of Securities to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in such form as they, or either of them, may approve and to do any and all other acts which said attorneys-in-fact, or either one of them, may deem necessary or desirable to enable The Kroger Co. to comply with said Act and the rules and regulations thereunder in connection with such sale. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned directors have hereunto set their hands and seal, as of the 22nd day of July, 1999. s/s Clyde R. Moore s/s Ronald W. Burkle - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s Martha R. Seger s/s T. Ballard Morton, Jr. - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s John T. LaMacchia s/s Thomas H. O'Leary - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s Bobby S. Shackouls s/s Katherine D. Ortega - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s Edward M. Liddy s/s Bruce Karatz - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s James D. Woods s/s Reuben V. Anderson - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s Robert D. Beyer s/s John L. Clendenin - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s David B. Dillon s/s Carlton J. Jenkins - ------------------------- -------------------------------- s/s Joseph A. Pichler - ------------------------- s/s Robert G. Miller - ------------------------- 2 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, That the undersigned officer of THE KROGER CO. (the "Company") hereby makes, constitutes and appoints Paul W. Heldman and Bruce M. Gack, or either one of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact to sign and execute for and on his behalf, a registration statement and any and all amendments thereto with respect to the issuance and sale by the Company of up to $900,000,000 of Securities to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in such form as they, or either of them, may approve and to do any and all other acts which said attorneys-in-fact, or either one of them, may deem necessary or desirable to enable The Kroger Co. to comply with said Act and the rules and regulations thereunder in connection with such sale. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand. s/s W. Rodney McMullen July 22, 1999 - ----------------------------- W. Rodney McMullen Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 3 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, That the undersigned officer and director of THE KROGER CO. (the "Company") hereby makes, constitutes and appoints Paul W. Heldman and Bruce M. Gack, or either one of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact to sign and execute for and on his behalf, a registration statement and any and all amendments thereto with respect to the issuance and sale by the Company of up to $900,000,000 of Securities to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in such form as they, or either of them, may approve and to do any and all other acts which said attorneys-in-fact, or either one of them, may deem necessary or desirable to enable The Kroger Co. to comply with said Act and the rules and regulations thereunder in connection with such sale. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand. s/s Joseph A. Pichler July 22, 1999 - ---------------------------- Joseph A. Pichler Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director 4 POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, That the undersigned officer of THE KROGER CO. (the "Company") hereby makes, constitutes and appoints Paul W. Heldman and Bruce M. Gack, or either one of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact to sign and execute for and on his behalf, a registration statement and any and all amendments thereto with respect to the issuance and sale by the Company of up to $900,000,000 of Securities to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in such form as they, or either of them, may approve and to do any and all other acts which said attorneys-in-fact, or either one of them, may deem necessary or desirable to enable The Kroger Co. to comply with said Act and the rules and regulations thereunder in connection with such sale. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand. s/s J. Michael Schlotman July 22, 1999 - ----------------------------------- J. Michael Schlotman Vice President and Corporate Controller 5 RESOLUTION WHEREAS, On June 25, 1999, the Company issued $250,000,000 of its 6.34% Senior Notes due 2001, $350,000,000 of its 7.25% Senior Notes due 2009, and $300,000,000 of its 7.70% Senior Notes due 2029 (collectively, the "Notes"); and WHEREAS, The Notes were issued under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, and the Company agreed to give the holders of the Notes certain registration rights; now, therefore RESOLVED, That the Company is authorized to issue, in exchange for the Notes, registered securities (the "Securities") with terms substantially identical to the Notes; and further RESOLVED, The Securities may be issued by the Company and the determination of all terms and conditions of the Securities is delegated to a Management Committee made up of Joseph A. Pichler, David B. Dillon, W. Rodney McMullen, and Lawrence M. Turner, any three of whom can act for the Management Committee; and further RESOLVED, That the Management Committee may designate one or more persons, who may or may not be a member of the Committee, to act as and for the Committee in any capacity as the Committee may direct; and further RESOLVED, That the Management Committee may authorize the issuance of the Securities by the Company in exchange for the Notes and, in connection with any such authorization, issue, determine, approve, or appoint, as the case may be: (a) the type of Security or Securities and title or titles thereof; (b) the aggregate principal amount, not to exceed $900,000,000, the denominations, and terms, of the Securities; (c) the price at which the Securities are to be sold (which may be issued at an "original issue discount" within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended), and the interest rate or rates, if any, to be established for the Securities, which rate or rates may vary from time to time; (d) the issuance of the Securities in any foreign currency or European currency units and if European currency units are issued, the currency or 6 currencies in which interest is payable; (e) the maturity or maturities; (f) the sinking fund, if any, and related redemption prices of the Securities; (g) the optional redemption rights, if any, of the Company and of the holders of the Securities, and related redemption prices and any limitations on such redemption; (h) the restrictive covenants, if any, to be imposed upon the Company relating to any of the Securities; (i) the form of Registration Statement on Form S-4, or such other form as the Management Committee determines (the "Registration Statement"), for the purpose of registering the Securities, if so required, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any amendments thereto; (j) any underwriting, standby, or similar agreement between the Company and an underwriter or underwriters; (k) the use, form, execution, and delivery of the Securities, indentures, note agreement, loan agreement, distribution agreement, reimbursement