We recently published a list of10 Best Organic Food Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) stands against other best organic food stocks to buy according to billionaires.
According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the organic food and beverages market has a size of $184.87 billion as of 2025. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.02% between 2025 and 2030, reaching $247.63 billion at the end of the forecast period. At present, North America is the largest market for the sector. However, Asia Pacific takes the lead as the fastest growing.
The primary cause behind the growth of the global organic food and beverage market is the increasing adoption of natural and healthy food and beverage options by consumers. Consumers are exhibiting growing inclination and awareness towards the health benefits of organic food products, which is continually acting as the primary stimulus for this industry.
Published by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and IFOAM—Organics International, the 25th edition of the yearbook “The World of Organic Agriculture” shows that the organic farming sector is undergoing significant growth and expansion. It reported that the area under organic management reached around 96.4 million hectares by the end of 2022, reflecting a significant 26.6% growth compared to the previous year. This translates to an expansion of 20.3 million hectares.
The report also showed that the United States took the lead as the largest market in the sector, valued at around EUR 56.6 billion in 2022. Germany followed close behind at EUR 15.3 billion, while China took the third spot at EUR 12.4 billion. The United States and Canada underwent growth in retail sales in the sector, reflecting increases of 4.4% and 9.7%, respectively. These trends show that consumers are increasingly showing interest in organic products, and health consciousness and awareness are supporting demand in North America.
However, these trends are not concentrated in North America alone. The report showed that expansion in organic farming areas occurred across all continents, bringing to life a global trend towards organic food intake and sustainable agricultural practices. The number of organic farmers also rose globally, increasing to 4.5 million in 2022 and reflecting an approximately 26% rise from 2021.
In this article, we first sifted through ETFs and financial media reports to compile a preliminary list of stocks. We then examined Insider Monkey’s exclusive database of billionaire stock holdings to select the 10 best organic food stocks with the most billionaire investors. These billionaires are founders or managers of some of the world’s leading hedge funds and companies.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Is The Kroger Co. (KR) the Best Dividend Stock to Buy According to Billionaires?
A customer buying an item at a checkout counter in a grocery store.
Number of Billionaire Investors: 14
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60
The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) is a food and drug retailer that operates supermarkets, fulfillment centers, and multi-department stores. It offers a range of organic food items. Its brand portfolio includes Smart Way, Big K, Heritage Farm, Simple Truth Organic, and Simple Truth. The company operates approximately 2,722 supermarkets, 2,257 pharmacies, and 1,665 fuel centers in 35 US states and the District of Columbia.
The company reported a 2.4% growth in its identical sales without fuel in fiscal Q4 2024 and an operating profit of $912 million. Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) also delivered an 11% growth in digital sales, reflecting positive momentum in the category. Management expressed confidence in its plans for 2025 and is committed to delivering a total shareholder return of 8% to 11% over time.
On April 3, Guggenheim analyst John Heinbockel raised the firm’s price target on The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) to $73 from $71 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst highlighted that the company’s maturing Media business, rising operating momentum from the ESI network re-entry, and incremental KR Delivery growth should allow the recent multiple expansion to hold.
Overall, KR ranks 4th on our list of best organic food stocks to buy according to billionaires. While we acknowledge the potential for KR as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than KR but trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.