CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. is considering a sale of its convenience store business, the company announced at its annual investor conference here.

“We want to look at all options to ensure this part of the business is meeting its full potential,” said executive vice president and chief financial officer Mike Schlotman. “Considering the current premium multiples for convenience stores, we feel it is our obligation as a management team to undertake this review.”

The c-store division includes 784 stores in 18 states, which had combined sales of $4 billion last year. The business unit has delivered 62 consecutive quarters of identical-store sales growth.

The supermarketer also laid out its “Restock Kroger Plan” to redefine the food and customer experience through digitization and other technologies, expand partnerships, develop talent and create social impact. The company will invest $9 billion in the initiative over three years.

“We know that when we serve America through food inspiration and uplift, we create value for our shareholders, customers and associates,” said chairman and chief executive officer Rodney McMullen. “We understand that today’s marketplace is shifting rapidly. Kroger’s success has always depended on our ability to proactively address changes by focusing relentlessly on our customers. We have the scale, the data, physical assets and human connection to win.

“Combining our food expertise and data analytics uniquely positions Kroger to create new and highly relevant customer experiences, delivered both digitally and in stores. Restock Kroger builds on our strengths and strategically repositions Kroger to accelerate our customer-centered efforts in order to create shareholder value.”

To enhance the shopping experience, Kroger will accelerate digital and e-commerce efforts, applying its customer data and personalization expertise to more aspects of the business, and building on the growth of store brands.

The retailer intends to leverage customer science to make space planning decisions to optimize assortments and improve in-stock positions. It will continue investing to avoid losing customers because of pricing. The company has invested more than $4 billion in pricing since 2001.

It will redesign the front end to maximize stores for self-checkout, expanding the 20-store Scan, Bag, Go pilot to 400 stores next year.

Kroger will also continue building its Internet of Things sensor network, video analytics and machine learning networks, and complement those innovations with robotics and artificial intelligence to transform the customer experience.

“We believe our best days are ahead of us,” McMullen said.