The holidays are for spending time with loved ones and the community, including the lonely stranger. This year, Kroger’s holiday campaign from agency of record adam&eveDDB New York emulates the idea of including others through food sharing.

The food retailer’s 2024 holiday spot features a cast of Kroger’s signature animated characters—known as “Kroji’s”—to tell the story of a lonely older woman who has lost her holiday spirit. A young boy, her neighbor, notices her despair and begins to take the food from his own family’s holiday dinner to surprise her with a feast. His parents quickly take notice that the food is disappearing, and why, helping him to prepare in the end. 

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The film, titled “The Case of the Disappearing Food,” is set to the track “Lonely People” by America. 

“At Kroger, we understand how food can transcend differences, cure loneliness and speak from our hearts in a way that words cannot,” said Stuart Aitken, Kroger’s chief merchant and marketing officer. “What we love about this film is how it so acutely illustrates the power of food to bring people together and express kindness. We hope this message—share your food, share your heart—inspires families, friends and neighbors to pull up an extra seat at their table this holiday season and revel in the simple joy of being together.”

See also: The best holiday ads of 2024

The campaign follows a similar theme to last year’s holiday ad “Cuisine Exchange,” which celebrated sharing food with people of different cultures and backgrounds to learn about one another and include them when they may miss home. 

This year, in addition to the short film, Kroger is debuting a Hispanic market holiday ad (below) developed with Alma DDB titled “The Gift of Teaching.” The ad celebrates the importance of passing down multi-generational traditions through the story of a grandmother who carefully teaches her blind grandson every step of an important family tamale recipe.

“When you gather around the table, you’re not just sharing a beef wellington or some butternut squash, you’re sharing love. It’s a message that’s especially relevant during the holidays,” said Paulo Junger, executive creative director at adam&eveDDB. “No one should feel alone during this special time.” 

The holiday campaign will run on Netflix, cable, streaming and the internet from mid-November through Jan. 1. 

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