  fry's food & drug stores, inc., is a chain of supermarkets that has a major presence in the u.s. state of arizona. fry's also operates under the banner of fry's marketplace, a chain of multi-department stores. fry's is a division of the kroger company. == history == === beginnings === fry's was founded in 1954 by donald fry in california. with the help of his brother charles, the store expanded into arizona in 1960. fry's was sold in 1972 and after numerous mergers and acquisitions in the 1970s and 1980s became part of kroger. === fred meyer and kroger === on october 19, 1998, fred meyer, parent company of smith's food and drug, announced a strategic merger with kroger.kroger to merge with fred meyer ... press release from the kroger co. on may 27, 1999, the federal trade commission (ftc) approved the merger of the two companies, named the kroger co.kroger and fred meyer merger approved press release from the kroger co. arizona and texas were the only two of 31 states where there was overlap of stores and brands from the merger. the kroger co., choosing to operate with one brand in the market, rebranded most smith's food & drug centers in arizona as fry's food & drug stores,{{cite news|url=http://www.cincypost.com/business/1999/kroger041399.html|title=kroger-fred meyer deal brings changes in arizona|author=cliff peale|work=the cincinnati post|publisher=e. w. scripps company|date=199
1954_establishments_in_California 1960_establishments_in_Arizona Companies_based_in_Arizona Kroger Maricopa_County,_Arizona Retail_companies_established_in_1954 Supermarkets_of_the_United_States