News

Cardtronics will manage supermarket chain’s ATMs

August 1, 2010

Cardtronics USA today announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement to manage ATMs in Kroger Co. supermarkets and convenience stores.

The Houston-based ATM ISO also said Kroger’s ATMs would participate in Allpoint, Cardtronics’ nationwide surcharge-free ATM network.

According to the announcement, Cardtronics will manage ATMs deployed in approximately 800 Kroger grocery and convenience stores. It is not clear, however, how many ATMs Cardtronics will manage. Some stores have one ATM, and others have more than one. ATMmarketplace.com emailed a Kroger spokesperson, but she did not respond to the request for additional information by deadline.

Cardtronics will provide cash management, customer service, ATM monitoring and transaction processing when the agreement takes effect sometime in the third quarter.

Kroger, which is based in Cincinnati, operates 2,470 grocery stores in 31 states under nearly two dozen corporate banners. They include Ralphs, QFC, Kroger and City Market. The company, which in fiscal 2009 reported $76.7 billion in sales, owns 779 convenience stores that operate under five banners in 18 states.

A Kroger executive said company officials are happy to be working with Cardtronics. “Our relationship with Cardtronics helps us make shopping easier for Kroger customers, and we look forward to Cardtronics’ expert management of the ATM services Kroger Personal Finance provides,” said Kathy Kelly, president of Kroger Personal Finance.

The agreement expands ATM access for Kroger customers, said Rick Updyke, Cardtronics president of global development. “Cardtronics also will provide Kroger with opportunities to increase store traffic by including the ATMs in our Allpoint surcharge-free ATM network and by providing customized ATM-bank branding programs,” Updyke said.

Cardtronics operates 33,700 ATMs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Bethesda, Md.-based Allpoint operates 35,000 ATMs in the U.S. and 2,500 in the U.K.