CINCINNATTI — An Ohio judge has ordered former Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen to provide a written explanation for his sudden departure from the grocery giant in March, a move his legal team has argued is “completely irrelevant” and “embarrassing.”
The directive, issued Aug. 1 by Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Christian Jenkins, comes as part of a lawsuit filed in December 2023 by Grammy-nominated singer Jewel and festival company Wellness Your Way Festival and Inclusion. The plaintiffs accuse Kroger of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment, claiming that they played a central role in launching the annual Kroger Wellness Festival.
According to Business Insider, McMullen is not a defendant in the case, but the plaintiffs argue the circumstances of his resignation could impact his credibility if he testifies and could illuminate what they describe as an “allegedly corrupt corporate culture” at Kroger. The judge ordered McMullen to identify those involved in his resignation and provide a detailed account of the reasons for his exit in a sworn statement. Whether that account becomes public will depend on a later ruling…