Kroger Dropped Red Bull Over Pricing, and It's Still Gone
Kroger pulled Red Bull from every store in August over wholesale pricing, and six weeks later there's still no deal or return date.
Kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the US, stopped selling Red Bull in August. About six weeks later, it still isn't back. The standoff is on... who will blink first?
The pullout covers every Kroger store, gas station, and fuel center in the country, and it comes down to a fight over wholesale pricing. The last Red Bull sold in August, and branded displays and coolers were cleared out by Aug. 31.
We heard about this one before it hit the news, thanks to a tip from Adam Bippus of Levels, a protein brand. Thanks, Adam.
Still No Deal
As of Oct. 9, 2026, neither side has announced an agreement or a return date. Search Kroger's site for Red Bull and you'll see this message: "Red Bull is currently out of stock while we work with our suppliers to keep prices affordable for you." Some stores show the same message in person.
Kroger didn't respond to requests for comment, and Red Bull hasn't said anything publicly. Behind the scenes, this one must be fierce.
The New CEO's Line
The standoff started not long after a leadership change. Greg Foran, who came to Kroger from Walmart and took over as CEO earlier this year, spoke to investors on a Sept. 11 conference call. He said he wouldn't tolerate vendors "using inflation" to boost their sales when customers were clearly "under pressure." Red Bull wasn't the only name to vanish, either. Some Boar's Head deli items disappeared from certain Kroger stores around the same time.
Size matters on both sides. As the country's biggest grocer, Kroger is a huge account for any beverage brand. Red Bull is one of the biggest names in the cooler. When a fight like this drags on, both companies give something up.
Who Gets the Cooler
Kroger still sells plenty of other energy drinks, including Monster, Rockstar, NOS, Alani Nu, and Bloom. For now, those brands get the cooler space Red Bull used to fill, plus the shoppers who'd normally grab a silver-and-blue can at checkout.
If Red Bull is your daily can, Target and Walmart still carry it, and you can order it from Amazon. If you've been chasing limited runs like this summer's Sudachi Lime Summer Edition, you'll have to look somewhere other than Kroger for now.
Six weeks is a long standoff for a brand this big at a chain this big. We'll update this when the cans come back or when either side starts talking.
Our take? Red Bull simply isn't good enough to dictate terms anymore. There are too many other great options... many of which taste and function better, even in vodka. They will fold.
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