Thursday’s business headlines

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Here’s a look at Thursday’s business headlines.

Kroger

Kroger has received Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 home testing kit.

The Kroger health COVID-19 test home collection kit will first be used starting this week by frontline workers at the nation’s largest operator of traditional supermarkets. Those tests will be based on medical need.

The testing kit will initially be available in Indiana and handful of other states.

Pfizer

Pfizer stock jumped as it had positive early trials of its COVID vaccine candidate.

Pfizer said the vaccine was generally well tolerated, through the experimental vaccine also caused fever in some patients.

The effort by Pfizer and Biontech is one of several working on a potential vaccine to prevent COVID-19.

Odwalla

Coca-Cola is discontinuing its Odwalla brand and selling a refrigerated trucking fleet that delivered the beverage.

The loss of the smoothie and juice brand will involve slashing 300 jobs at the company.

Odwalla had been on the decline for several years now.

Pizza Hut

The world’s largest Pizza Hut franchisee has filed for bankruptcy.

NPC International listed estimated assets ranging from $1 billion to $10 billion and estimated liabilities in the same range.

NPC operates 1,227 Pizza Hut restaurants in 27 states.

In addition to a drop in foot traffic and pricing pressures in the pizza category, the Pizza Hut brand has lost market share competitors.