agreement, warrant agreement, notes, or any other contracts or agreements, including listing applications, as the Management Committee deems necessary or appropriate; (l) any transfer, authenticating, placement, exchange, distribution, or paying agent, or registrar, trustee or underwriter, or any other person or entity to act in connection with the Securities or the Notes; including the selection of a financial institution or institutions, whether foreign or domestic, to advise the Company; (m) any other terms, conditions, and provisions as the Management Committee deems necessary or appropriate; and further RESOLVED, That the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized, in the name and on behalf of the Company, to execute the Registration Statement with such changes therein as the officer executing the same may approve, such execution to be conclusive evidence of such approval, and to execute any and all amendments thereto as deemed necessary or desirable; and further RESOLVED, That upon the execution of the Registration Statement or any amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments, by directors and 7 officers of the Company, as required by law, either in person or by a duly authorized attorney or attorneys, the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized to cause the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and to execute and file all such instruments, make all such payments, and to do such other acts and things as, in their opinion or in the opinion of any of them, may be necessary or desirable in order to effect such filing, to cause the Registration Statement to become effective, and to maintain the Registration Statement in effect for as long as they deem it to be in the best interests of the Company; and further RESOLVED, That Paul W. Heldman and Bruce M. Gack, or either one of them, be, and each of them hereby is, made, constituted, and appointed the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, with authority to sign and execute on behalf of this Company, and on behalf of the directors and officers thereof in their official capacities, the Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto, which either of them, in their discretion, deem necessary or advisable to be filed with the Commission; and further RESOLVED, That Paul W. Heldman, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of the Company, whose address is 1014 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, be, and he hereby is, designated as the Agent for Service to be named in the Registration Statement, with authority to receive notices and communications with respect to such Registration Statement and with all powers consequent upon such designation under the rules and regulations of the Commission; and further RESOLVED, That, subject to the limitations set forth in these resolutions, the Management Committee may approve the form of the Securities; that the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized to execute, in the name and on behalf of the Company, the Securities; that the signature of each of such officers on the Securities may be manual or by facsimile; that Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the elected officers of the Company will bind the Company notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them cease to hold such offices; that the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized to deliver or cause to be delivered the Securities for authentication and delivery in the principal amount thereof as shall have been determined by the Board or a Committee; and further RESOLVED, That the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and directed, if such officer or officers deems it necessary in connection with the offering of any of the Securities, to appoint a withholding agent and attorney for the Company for the purpose of withholding any and all 8 taxes required to be withheld by the Company, under any Federal or other laws or regulations from time to time in effect, from the interest paid from time to time on the Securities, and to authorize and direct such agent to make any and all payments and reports and to file any and all returns and accompanying certificates with any governmental authority which such agent may be permitted or required to make or file as such agent under such laws or regulations; and further RESOLVED, That the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized in the name and on behalf of this Company to take any and all action which they deem necessary or advisable to effect the registration or qualification (or exemptions therefrom) of the Securities for issue, offer, sale, or trade under the Blue Sky or securities laws of any State of the United States of America, any Province of Canada, or of any other country and in connection therewith to sign, execute, acknowledge, verify, deliver, file, and publish all such applications, issuer's covenants, consents to service of process, resolutions, and other papers and documents as may be required under such laws, and to take any and all further action which they deem necessary or advisable in order to maintain such registration or qualification of the Securities for as long as they may deem necessary or as required by law; and further RESOLVED, That the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized in the name and on behalf of this Company to execute and file an application or applications for the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange, to appear before officials of the New York Stock Exchange and to take any and all action, and prepare, execute, and file any and all other applications and agreements, including an indemnity agreement relating to the use of facsimile signatures in the execution of the Securities, necessary, incidental, or convenient to effectuate such listing; and further RESOLVED, That the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized in the name and on behalf of this Company to execute and cause to be filed with the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange an application on Form 8-A, or such other form as may be required for the purpose of registering the Securities on a national securities exchange, pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and further RESOLVED, That the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and directed to advise the Company's senior lenders and the trustees under the indentures of its publicly issued debt of the issuance of Securities, as any such officer deems necessary or appropriate; and further RESOLVED, That the Management Committee and each of the elected officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and directed to do 9 and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such acts, deeds, and things and to make, execute, and deliver, or cause to be made, executed, and delivered, all such agreements, undertakings, documents, instruments, or certificates, in the name and on behalf of the Company or otherwise, including, without limitation, indentures, loan agreements, underwriting, placement, exchange or agency agreements, and trust agreements, all as the applicable Committee or any of the elected officers deem necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes and intent of the foregoing resolutions.