March 6 (Reuters) - Kroger ( KR ) on Thursday forecast

annual same-store sales largely above Wall Street estimates,

fueled by steady grocery demand as value-conscious shoppers

prioritize staples such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

The supermarket chain expects growth in full-year identical

sales, excluding fuel, in the range of 2% to 3%, compared with

analysts' average estimate of a 1.96% rise, according to data

compiled by LSEG.

(Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini

Ganguli)