Kroger Co., the largest supermarket operator in the United States, plans to expand its online grocery offerings now that it has made the move to purchase Vitacost.com.

The deal, valued at $280 million, would give Cincinnati-based Kroger a jumpstart in entering new markets and new channels, Reuters reports.

Boca Raton-based Vitacost.com is an online grocery and nutrition products retailer dedicated to selling vitamins, herbs, supplements, sports nutrition and beauty care products. The company currently has about 2.3 million active customers.

The deal marks the second significant change for Kroger this year. The company completed the purchase of North Carolina-based Harris Teeter Supermarkets for $2.4 billion in January.

That acquisition added more than 200 supermarkets to Kroger’s network.

Kroger to buy online retailer Vitacost.com for $280 mln [Reuters]

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