Western Union and Kroger Extend 35-Year Relationship, Offer Global Digital and Retail Money Transfers

DENVER & CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, today announced that it has extended its 35-year relationship with The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America’s largest grocery retailer. The new non-exclusive agreement will enable Kroger customers to continue using Western Union’s market leading digital and retail services.

Through Western Union, consumers can send money digitally, or stage a transaction via Kroger’s Money Services online portal and pay in person. Additional in-person services for Kroger customers include domestic and international money transfers, bill pay and money orders, available at more than 2,300 stores across the U.S.

Consumers can send money for pay out via Western Union’s global network of bank accounts and wallets in more than 100 countries, or at more than half a million locations across 200 countries and territories. Within the U.S., funds may be paid into U.S. bank accounts or picked up from more than 54,000 Western Union locations coast to coast.

Jean Claude Farah, President, Global Network at Western Union, said, “For 35 years, our companies have shared a common purpose, enabling millions of connections between family and loved ones to send or receive money globally and locally. Together, we have grown while evolving our offerings to include more convenience, expanded digital services and a streamlined retail customer experience. We are proud of our relationship, and together we will continue to enhance the value we bring to our mutual customers.”

Farah continued: “We will continue to bring the best of our capabilities—expertise, scale and a sophisticated platform that moves currencies across borders—to serve Kroger’s customers in the manner that is most convenient to them. Our relationship with Kroger has evolved consistent with Western Union’s strategy to enable our platform to serve a wider range of customers, businesses and partners with the trust and flexibility they have come to expect.”

Kate Ward, president of Kroger Personal Finance, said, “We are pleased to continue our long-standing, collaborative relationship with Western Union while offering our customers choice for money movement with global scale. This happens when we work with a global leader that continues to innovate and adapt to meet evolving customer needs.”

Ward added, “Western Union will continue offering convenience, speed, and reliability to serve the money transfer and payments needs of our customers as we advance our customer offerings to enable choice in-store or online.”

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. Our omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability. As of June 30, 2020, our network included over 550,000 retail agent locations offering our branded services in more than 200 countries and territories, with the capability to send money to billions of accounts. Additionally, westernunion.com, our fastest growing channel in 2019, is available in over 75 countries, plus additional territories, to move money around the world. With our global reach, Western Union moves money for better, connecting family, friends, and businesses to enable financial inclusion and support economic growth. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About The Kroger Co.:

The Kroger Co. employs nearly half a million associates and serves 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. To learn more, visit the company’s newsroom and investor relations site.

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