Kroger looking to hire 20,000 new employees

Kroger Co. said it plans to hire an additional 20,000 permanent employees to staff its stores as the nation's largest independent grocery chain accelerates its expansion.

Kroger, which has 2,650 grocery stores, has added 40,000 jobs over the past six years. A timeframe for the new jobs wasn't established, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Kroger has bucked the broader trend in its industry, with stronger-than-expected sales and profit this year and a stock price that has risen more than 30 percent.

Read more from the Wall Street Journal.